AMERICANS ARE ADULT ENOUGH TO HANDLE PERSONAL MARIJUANA USE

America is supposed to be the land of opportunity, a democracy where we are
able to make our own decisions and we don't have to listen to dictators
telling us the difference between right and wrong. Then why are we, the
citizens of America, treated like irresponsible children?

There are hundreds of ridiculous laws on the books. Did you know that in
Maryland it's illegal to have oral sex? Of course, no one follows this law,
and no one is penalized for it. But there are other laws that threaten
death for some people, like the ones pertaining to marijuana. Cancer
patients and other ill-stricken people need the drug to reduce intense
amounts of pain that other medications cannot soothe. But unfortunately for
the people who truly need it, the laws on pot are heavily enforced.

Why is the use of marijuana, especially for medical purposes, such a heated
debate? Recently, the Supreme Court has been pondering the future of
medical marijuana use. Starting with California in 1996, 11 state courts
have approved use of the drug for patients who are physically ill or are
suffering from diseases, such as AIDS and cancer. In Maryland, a judge may
consider the possibility of medical use in marijuana possession cases.

Opponents to medical marijuana laws fear that by allowing the drug to be
used for medical purposes, anyone caught with marijuana will claim to need
it as an ailment. They are also concerned that the illegal market for
marijuana will be harder to control.

Angel Raich, is a mother of two living in California. She smokes marijuana
every two hours to control the pain caused by an inoperable brain tumor.
The drug also helps her function in day-to-day life by stimulating her
appetite and preventing muscle spasms. She believes marijuana is what's
keeping her alive, saying, "If they decide against me, it means they will
be giving me a death sentence."

Not only should Raich and others be supplied with marijuana, Americans
should be trusted to handle the drug, if they so chose to use it, in
general. Outside the United States, marijuana is legal in many countries
that also have lower instances of drug abuse. Marijuana was a legal
medicine for thousands of years, and it was legal in the United States
until Congress banned it in 1937.

Cigarettes are legal and they can give users a variety of cancers. Alcohol
is legal and is detrimental to the liver. Bad drivers are legally able to
get into cars and become a danger to themselves as well as others. But
marijuana is apparently just too complicated a drug for us to regulate
ourselves. While substances like alcohol, if used by certain individuals,
can induce violent behavior and impair judgment, a drug that gives its
users the munchies is dangerous?

Contrary to popular belief, marijuana users are not the only ones
advocating the drug's legalization. I can honestly say I have never used
marijuana in my life, and I never plan on using. In high school I was the
president of an anti-drug organization.

I know the damaging effects of pot to the human body (like those of
nicotine and alcohol), but those effects shouldn't be the only basis to
make it illegal.

Hopefully the Court will allow medical patients to use marijuana. But it
shouldn't be so concerned that recreational users will have more access to
the drug. Treat Americans as adults who can make their own decisions.