DAMAGING TO HEALTH AND SOCIETY

A Case Against Marijuana

"Johnny, will ya' pick up some milk, eggs, bread and...get some pot while
you're out!" Sounds odd, but the way the culture is moving, this could very
well be true in the next few years.

Nowadays, irresponsible use of alcohol and tobacco are issues that plague
America. Why do we need one more drug that has similar detrimental effects?
We don't. We do not need to compound the problems that alcohol and tobacco
cause with the consequences associated with marijuana use simply to justify
legalizing it.

Short-term memory impairment, slowness of learning, decreased sperm count,
impaired immune response, and serious lung problems follow long term use of
pot according to the surgeon general.

What's worse is that more severe developmental problems are found in
adolescents from ages 12 to high school seniors. The surgeon general points
to what's called "amotivational syndrome" which is noted by energy loss,
diminished school performance, harmed parental relationships and other
behavioral disruptions in adolescents.

And get this, from the Centers for Disease Control, 22.4 percent of high
school seniors have smoked pot in the past month and so have 7 percent of
12-17 year olds. So, say we do legalize pot for ages 21 and over like
alcohol. We would still have all these problems with youth where the
detrimental long-term effects are much more severe than that of adults.

Nevertheless, the effects marijuana has on adults are bad enough to keep it
illegal and out of more people's hands. Just because we have two legal
drugs that have negative effects (alcohol and tobacco) does not mean we
need to add a third into the mix. However, it does mean we need to control
it at its source and get parents involved with their children.

As it is now, taxpayers pay some or all of alcohol and tobacco addicts
liver and lung transplants. What will we be paying for with a society full
of potheads?

And before you say pot isn't addictive, the evidence shows otherwise.
According to a Reuters news report, more than two-thirds of teens being
referred for drug treatment complained of withdrawal symptoms when they
stopped using marijuana. And in a study by the University of Colorado, 80
percent of boys and 60 percent of girls age 13-19 were clinically dependent
on marijuana.

As with drunk drivers and second hand smoking, it's not just detrimental
for those using the drugs, it's tragic for all those affected by his or her
actions.

The National Institute of Justice said that 66 percent of young adult males
who were arrested for serious crimes in 1996 tested positive for recent
marijuana use. And frequent marijuana users aged 12-17 were four times more
likely to physically attack another than those who did not use pot. So, the
bunk about pot making you more relaxed or less violent is definitely
questionable.

All in all, I don't think there is any good reason to legalize pot for
general consumption. Its just one more drug that will surely be abused and
cause more harm than good. Besides, it's not wise nor responsible to put
yourself in a position where you can't think rationally.