Today, tens of thousands of people gathered around the nation to enjoy a leafy green plant that is still illegal in many parts of the United States. Many believe the laws on this substance should change, and that not decriminalizing it would be one dopey idea. Schira Spears is one of these people and in her commentary, she compares the harmful effects of several items we consume daily to the seemly harmless use of marijuana. In honor of 4/20, I have considered her argument and found the evidence to be highly interesting.
Spears begins by asking us to consider the both toxic and legal things we ingest regularly. She specifically makes note of the synthetic trans fat in many of the snacks and packaged foods we enjoy, as well as the harmful and often lethal side effects of smoking cigarettes. She then poses the philosophical question that weed-to-know. Why are these substances are deemed fit for consumption while others are not?
Spears makes a bold statement: “Marijuana on the other hand, doesn't have any harmful effects.” This is debatable. While smoking weed won’t likely have the same effect on you as alcohol or other mind-altering substances, it is still just that… a mind-altering substance. It is well known that hallucinations, increased appetite, and decreased coordination are all effects of this drug. However, studies have also shown that marijuana can increase your heart rate by 20 to 100 percent shortly after ingesting the drug, and this effect could last for hours. While an increased risk in lung cancer has not been linked to marijuana smoking, it can cause similar respiratory problems to tobacco smokers such as greater chance of lung infections, increased cough and mucus production, and more frequent chest illnesses. Several other studies have also found that heavy marijuana use can lower the body’s ability to fight infection, and alter men’s sperm production as well as altering a woman’s menstrual cycle (1).
But don’t blow smoke yet. Nevertheless, Spears is correct when she writes that chemicals in the drug can also have helpful effects on people suffering from illness or depression, and it is indeed used medically in some areas for this very purpose. Unlike drinking alcohol or tobacco, marijuana has the potential to be a highly useful substance, especially when compared to many other legal substances.
Spears’ point is clear. Pretty much everything we do or have is bad for us on some level, and marijuana, while deemed dangerous, ins’t nearly as bad as it seems. I have to agree with her on this. While the drug does produce some questionable effects, it is no worse than the junk we inhale every time we drive through a fast food line or the legal tobacco products that so many people are addicted to today. As Spears writes, “There are so many ways it can help people today, but yet it is marked as something dangerous, unlike the other legal substances whom been proven to lead to those illnesses that Marijuana helps.” I agree with Spears, but the true question is if we can get American lawmakers to realize the same thing. The answer… is yes we cannabis. Blaze it, America.
Sources:
1. http://www.livescience.com/24558-marijuana-effects.html
In my opinion it should not even be build at all. It's a waste of money and a waste of time because it shouldn't even matter. It a waste because it's expensive,hard workers will need to do it and it will not be white people,it would be immigrants and Donald trump is known for having non white people work for them. It's a huge financial problem because the country is already suffering from debt. Donald Trump doesn't see how much this will affect the country. Most of the immigrants have had a huge contribution to the economy. Why target the hard working people? You are punishing them because of their hard work? But it's okay for a white person to go shoot up a school or a movie theater? Why can't they be band to somewhere else? The immigrants aren't always rapist or
ReplyDeleteMurders. They are hard working people just looking for the "American Dream".