Legalization of Marijuana The use of marijuana is legal today for medicine purposes. However, when California Proposition 215 was proposed in 1996, it caught the attention of the general public and became a major issue. There were supporters and, of course, opponents of this Proposition.
Many doctors said that marijuana is helpful in treatment of AIDS, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis and spasticity. Besides the above, use of marijuana also relieves the pain that cancer causes and relieves the nausea that is associated with chemotherapy that the patients have to undergo. Supporters of the proposition know that marijuana is not a risk free drug. However, they believe the doctors would weigh the benefits and risks against each other before prescribing it to patients. The main argument favoring this proposition is that marijuana relieves the pain of patients suffering from cancer and AIDS. Supporters believe that it is a humane act in passing proposition 215 to help these patients that are in great pain.
Haught Street Obama "Yes We Cannabis" Poster
Day 46 - West Midlands Police - Cannabis Drugs Rai...
English: Organic cannabis Indica purchased from a ...The proposition draws a clear line between using marijuana for medical purposes or for recreational purposes. On the contrary, it needs to be regulated by the law so that people who really need it can get and use it without being prosecuted like criminals. Thirdly, Proposition 215 protects physicians from the law if they should recommend marijuana to their patients. Physicians under this proposition are given more scrutiny as to why they prescribe the drug to patients. Finally, the supporters said that if doctors are allowed to prescribe morphine and codeine, why could they not prescribe marijuana too. The law under Proposition 215 does not permit recreational use of the drug and also does not permit driving under the influence of the drug. Therefore, there is no great harm done in voting yes on Proposition 215.
I believe that proposition 215 is just a smokescreen for legalizing marijuana. Proposition 215 does not restrict the use of marijuana to patients with serious illness. I think that voters should read the fine print of the proposition, which says that marijuana use is legal for any other illness for which it provides relief. I contend that proposition 215 does not require a written prescription and it does not have an age limit for using the drug. A third position is that FDA did not approve of the drug and that will provide no protection for consumers. My main argument is from the active ingredient in marijuana. THC, is already available by prescription in form of Marinol. Secondly, legalizing drugs will only mislead the children into believing that smoking marijuana is safe and healthy. Finally, proposition 215 will create a loophole for drugs dealers and growers and they will not face criminal prosecution because of this initiative.
Map outline of California with a marijuana leaf.
Day 149 - West Midlands Police - Tackling drug rel...
English: Man holding a California state-issued car...