Sarena Walsh

Research Paper
Health 1040-006
The Legalization of Marijuana for Medical and Recreational Purposes
Marijuana affects the brain by tapping into the brains communication
system. The chemical THC, which is found in marijuana, mimics that of
naturally occurring chemicals in the brain. THC binds to the receptors and
activates them. When the THC binds to the receptor it interferes with the
way neurons normally send receive and process information.
Marijuana triggers the brain to release a high dose of dopamine, giving you a
high and affects your sense of perception. Since THC changes the way your
brain process information, it can cause impaired of motor skills, your balance
and coordination may be compromised. Your judgment skill may be impaired.
Marijuana can trigger changes in the part of the brain called the
hippocampus. These changes can affect your ability to form fresh memories.
When marijuana is smoked it can affect the respiratory system much like
tobacco. Marijuana smoke contains a mixture of toxic chemicals and
carcinogens that can irritate the lungs and cause many serious short and or
long term health problems. The most concerning health problems include
respiratory infections such as bronchitis. Marijuana smoke may also increase
your chances for developing lung cancer.
Smoking marijuana causes your heart beat to increase from 30 to 50 beats
per minute within seconds of inhalation. This can put anyone with heart
disease at a high risk for having a heart attack.
Some studies have shown that THC may even harm your immune system.
This can make you vulnerable to illnesses of all kinds.
When evaluating any drug that is being considered for use as a medical
treatment, the first thing that should be evaluated is the potential health
risks that are involved. Marijuana is an intoxicating drug that in most states
is considered a Schedule 1 drug by the DEA. This means that it is in a class of
drugs with the highest potential for abuse. Marijuana also has many short
and long term potentially dangerous effects on the body. With this in mind, a
cautious approach must be taken when considering the introduction of this
substance into a population for a medical treatment or for recreational use.

There are many pros and cons to take into account when discussing the
legalization of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes. The most
concerning issues involve the potential for its abuse, its addictive properties,
its potential health risks as well as the public safety concerns that are
associated with this intoxicating substance. However, there are many
benefits that have some states considering legislation.
Taxpayers have paid for the arrest and incarcerations of hundreds of
thousands of people. In 2011, marijuana arrests totaled 663,032. These
arrests are often in small quantities for personal use. Some statistics state
that the total annual cost for marijuana arrests reach above $10 billion.
I will start by examining the pros and cons of the legalization of recreational
use of marijuana. In the United States there are currently four states that
have legalized marijuana for recreational use, Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, and
Washington.
In Colorado alone the marijuana industry has a $700 million dollar industry.
According to the Washington Post, analysis of tax data from the Department
of Revenue, in 2014 Colorado generated $63 million dollars in tax revenue.
These projections do not include marijuana related items such as pipes, and
bongs, and they dont account for increased revenue in other areas of
Colorados economy like tourist spending in hotels and restaurants.
Colorado officially made the use of recreational marijuana legal in 2012. The
total number of marijuana court cases have dropped from 39,027 in 2011 to
2,036 in 2014. Those 37,000 cases fewer cases represent a savings of untold
million dollars in court costs and law enforcement fees. This also means that
37,000 fewer people who have to deal with the stigma and financial burden
of possible conviction. This represents countless police man-hours that are
able to be devoted to other tasks.
It is heartening to see the tens of thousands of otherwise law-abiding
Coloradans have been spared the travesty if getting handcuffed or being
charged with small amounts of marijuana, said the Drug Policy Alliances Art
Way in a press release. By focusing on public health rather than
criminalization, Colorado is better positioned to address the potential harms
of marijuana use, while diminishing many of the worst aspect of the war on
drugs.

The following statement made by the American Journal of Public Health,

regarding the legalization of marijuana, points out a very valid argument.
"More than 75 years of criminalizing marijuana has failed to prevent
marijuana use," the bill reads. "A study published in the American Journal of
Public Health found that no evidence supports the claim that criminalization
reduces marijuana use."
"Responsible use of marijuana should be treated the same as responsible use
of alcohol, the abuse of either treated as a public health matter, and
irresponsible use of either that causes harm to others sanctioned with
penalties,"
The addictive properties of marijuana are great enough to keep people using
marijuana regardless of the consiqunces of possible prosecution. I believe we
need to reevaluate how we are dealing with the use of marijuana as a crime.
Maybe we should view this addiction as a disease and treat it as such. Given
the statistics to date, the amount of tax revenue that is generated by this
industry could be highly beneficial to the community. Perhaps more of this
tax revenue should be spent on drug abuse research and preventative
educational programs.
Science is revolutionizing the way that we view addiction. Today, More and
more we are viewing addiction as a disease. Most of the early research that
was done in the 1930s drew a picture of a drug addict as having moral
issues and a lack of will power. Much of this stigma still exists in our culture
today. These views shaped how we deal with addiction, treating it as a moral
failing rather that a health problem. As a result we applied punishment in
place of what should have been treatment for these individuals.
Drug addiction can be defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that can
be characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use regardless of its
harmful consiquences. It can be defined as a disease because the drug
changes the brain and how it works. According to the National Institute of
Drug Abuse, (NIDA), addiction can be classified as a developmental disorder
as well. It often begins in early childhood or adolescence. The brain is not
fully developed in adolescence. One area that is still in development is the
prefrontal cortex which controls our emotions, desires and our ability to
make sound dicisions. Introducing drugs during this time of development can
make long and lasting changes. Adolescence is a critical time to prevent drug
addiction. Most illicit drug use starts in the teenage years. This is why

preventative educational programs are so important for our youth. If

marijuana is leagalized, much of the tax revenue should be directly spent on
this cause. Prevention is the best stategy.
Marijuana is the most commonly abused intoxicating substance. This drug
impairs short term memory and learning, the ability to focus attention, and
coordination. It also increases heart rate, can damage the lungs, can
increase the risk of psychosis in those with an underlying vulnerability. If this
substance is made legal, a good portion of the tax revenue should go to
rehabilitation programs to help people that have fallen into addiction.
Addiction is a treatable disease. Research in the science of addictions and
substance abuse has developed evidence-based programs and interventions
that can help people eliminate their addiction. The most successful programs
treat the addicted person as a whole. This is why the best treatment
programs incorporate a variety of rehabilitative services into their treatment
that meet the individuals specific psychological, social, vocational,
vocational and legal needs. The problem is that for many these programs
can be too expensive to access. Perhaps, this should be taken into account
when dividing up the tax revenue after a state legalizes marijuana.
Taxpayers have paid for the arrest and incarcerations of hundreds of
thousands of people. In 2011, marijuana arrests totaled 663,032. These
arrests are often in small quantities for personal use. Some statistics state
that the total annual cost for marijuana arrests reach above $10 billion. Many
are repeat offenders. Punishment for addiction does not seem to be an
effective means to solve this problem. I think our tax dollars would be more
effectively spent on research programs, preventative educational programs
as well as rehabilitation programs rather than incarceration, which has
statistically failed us.
Next, I will discuss the legalization of medical marijuana. I recent studies
marijuana has provided evidence that medicinal use of marijuana could be
beneficial for patient with certain conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy,
alztheimers, arthritis as well as many others. There are currently 23 states
that have accepted the legalization of marijuana for medical uses.
There are two bills in Utah legislation right now concerning the legalization of
medical marijuana;

The Vickers-Daw bill. This bill will legalize the use of cannabidiol products
(usually pill form). These products do not contain THC which is the
hallucinogenic chemical in marijuana. It is an extract of marijuana.
The Madsen bill, allows whole plant access to the plant (containing THC) with
the recommendation from a doctor. It also introduces a broader list of
illnesses and permits parents to use the drug for their children.
When evaluating a substance that is being used for medical purposes we
must look at the potential health risks that are involved. Most of the health
risks involved have been linked to the smoking of the substance. Some of the
most serious of these health concerns are lung cancer and pulmonary
disease similar to the effects that tobacco has on the body. However, the
benefit to smoking this substance is that it is fast acting. It can reach peak
levels within minutes. This can be beneficial for pain management and other
medicinal purposes.
To avoid the health risks associated with the smoking of marijuana there is a
pill form of marijuana called Merinol. It is available at most pharmacies with a
valid prescription. The only downfall to this form of THC is that it is not fast
acting. It can take several hours to reach peak levels but it can still have its
intoxicating effects. This is why it is still a highly controlled substance even
in this form.
Until there is a fast acting pill form of THC, there will be controversy on the
subject of whether smoking marijuana should be legal for medicinal
purposes. I think that more research should be done on how to formulate a
fast acting pill form of THC. In my opinion smoking marijuana is linked to too
many serious health concerns to be considered a medical remedy.
In any form marijuana (THC) is a highly controlled substance for a good
reason. Aside from the serious health concerns listed above, there are many
other side dangerous side effects to consider. Other issues that can arise
form chronic consumption include anxiety, serious paranoia, mental
intability, dissociation, psychotic episodes, and even schizophrenia. These
side effect can be short term, but there have been claims that symptoms can
persist in some patients.
With all these issues It makes me wonder why anyone would want to use
marijuana medicinally. There are many other effective pain medication on
the market.

Whether it be for medical or recreational use. We must still take a very

cautious approach when dealing with the legalization of any intoxicating
substance.

Citations:
1: National Drug Intelligence Center. The economic impact of illicit drug use
on American Society. Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice,
2011.

2: Di Chiara G, Imparato A. Drugs abused by humans preferentially increase

synaptic dopamine concentrations in the mesolimbic system of freely
moving rats. Proc Natl Acad Sci 85:5274-5278

3: National Institute of Drug Abuse: Drugs, Brains, and Behavior, The Science
of Addictions.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse

4: National Institute of Drug Abuse. Preventing Drug Abuse Among Children

and Adolescents: A Research Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and
Community Leaders. (Second Addition) (NIH Publication No. 04-4212).
Rockville, MD, 2003.