Down the Line

This blog is starting to wind down and there is one final conclusion I can make regarding legalizing marijuana. The only foreseeable way for marijuana to be legalized is for it to only be legal to those who use it for medical purposes. As Americans, we are not ready for the type of change that full legalization will bring. Maybe 10, 20, or even 50 years down the line, America will be accepting and open enough to allow for marijuana to be legalized, but the only way this plateau will ever be reached is by first inducing a sympathetic argument for those who use marijuana medically.

Self Analysis

After delving into the issue of legalizing marijuana, many things have been realized in the process of my work. Since I have been using mainly internet sources, the credibility of my sources has been a focus of mine. When dealing with an issue as marijuana, the perception given is that the topic is not serious. Therefore you find sites that are not backed by credible information, and even if they are well supported academic sites they can still be viewed as not credible. I have realized that the only sites you can use for medical marijuana that have merit are strictly medical sites like the AMA. By using these credible sources, your blog becomes significantly more revered which makes you look more like this rather than this.
When people argue, they want to make the issue into two sides. I’ve realized that there are many shades of gray in argumentation and the only way to use arguments like these are to acknowledge the other sides. One significant point that has shades of gray when talking about legalizing marijuana is the effects of legalization on crime deterrence. Since an argumentative point like crime deterrence has can only be projected since nothing like legalization has ever happened, studies will show that it won’t have a significant impact on legalization while some will argue that legalization will set poor model for the youth of America thus increasing crime. Very few times in argumentation are there clear cut sides, so you have to stay consistent with your argument.
My stance on legalizing marijuana has not changed, but the six-lane highway that I was once on has turned into a two lane road. By that I mean before starting this blog, I was blindly set on legalizing marijuana. After studying more in depth on medical marijuana, I have focused my opinion strictly on legalizing marijuana for those patients recommended medical use. This blog has forced me to become more focused in my arguments and stances and in this case going from a wide stance of total legalization to a regulatory stance for medical marijuana.

Extended Reading

When you first look at the topic of legalizing marijuana, there are many things to consider whether it be for personal use, medicinal use, industrial use, health risks, etc. Two sites that are comprehensive in many aspects of marijuana are NORML and MJLegal. Both sites will get a reader who is new to the topic a comprehensive introduction to and an overview of the topic. You will find objective information which will allow any reader to be able to decide a stance on the legalization of marijuana.
If you wish to focus more on the medicinal uses of marijuana in more detail then there are many sites to do that. The American Medical Association( AMA) gives information regarding the health aspects, diseases with which marijuana can be used as treatment, as well as information regarding pharmaceutical drugs made with marijuana.
The criminal aspects of legalizing marijuana are often spoken about when legalization is talked about. Crime deterrence and money spent on enforcing marijuana laws are topics which pro legalization supporters harp upon because of the efficiency that legalization could cause in our police systems. Those not supporting legalization will cite that it will lead to other drugs as well as set a poor model for the youth of America, both causing crime to increase. You as the reader must take this information and decide for yourself whether legalizing marijuana, specifically medical marijuana, is good for the country. I can only show you the way through these websites; you have to take that step

Class Links

I really appreciate those that read my blog. If you like my blog , you will be interested in or at least appreciate the following blogs.

http://elizabethpot.blogspot.com/
This blog expresses another viewpoint on the legalization of marijuana. The writer who is also in favor of legalization of marijuana is interested in the medicinal purposes of marijuana like me. However, she focuses on the drugs that can be made from marijuana and then used medicinally. Her blog is worth visiting to see the other side of medical marijuana. I think that less focus should be on the regulation of marijuana if it was legalized for medicinal use where she thinks that marijuana should be regulated to the point where only drugs made from marijuana should be legalized. Not only does she provide an objective view, but it’s backed by quality sources with a visually appealing layout for an enjoyable blog experience.

http://vilese11.blogspot.com/
This blog focuses on the separation of church and state which is an interesting argument that can be related to marijuana laws being influenced by a conservative religious influenced governing body. The writer says that it’s time to accept that our country was built on religious values and influences, but that our country is not regulated and defined by one set of values. The writer does an excellent job of diffusing the situation which can be a heated argument because many still believe that through prayer in school , etc. , our country is still regulated by religious values.

http://alcohol101.blogspot.com
Alcohol101’s blog focuses on lowering the drinking age to 18. This blog is worth visiting to see how deep an argument can be defined. He has stated that if the drinking age was lowered to 18 that certain regulations would have to come with it, mainly an increase in penalties for drunk drivers. He analyzes the issue on many different levels, He states broadly first that the drinking age should be lowered. He then follows up with saying that the 21 year old drinking age is limiting Americans rights and that this is wrong. He concludes by saying safety is the most important thing and that an increase in penalties for drunk driving and a lowering of the drinking age will accomplish the previous arguments of not letting the government limit our freedoms and keeping safety a priority.

Implications Post

The movement for the legalization of medical marijuana is constantly growing and won’t hit its zenith until it is actually legalized. The medical marijuana debate hinges on whether more marijuana medicines for AIDS and cancer patients can be studied and developed. Legislators will be forced to act if more studies on the positive effects of marijuana on AIDS or cancers are published. The first probable step for legalization would be to legalize marijuana for patients who have doctor’s recommendation only. This restriction could eventually be loosened to the point where marijuana is sold in pharmacies to people that are 21 and older in a similar fashion as tobacco and alcohol are.

Theory Post

Medical marijuana is an establishment that is hard to discredit as far as its medical purposes and clout that has been gained through testing. However, the potential restrictions, regulations, and guidelines that would follow legalization for medical marijuana is as divided as the Mason-Dixon. The central regulation that defines the medical argument is whether it should only be legal to those with physician’s consent. Pessimists might say that those who choose to use marijuana medically would deny conventional western medicine for marijuana when the choice was presented to them. Creating a legal option for patients who have been recommended marijuana as a medicine by their physician is only justice to those patients who have been denied medicine for the last thirty years. Also the potential revenue from medical marijuana is eleven figures, which is a substantial amount. The only significant drawback could come from the honor system that’s instilled between patients and physicians. A potential market could develop from physicians who sell recommendations to personal users as well as medically prescribed users. We as Americans can only hope that lawmakers can see the benefits of legalizing medical marijuana for those with physician’s consent outweighing the potential abuse from the morally casual in America.

Pick your Poison, one's Legal and one isn't

Many Americans have vices/ habits that are hard to deviate from. Some choose food, gambling, alcohol, or sex. Some choose marijuana or tobacco. Those that choose the latter will take on health risks but the two main differences between marijuana and tobacco are that: 1) tobacco is legal , 2) tobacco is more harmful. Effects of marijuana on the body are listed as: increased heart rate, slowed neuron processing, respiratory problems, and decreased immune system awareness. When compared to tobacco, the health effects of marijuana seem insignificant. Cigarettes alone have been linked to asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, emphysema, and the list goes on. Chewing tobacco causes cancer in the mouth and gums. The cigarette companies have the audacity, though somewhat forced by the government, to put labels saying these products cause cancer and yet the government still allows cigarettes to be sold where marijuana is not legally sold. There is also no proven positive medical use of cigarettes which begs the question “Why are cigarettes legal and marijuana isn’t?”