Taking the Testy Topic [Essay]

I just turned this paper in, but I wanted to throw it in the forum to see what other people may have to say about it.

This is an essay I wrote for my composition course about the decriminalization of marijuana.

Let me know what you think!

[FONT=&quot]Is It NORML?[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Imagine a society where the simple possession of a tulip, rose, or lilac was prohibited and regulated by the government[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Believe it or not, this brutally critical society is not too far from our own[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Cannabis resides in the same family as the wild cherry bush and elm tree, but remains more illegal than cocaine and equally as illegal as heroin by federal law[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] This flower includes itself in an astounding list of medical and economical applications[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] The prohibition of cannabis dates back to the Marijuana Tax Stamp Act of 1937[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] These laws are outdated and require an unbiased and factual consideration from the bureaucracy and commonwealth of the Unites States of America[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Former president Jimmy Carter once said that "Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot]" Marijuana is responsible for more arrests per year than the total number of arrests made for murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault combined[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Nearly ninety percent of these arrests were made solely for the possession of cannabis, rather than sale or manufacturing[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Each year, the taxpayers spend nearly ten billion dollars involving the prohibition of marijuana[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] The effort, time, and money put forth in this prohibition are resources that may be better concerted towards violent crimes that are far more threatening than any detriment imposed by this delicate flower[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Aside from the obvious economical dent that prohibition has put in the United States, cannabis also has a vast array of medical applications[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Among this list of potential medicinal uses for marijuana lies a possible treatment for cancer[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] According to Paul Armentano, the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), “Investigators are also studying the anti-cancer activities of cannabis, as a growing body of preclinical and clinical data concludes that cannabinoids can reduce the spread of specific cancer cells…” Cannabinoids, the active chemicals in marijuana structurally related to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are responsible for the ease of more than thirty ailments including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, sleep apnea, and hepatitis c[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] According to Andrew D[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Hathaway, “Cannabis has a long medical history, and anecdotal evidence from contemporary users points to an array of therapeutic uses[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot]” Opposing views may argue that smoking marijuana is harmful to your lungs, but this remains true for the inhalation of any combusted material as well as the inhalation of our very own atmosphere[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] There are, however, alternative methods to smoking marijuana[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] These methods include the vaporization of the flower’s cannabinoid-containing crystals called “trichomes,” as well as the ingestion of the plant after extracted in THC-soluble oil and then cooked into any desired meal containing oil as an ingredient[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] Despite its social status and illegality, cannabis can provide more than just medical application[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] The entire plant itself can be completely used for a wide range of materials that are of varying importance to our economy[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] The industrial form of marijuana, known as hemp, provides an unmatchable balance of nutritional benefit to the human body[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Hemp can also be used to produce a non-toxic form of diesel fuel and has the aptitude to become a primary source of said fuels[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Hemp can also be used to produce non-toxic paints, as well as paper that is stronger and more durable than its wood-based cousins[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Possibly the most astonishing fact when it comes to the use of cannabis is its ability to produce most of the materials required to build a home[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Hemp can be used to manufacture cement, insulation, plywood, concrete, roofing, and many other building materials that may be required[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Marijuana is the third most used recreational drug in the United States of America[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] This harmless plant is preceded first by tobacco, which is responsible for four hundred and fifty thousand deaths per year[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Cannabis is then preceded by the second most used recreational drug, alcohol, which is responsible for one hundred and fifty thousand deaths per year[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Astonishingly, caffeine, a supplement available to any age group, is responsible for over five thousand deaths per year[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] However, to this date, Marijuana has not been solely responsible for any death in the history of its existence[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] In order to fight for the decriminalization of this incredibly versatile and useful plant, it is imperative to contact the local representatives pertaining to each state and voice an opinion on the current legislation[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT][FONT=&quot] It is important to redirect the war on drugs before it heads too far in to the wrong direction.[/FONT]
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Thanks guys!
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I'll let you know when I get it back.
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My professor is an awesome person.

She is extremely open minded!

I'll have more to say about my professor's position on this topic after I receive my paper back.

I am doing a follow up paper on the same topic. This next one also happens to be my final. The requirements call for a 6-7 page research paper focused around "cause and effect."

I plan to elaborate much, much more on this extremely controversial topic. So many people are ignorant to the actual and practical uses of this almost-godlike plant.

I will post my research paper here as well. I'm hoping it will be able to help a lot of people.


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