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In countries like Uruguay and Netherlands, Cannabis for recreational (non-medicinal) use has been made legal, and in others like Canada, it’s about to be made legal as of the current year of 2017. What does this mean for some? Does legalization make it safe to use, especially for teens and young adults? Will the term 'DUI' still mean anything for those smoking while driving?
Medicinal
cannabis is legal in various countries, including Canada and some states in the
US. Both for some puzzled minds, it's not clear why recreational marijuana
should be made legal as well. What is the difference between these two
categories of the same drug?
Medicinal vs
Recreational Cannabis
Medicinal
cannabis - or medical marijuana – refers to the use of cannabis to treat a
symptom or condition, and some chemicals in cannabis can be found today in some
medicines like painkillers and cough syrups.
Cannabis for
recreation or spiritual purposes - This is when Cannabis is used as a means to
modify one’s mental state to influence perceptions and feelings, in the same
way and for the same reasons that alcohol or other hard drugs is consumed.
In 2014,
Uruguay legalized Cannabis for recreation and regulated its production and sale
by official registration of buyers and growers. Canada seems to want to adopt
this style, meaning the dealing of marijuana and selling to minors will still
remain illegal, however you can grow it in your home, or buy limited supplies
directly from the government.
Why make it
legal? Here are top 2 reasons
Wasted
Resources: In Canada, marijuana allegedly wants
to be made legal because it would eliminate the arrests of young people over
marijuana possession, which usually results in wasted resources for law
officers and prevents them from going after the major criminals possessing real
hard drugs.
Keeping it
legal is expensive: Enforcing cannabis prohibition is
expensive and costs millions, so if made legal, funds could be geared towards
improving the economy and other causes.
Well, why not make it
legal? Another top 2 reasons
It will lead
to increase in use and exposure for minors: If
marijuana is made legal, what prevents young people from thinking hard drugs
are any different and should be made legal also?
It’s
addictive: Reports and true testimonies of
people who smoke cannabis can attest to its addictive nature. Legalization will
lead to increase in its abuse, leading to even more impaired driving that could
lead to more fatal crashes.
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Effect of marijuana - The Positive
Medicinal marijuana, if used moderately, can do the following:
- Used to treat Glaucoma
- An active chemical in Marijuana slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study by Kim Janda from Scripps Research Institute
- Eases the pain of multiple sclerosis and other types of muscle spasms
The Negative
While some believe marijuana is helpful as earlier points suggest, others
believe quite the opposite, and some studies as well as real-life experiences
have proved the following:
- Temporary sterility
- Birth defects including mental instability and high risk of leukemia in children
- Increase in heart rate and anxiety
What
legalization could mean for minors and young adults -
Easy access
to supply. Even though marijuana will
legitimately not be sold to minors, it will be made available to them easily.
It’s similar to thinking a minor cannot find a way to get alcohol even though
they cannot buy it directly from a store or bar.
Actions
without consequences. Young people over 18 will gain the
mindset that it’s okay to deal or smoke marijuana in public because they won’t
be arrested.
Should
marijuana hence be legalized in Canada? Maybe it should, or maybe it shouldn’t.
It might not matter what everyone else thinks, since the government does what
it thinks is best for its economy. Perhaps their judgment call on this one
might not be as bad as we think. Or perhaps it will be worse. Only time will
tell.