Pubdate: Tue, 07 Feb 2012
Source: Daily Titan (Cal State Fullerton, CA Edu)
Copyright: 2012 The Daily Titan
Contact:  http://www.dailytitan.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4762
Author: Hailey Moran
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

MARY JANE: WOW, SHE'S STILL NOT LEGAL?

Some people shake in their boots at the thought of legalizing 
marijuana. The idea that it could be regulated and controlled like 
alcohol and tobacco scares the hell out of them. Those people are 
ignorant and disillusioned, and it's at no fault of their own.

Both our grandparents and parents were exposed to the mentality that 
smoking pot will send a person into a Reefer Madness lifestyle. They 
were mortified at images of hit-and-run accidents, suicide, murder 
and rape-all at the hands of the theatrical, over-the-top 
dramatization of what happens when people get high.

Since we were kids, we were warned that our brain on drugs was the 
equivalent of a smashed egg. Let us not forget that we have also been 
exposed to plenty of "Just Say No" lectures, Red Ribbon Week 
campaigns and cheesy after-school specials about the dangerous 
consequences of doing drugs, specifically marijuana.

Unfortunately, these crazy, outlandish fears are built on 
unsubstantiated "evidence" and unfair stereotypes of drug users. Some 
of the fear comes from the idea that everyone will smoke pot because 
it's legal. Worried parents might think that this could have a 
bandwagon effect on their children, who will jump on and light up 
because it's legal now. Worried anti-drug proponents might be 
concerned that their streets will be filled with Bob Marley-loving, 
homeless-looking, peace-and-love-seeking anti-social vagrants.

However, chances are someone you know, and probably someone you never 
would have expected has smoked pot. As it is the most accessible drug 
out there, more people than ever are indulging. A study by the 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows that 
17.4 million people in the United States regularly smoke marijuana, a 
number that has increased over the past five years.

It's already a presence and it's already out there. People are 
already smoking it.

They often assume that since it is a drug, then it is bad for you; 
however, according to a recent study by the Journal of the American 
Medical Association, it is not as detrimental to one's health as 
previously assumed.

The study found that smoking marijuana on an occasional basis does 
not significantly damage the lungs. In fact, they found that after 
smoking one joint a day for seven years, no damage was found on the 
lungs, and lung function remained unharmed. However, that is not the 
case with tobacco. The study also found that, despite marijuana 
containing many of the same chemicals as tobacco, lung function 
declined with increased exposure to tobacco at a faster rate than 
exposure to marijuana.

Those against the legalization of marijuana are also neglecting its 
current beneficial uses. Its medicinal impact for cancer patients 
undergoing chemotherapy or radiation has been significant. It has 
made life more tolerable for people suffering from pain and 
discomfort due to glaucoma. It has become a valuable and viable 
resource for extending the quality of life for anyone who is suffering.

Like all things, marijuana used in moderation is not-and should 
not-be an issue. People who are afraid of its legalization are 
blinded by the far-fetched and unfounded claims that have been 
pounded into their head since they were children.

The time has come for people to realize that their fears are 
unnecessary. It is now time to come out from under the shadow of 
disillusion and realize that the scarlet letter that was once slapped 
onto casual marijuana users is no longer acceptable or valid.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom