To Kahoua's thesis

I agree wholly with what Kahoua said about using marijuana as a medicinal treatment as a basis for legalization. Medicinal treatment alone is a great argument for legalizing marijuana. As Kahoua stated, marijuana can help give people with Anorexia Nervosa an increase in their appetite, but it also helps AIDS patients increase their appetites and promotes weight gain (Nadelmann), to elaborate on that scientists have studied the effect of tetrahydrocannabinol, (THC), the therapeutic ingredient of marijuana to help such a disease. In addition to anorexia and AIDS, they have found it helps a variety of illnesses, like epilepsy, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and glaucoma. The THC helps cancer victims undergoing chemotherapy to endure the painful side effects of treatment. With glaucoma creates an imbalance in ocular fluid, which puts heavy pressure on the eyeballs. In severe cases, it forms rings in the field of vision, and can result in blindness. Some studies have shown that marijuana, both in natural and synthetic forms, relieves that pressure (Blum). So as the basis of medicinal uses for marijuana alone, this should be enough to legalize marijuana nation-wide. But there is even more to the marijuana issue than the health benefits; there is a problem in our corrections. Baltimore mayor Kurt Schmoke believes that drug abuse is a problem, for those involved in it and for their family and friends. But it is better dealt with as a moral and medical than as a criminal problem—"a problem for the surgeon general, not the attorney general," as he puts it. Congress should deal with drug prohibition the way it dealt with alcohol Prohibition. This drug prohibition creates high levels of crime. Addicts are forced to commit crimes to pay for a habit that would be easily affordable if it were legal. The repeal of prohibition would take the astronomical profits out of the drug business and destroy the drug dealers and gangs that terrorize parts of our cities. It would reduce crime even more dramatically than did the repeal of alcohol prohibition. Not only would there be less crime; reform would also free police to concentrate on robbery, burglary, and violent crime (Boaz). In Boaz’s article he states that the drug prohibition of marijuana is failing and is creating crime and pulling focus from police and corrections from the things that are a more pressing community concern, like violent crime. If making marijuana legal will reduce crime, then we wouldn’t need to be putting the focus from the police and prisons on marijuana dealers, taking up prison space and the government’s budget that should be reserved for correcting those that really need it.

I have found a very powerful testimony made by a multiple sclerosis patient whom strongly believes in marijuana as an amazing form of medicinal use. In this video Texas native Tim Timmons urges the state to recognize marijuana as a legitimate form of treatment for him and others alike. Here it is:

Blum, David, “Marijuana Therapy.” New Republic Sep. 16 1978: Vol. 179Issue 12, 6-7. EBSCO. Web. 2 Feb. 2010

Boaz, David. "The Cost of Drug Prohibition Is Not Justified." CurrentControversies: Drug Legalization.Ed. Karen F. Balkin. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Century College Library. 2 Feb. 2010

Nadelmann, Ethan A. "The Dangers of Marijuana Use Are Exaggerated." At Issue: Legalizing Drugs. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Century College Library. 23 Feb. 2010