Marijuana Legalization From a Medical Standpoint, Essay Example

Approaching the topic of marijuana legalization from a medical standpoint, it appears that it would be beneficial to legalize the drug to provide researchers with a means by which they can gain a greater understanding of how this drug interacts with the body and how these interactions could lead to medical benefits. From basic use, people have reported that marijuana is effective in alleviating headaches and could reasonably be used to treat chronic pain. Some scientists have taken the idea of marijuana legalization a step further by claiming that it could help treat cancer. Presently, it is challenging to determine whether these claims are supported by science because marijuana is listed as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning that it is challenging to justify medical research using the substance. This classification is unfortunate because it means that not only can researchers not access it for research purposes, it is currently considered to be as dangerous as drugs like heroin. This is clearly not the case and it would be valuable to reevaluate the chemical properties of the drug in addition to its biological impact to increase our understanding of it.

Ultimately, I do not believe that any decisions should be made regarding the legality of marijuana or any other drug until its health effects are properly researched. Some scientists claim that the drug is less harmful than alcohol. If this were the case, it would be reasonable to legalize the substance while banning alcohol. However, it is important to avoid making rash decisions regarding this topic. Once we acquire the relevant scientific knowledge, we can use this information to enact relevant policy decisions in an informed manner that will support the health and the rights of the public.