An Overly Disputed Little Plant

In this blog stage, I would like to discuss an issue that many people have rather strong opinions about, and one which you can find millions of argumentative articles on. However, I don't want to sound like just another hooligan teenager that thinks marijuana should be legalized so that we can smoke all day and have a good 'ole time. Marijuana, as most people know, has an enormous amount of benefits in combatting diseases and sicknesses. As found on the Disabled World website, this plant can be used to combat the effects of AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and even some types of cancer, along with other serious diseases. Now, I'm aware that most sicknesses already have medicines and cures that can be used to help those infected, but one of the major benefits of marijuana in my opinion is that its a natural, growing, living plant. It's not a laboratory concocted pill filled with different types of chemicals that you're putting into your body.

Many people have recently fallen into the all-organic trend of eating only fruits and vegetables that have not been grown with pesticides or injected with preservatives to try to live healthier lives; but they still go to the doctor's office to receive medication when they're sick. Obviously there are many things that you need to go to the doctor for, and many things that can't be cured simply by smoking a plant. However, more serious illnesses, such as brain cancer can be combatted with marijuana. A study done in Madrid found that cannabinoids can actually "confer a direct antitumoral effect".

So, as we all know, marijuana has it's definite pros and cons. The argument I want to make is one that has been made many times before: medical marijuana should be legalized country-wide. Fortunately, our country is making progress with 21 legalized medical marijuana states. The problem I see with this is as follows: if a Texas resident was to become sick and desire to be cured in natural ways, such as with the use of marijuana, they would have to move to an entirely different state to have their requests met. To have to go through the stress of moving states on top of having a life-altering disease simply to receive the treatment you desire is just plain dumb!
Of course marijuana is going to have its downfalls, as does alcohol and many other substances. I think, if legalized nationwide, it just needs to have strict regulations, the same as alcohol: age restrictions, driving restrictions, etc. There's always going to be cases in which people abuse substances, it happens every day with things that are legal right now. But in this case, I think that the pros of giving people an all natural option to cure whatever they are dealing with would be a nice little addition to medical practices nowadays.

A cool website: Norml (there's an interesting part that shows the effects in states and countries in which marijuana has been made legal)