Cancer Essay, Research Paper

My friend, John, has an uncle who had cancer eight years ago. For five months,

he had to get shots of chemotherapy every week. To him, the cancer wasn?t the

enemy but the cure was. He knew that chemotherapy had killed his healthy cells

along with his mutated ones. His bones were weak, his hairs were coming off, and

his spirit was fading. One day, John sneaked into the hospital with an ounce of

marijuana. His uncle was hesitant at first but the torturous power of the

chemotherapy was too strong. Within a week, this pale and bald man transformed

into this pale and bald man with spirit. For the next two months, he had to

worry about being caught with something that made his life worth living. From

that moment, I knew that marijuana was not the devil that the government

projected it to be. Our country’s war on drugs places great emphasis on

arresting people for smoking marijuana. During President Clinton’s

administration, approximately 2.8 million Americans have been arrested for

marijuana offenses. In 1997 alone, state and local law enforcement arrested

695,200 people for marijuana violations. The 1997, yearly arrest total for

marijuana violations is the highest ever recorded by the FBI. These figures show

the conception that the government wants marijuana to have. The laws for

marijuana vary from state to state. In Hawaii, Cultivation, delivery, or sales

of marijuana from 2.2 lbs. to 1000 lbs. could get you 10-99 years in prison and

a fine of $25,000. There is a mandatory sentence of 3 to 15 years. When caught

with over 1000 lbs. of marijuana, there is a mandatory sentence of life without

parole. Selling to minors could get you 2 to 20 years with a fine of $10,000.

Involving in a drug trafficking enterprise could get you 25 years to life for

the first offence with a fine of $50,000 to $1,000,000. The second offence has a

mandatory sentence of life without parole. My past experiences with marijuana

have shown that it is not an addictive drug. My friends have always said that

marijuana is safe. They have been using it for a couple of years. I have known a

lot of people to quit marijuana ?cold turkey.? They usually get bored of the

drug or, in more cases, they don?t have the money to continue. I have no known

anyone to rob a bank for an ounce of marijuana. Legalization is an option that

hasn’t gotten a chance but should be given one. People feel that legalizing

marijuana would increase the amount used, but marijuana should be legalized

because it will reduce the great amounts of money spent on enforcement and it

will increase our country’s revenue. There will also be many benefits that can

be uncovered to help people if legalization of marijuana is given a chance. The

notion of legalization is not a new idea. Groups such as the Physician’s

Association for AIDS Care, Norml, and the National Lymphoma Foundation argue

that marijuana should be legalized in order to treat terminally ill patients.

Among them are AIDS victims who find that marijuana stimulates their appetites

so they can fight off dangerous emaciation. Glaucoma sufferers who have used

marijuana said it has prevented them from going blind. A cancer patient could be

using marijuana for alleviating unbearable pains from chemotherapy. Legalization

of marijuana would benefit the federal budget in two ways. First, the federal

revenues would increase because marijuana cigarettes would be taxed at the point

of sale, and also the companies that make the cigarettes would also pay income

taxes. Second, there would be a reduction on the amount spent on law enforcement

efforts to apprehend and prosecute users and sellers of marijuana. The drug

enforcement authorities might reduce their budget requests, but more likely

focus more intensely on hard drugs and violent crimes. The courts would be

relieved of hearing some drug cases, as well. There would probably be

arrangements that would be made to license the production of marijuana into

cigarettes. If the government can sell cheap and pure marijuana, then thousands

of drug dealers would be put out of business. Then a secret part of the economy

would finally come into the light. If marijuana is legalized, doctors could get

on with investigating marijuana’s medical uses without fears of controversy.

After legalization, it might become possible for the users to discuss their

problems of marijuana use without getting caught up in a legal situation. An age

restriction of twenty-one and a zero tolerance behind the wheel will treat

marijuana like alcohol. During Prohibition, a time when liquor was illegal,

alcohol was still sold and used. Then the 21st amendment was passed, and

repealed prohibition and alcohol taxes were increased. Marijuana could follow

this example to gain public support. John?s uncle is a good example of why

legalization should happen. Maybe the government can now see that marijuana is

not the pure villain that they proclaimed it to be and that it can help mankind.

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