Controlled Legalization Of Marijuana

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is a drug. While advocates paint marijuana as a benign drug compared to methamphetamines or cocaine, critics argue that marijuana has the potential to cause adverse physiological effects on the body.
For example, the effects of marijuana on the brain are similar to the effects of drugs like nicotine and heroin. Marijuana triggers the release of dopamine, pleasure-inducing chemicals, in the brain. Over time, sustained marijuana use leads a person to become dependent on the drug (Wickelgren 28).
In addition, people who try to stop using marijuana often go through a strong withdrawal stage. Neuropharmacologists have observed that addicted people who try to stop using marijuana experience a surge in their corticotropin-release factor (CRF) levels, leading to stress and anxiety (Wickelgren 26).
The similarity between the pleasure-effects of marijuana and heroin and the severity of its withdrawal symptoms lends credence to the controversial "gateway" theory. Critics of ...

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is also turning to an education campaign in an effort to teach the youth about the dangers of drug abuse.
For those who advocate keeping marijuana use illegal, the fight against drugs is more than just an effort to keep people from being addicted. This is particularly urgent because most new drug users are teenagers and even children who see no harm in lighting a joint or taking a pill. In light of this fact, a war against drugs is nothing less than an effort to protect the country's future.

Pro legalization arguments

The arguments of the pro-legalization camp fall under three general areas.
First, they argue that marijuana use is a "victimless crime." Marijuana ...

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