"Numerous studies have now established that cannabinoids help lessen pain and affect a wide range of symptoms and bodily functions."-said Bill McCarberg, founder of the Chronic Pain Management Program for Kaiser Permanente. Millions of people in the United States suffer from chronic pain, and much of that suffering cannot be relieved adequately by existing treatments. Patients are in desperate need of new pain management approaches. Cannabinoid medicines appear very promising, although the subject often is obscured by controversy, prejudice, and confusion in part because cannabinoids have some relation to the cannabis plant—also known by the slang term marijuana (McCarberg).
"A new national poll shows a clear majority of Americans in favor of legalizing and regulating marijuana--'the strongest support ever recorded,' according to one pro-marijuana activist. The Rasmussen poll found that 56 percent of respondents favored legalizing and regulating marijuana similar to the way alcohol and tobacco cigarettes are currently regulated" (Christian Science Monitor). some state may legalize marijuana soon, perhaps as early as this November, says Robert MacCoun, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, who follows marijuana laws. That means it is time to consider shifting the debate from legalization to consideration of how it should be done, he adds. The demonization of drugs has created a situation that is just as dangerous as drug abuse itself, leading to the persecution of medical marijuana users and highly oppressive laws similar to those in the old Soviet Union. Both the Republican and the Democratic parties have betrayed their own principles in
pursuing the drug war. Decriminalization of drug use by adults would respect the right of people to make their own decisions and would reduce many of the drug-associated problems faced by society. Legalization may be going too far, but it is time to reduce the hysteria around drug use and look for practical solutions to this problem. (Young). Also some people believe decriminalization of cannabis would take drug profits for organized crime and even terrorism out of the equation.
"A new national poll shows a clear majority of Americans in favor of legalizing and regulating marijuana--'the strongest support ever recorded,' according to one pro-marijuana activist. The Rasmussen poll found that 56 percent of respondents favored legalizing and regulating marijuana similar to the way alcohol and tobacco cigarettes are currently regulated" (Christian Science Monitor). some state may legalize marijuana soon, perhaps as early as this November, says Robert MacCoun, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, who follows marijuana laws. That means it is time to consider shifting the debate from legalization to consideration of how it should be done, he adds. The demonization of drugs has created a situation that is just as dangerous as drug abuse itself, leading to the persecution of medical marijuana users and highly oppressive laws similar to those in the old Soviet Union. Both the Republican and the Democratic parties have betrayed their own principles in
pursuing the drug war. Decriminalization of drug use by adults would respect the right of people to make their own decisions and would reduce many of the drug-associated problems faced by society. Legalization may be going too far, but it is time to reduce the hysteria around drug use and look for practical solutions to this problem. (Young). Also some people believe decriminalization of cannabis would take drug profits for organized crime and even terrorism out of the equation.