By: Brent Bernhardt

Introduction
At this point in time, Cannabis (Known to many as
Marijuana), is illegal in the world only having been
fully legalized in Uruguay and a few American states
recently. It is currently legal in Canada for medicinal
prescription purposes, but is otherwise strictly banned.
There are many reasons it should be made legal, but for
the sake of this essay, only three key argument topics will
be used. This essay will give irrefutable evidence that
cannabis should be outright legalized in Canada.

Marijuana Has No Medical Use.

In the book The New Prescription Marijuana As Medicine, written by Martin Martinez and edited by Francis
Podrebarac, M.D., the history of cannabis and its uses as medicine throughout recorded time is explained along with a very
large list of known medical uses for problems and other reasons for its use such as:

AIDS
Analgesia
Anorexia
Antibiotic properties
Anti-motivational syndrome
Anxiety attacks
Arthritis
Asthma
Cancer
Cardiovascular effects
Cerebral effects
Chromosome interference
Constipation
Delirium
Depression
Diabetes
Digestive disorders
Dystonia
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Hepatitis
Huntingtons chorea
Hypertension
Immune response

Insomnia
Intestinal cramps
Intractable hiccups
Menieres syndrome
Menstrual cramps
Mental illness
Migraine headaches
Multiple sclerosis
Muscle spasms
Neuralgia
Neurodermitis, Nutrition, Obstetrics, Paranoia attacks, Premenstrual
syndrome
Psychoactivity
Psychomotor skills
Replacement of medications
Respiratory diseases
Sexual activity
Stress reduction
Stroke and head trauma
Treating addiction
Upper respiratory infection
Violent behaviors
Zelotypia

The book gives explanations as well as reputable sources of information mentioned in it.

Marijuana is dangerous to ones health - it is

highly addictive, causes damage to the lungs, and
destroys the users intellectual and memory
capabilities.
In regards to the claims it is addictive, an article in psychologytoday.com
makes a great point that as the only way cannabis can be proven to be addictive
is by its withdrawal symptoms, and as its symptoms are only minor mental
effects, no one can be sure whether its actually caused by an addiction or
simply by the emotional response of someone missing something they enjoyed.
Also, regarding accusations to Cannabis damaging ones lungs and destroying
their intellectual and memory capabilities, an article on healthland.time.com
speaks of a large study performed in Australia which shows no long term effects
to intellect and memory are endured by users of both frequent and infrequent

cannabis use.
An article on webmd.com speaks of studies which show that unlike cigarettes
which do cause lung damage, Cannabis does not, and that in many cases the
smoking of Cannabis actually improve lung function. In addition, even if the
smoke of cannabis were found to be dangerous, smoking it is not the only way
it can be administered as it can also be used in cooking and taken in the form
of a pill or cream.

It has no economic, industrial, or

commercial use in our society and instead
turns anyone who uses it into lazy lowlifes
The last above assumption and typical stereotype of cannabis and
its users is completely based off of uneducated, ignorant views of
the early government and is forced on society in the form of a false
sense of morals, meant to shame users. In fact, dealers and
organized crime have been estimated by CNBC to make about $10
billion to over $120 billion from sales of cannabis alone. This also
shows its commercial and economic uses as despite it being illegal
and shunned, there are still millions of normal, successful people
who are willing to spend so much money on it. As for its industrial
uses, grow houses would open up new job opportunities for
Canadians along with workshops to harvest the buds, hash leaves
and hemp fibers (which throughout history have been used in
several applications because of its high tensile strength).

Conclusion
After disproving prohibitionist accusations of cannabis
being medically useless, dangerous, and otherwise
useless to our society, this essay gives valid reason that
cannabis should be fully legalized in Canada.

Questions For The Audience

Do you feel cannabis should be legalized in Canada?
Why or why not?
2. Do you think cannabis will be inevitably legalized in
Canada? Why or why not And if so, when?
1.