Medical Marijuana 1

Legalization of Medical Marijuana

Katelynn Riddle
Ashley Givens
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Proposition Justification

The ultimate purpose of my argument is to increase awareness of the benefits of medical

marijuana to help implement a change in the legal system of Utah to legalize medical marijuana.

The reason why medical marijuana could be so beneficial to citizens of Utah is because medical

marijuana can take the place of many pain relief drugs.

There is a number of diseases that medical marijuana has been shown to help people with

such as Anxiety, Cancer/Chemotherapy, Chronic Pain, Crohn’s Disease/IBD (Inflammatory

Bowel Disease), Depression, Glaucoma, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease/ALS

(Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Multiple, Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s Disease (including Early-

Onset), PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), Rheumatoid Arthritis (InhaleMD).

If it becomes legal in Utah, the law will be that anyone who suffers from HIV,

Alzheimer’s, cancer, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder, multiple sclerosis,

autism, and chronic or debilitating pain in individuals who are unable to use opiates or are at risk

of becoming dependent or overdosing on opiates (ABU). Medical marijuana is an interesting and

important topic that people should educate themselves on for the benefit of the individuals who

suffer from serious illnesses; as a state we must recognize the pain that individuals go through

and consider medical marijuana for their sake and livelihood.

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Resolution Proposed

A Bill to Legalize Medical Marijuana

WHEREAS, Instead of growing up to six plants in a home that lives over 100 miles away from

nearest dispensary, a individual can have a larger prescription amount.

WHEREAS, An individual being allowed to grow up to six marijuana plants could potentially

use this privilege to make a profit off of the plants being grown, and misuse the marijuana for

recreational use rather than medicinal, giving out larger prescriptions is a good compromise that

limits the amount of marijuana in a household.

WHEREAS, The misuse of the marijuana plants could have various side effects such as the

unknown negative side effects taking marijuana could cause, and other individuals taking

marijuana while taking other medications that could potentially negatively interact. The

individual making a profit off of selling the marijuana has the negative consequence of taking the

controlled substance out of the hands of the government, therefore ensuring the substance could

no longer be controlled.

RESOLVED, By this Congress that: anyone that has a medical marijuana card can up their

prescription instead of growing their own plants.

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Definition of Terms

A Bill to Legalize Medical Marijuana

Legalization: People older than 21 will be allowed access to medical marijuana. Can only obtain

medical marijuana if prescribed. Can only consume marijuana through food not by smoking.

Credibility: Find full details on the legalization of medical marijuana in Utah Proposition #2:

Utah Medical Cannabis Act. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://abueducationfund.org/voter-

guide/proposition2/

Medical marijuana: A drug that relives pain and effects the brain in different ways.

Credibility: Find full details on definition by Medical Marijuana | Definition & Patient

Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/medical-marijuana

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Establishing Clash
Question #1: Will people abuse medical marijuana?

AFF Evidence: No, if medical marijuana were to pass in the state of Utah people would not be

able to abuse medical marijuana for recreational use because of the strict rules surrounding the

legalization of medical marijuana. The only individuals allowed to access medical marijuana are

people who suffer from major diseases of disabilities such as Epilepsy, HIV, etc. (ABU).

Not only will certain individuals be able to access medical marijuana but the are only allowed a

small dosage from state ran dispensaries.

OPP Evidence: Yes, Medical marijuana will still be abused because people who live one hundred

miles away from the nearest dispensary are able to obtain up to six plants to grow personally

(ABU). These individuals could easily abuse their privilege and sell their personally grown

marijuana to other individuals. Not only are people able to sell their cannabis to others they may

personally abuse the drug themselves by smoking it excessively.

Question #2: Is marijuana a gateway drug?

AFF Evidence: No, although it could be an issue because if the state has not legalized than

people are acting against the law and then there is a problem that is seen. Medical marijuana is

not necessarily a gateway drug just a legal issue.

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OPP Evidence: Yes, marijuana is a gateway drug because once an individual is willing to break

the law in order to obtain marijuana illegally, they are becoming exposed to other drugs through

the black market making the chances of them trying other drugs increase (Phycology today).

Question #3: Will medical marijuana be the next steps towards recreational marijuana?

AFF Evidence: No, there are many drugs that are only medically allowed not recreationally such

as Opioids, Adderall and many more. If medical marijuana were to become legal in the state of

Utah only certain individuals will be allowed to obtain it through prescription.

OPP Evidence: Yes, many states who had marijuana legalized medically have now legalized it

recreationally such as Colorado. There are many states in the U.S who have started it medically

and now are selling marijuana recreationally. Currently there are nine states that have legalized

marijuana recreationally and thirty states that allow medical marijuana (governing).

Question #4: Will crime go up if medical marijuana becomes legal?

AFF Evidence: No, crime has been seen to go down in most areas that have legalized marijuana

especially states that line the boarder of Mexico. In the state of Washington crime went down

significantly after the legalization of marijuana (psmag). Washington saw a drop in criminal

activity specifically with rape and theft; they also saw an increase of people smoking marijuana

but a decrease in use of all other drugs (psmag).

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OPP Evidence: Yes, specifically speaking with medical marijuana crime would go up because

some people may abuse their prescription and sell to other individuals who are not medically

prescribed medical marijuana.

Question #5: Will medical marijuana help the opioid epidemic in Utah?

AFF Evidence: Yes, in states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes opioid

dependence has dropped by twenty three percent; while hospital rates for opioid overdoses

dropped by thirteen percent (reuters). Opioids kill ninety one plus Americans everyday (reuters).

While there is zero overdose of marijuana (potguide).

OPP Evidence: No, a study by the recovery research institute suggests that people who would try

to replace opioids with medical marijuana would have a higher chance of going back to hard use

of opioids. People who give up opioids try to strictly use marijuana can easily go back to harder

opioid use only causing more addiction.

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Reference List

Cohen, R. (2017, March 27). Would legalizing medical marijuana help curb the opioid
epidemic? Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-addiction-medical-
marijuana/would-legalizing-medical-marijuana-help-curb-the-opioid-epidemic-
idUSKBN16Y2HV

For Opioid Use Disorder, Does Cannabis Produce Harm or Reduce Harm? (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.recoveryanswers.org/research-post/opioid-use-disorder-cannabis-produce-harm-

reduce-harm/

Is Marijuana A Gateway Drug? (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-about-addiction/201807/is-marijuana-gateway-

drug

Jacobs, T. (2018, April 09). Legal Pot Is Linked to Less Crime. Retrieved from

https://psmag.com/news/it-is-high-time-we-reduced-crime

Medical Marijuana | Definition & Patient Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/health/medical-marijuana

Proposition #2: Utah Medical Cannabis Act. (n.d.). Retrieved from n

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Smith, M. (2017, May 28). Can You Overdose on Marijuana? Retrieved from

https://www.coloradopotguide.com/colorado-marijuana-blog/article/can-you-overdose-on-

marijuana/

[. (n.d.). State Marijuana Laws in 2018 Map. Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/gov-

data/safety-justice/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html

The Effects of Marijuana on Your Body. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/health/addiction/marijuana/effects-on-body#5