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Nathan, David. ” How to regulate pot when its legal”. CNN.com. CNN, 27 Aug. 2013. Web.  19 Jul. 2015

CNN.com http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/27/opinion/nathan-pot-regulation/

David Nathan, a contributor for CNN, gives his insight into how marijuana should be regulated, once it is legal. In his article, “How to regulate pot when its legal”, is a call to wake up and smell that Cannabis legalization is here to stay, and regulation is the only answer.

According to Nathan, the majority of Americans are on board for marijuana legalization, not just medicinal uses, but for recreational use as well. Nathan argues that the U.S. must stop the criminalization of marijuana and discuss how it “should be properly regulated”. Nathan advocates that Marijuana use for adults is “relatively safe”, and needs to be treated as such. In this Nathan believes that its time for real marijuana progress to be made, and marijuana made right within the law.

Of course with his position, Nathan has procedures that he believes will help the regulatory process run smoothly. He first wants people to consider the goals of Marijuana regulation, which he perceives to be: “no weed for minors, preventing harm to the public and to users, and finally getting the maximum benefit economically”. Going forth with this train of thought, Nathan describes how the government should look toward states like Washington and Colorado for guidance on the path of marijuana legalization and regulation.

Nathan goes further and offers his own plan of action when it comes down to how marijuana should be regulated. He covers almost every argument that is against legalization, and flips it on its head with a suitable regulation. The argument of minors using marijuana is deflated when argues for a “limit in advertising, sales and public consumption of cannabis”. These tactics have been used by companies for years, and to cut them at their knees, helps the legalization process move forward, in that the public wouldn’t have to worry about children falling victim to the lure of marijuana. Another argument Nathan sees and gives solution to, is where does the government fit into the equation? According to Nathan, the government should be involved in every aspect of cannabis, ” the production, distribution, and sale”. With these guidelines, Nathan delivers an almost fool-proof regulatory plan, that isn’t extreme in any sense. He makes a way for everyone to get something they want; public gets their weed, government gets to supervise it.

I found this source helpful, because it had actual steps that states or the federal government could take to reign the legalization of marijuana in. Nathan had very good points that show the flexibility of the law, but the strength of it as well. Any of my classmates that want to explore the regulation side of marijuana, I urge them to read this article, and get acquainted with the could-be laws of marijuana use. Legalization is coming sooner than we think.

Gupta, Dr. Sanjay. “Dr. Sanjay Gupta: It’s time for a medical marijuana revolution.” CNN.com. CNN, 20 April 2015. Web. 15 July 2015.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a chief medical correspondent for CNN. He is also a neurosurgeon & an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. As the title indicates, Dr. Gupta is ready to legalize medical marijuana because there are so many medical benefits.

In his early paragraphs, Dr. Gupta observes that a majority of Americans are on board with the legalization with 53% for recreational & 77% for medical. The attitude has changed since 1969 when only 12% were for recreational. He references a first hand experience of knowing someone who went from 300 seizures a week to about 1 or 2 a month after using medical marijuana.

In the following paragraph he shares a story of when he told his mother what he was writing an article over. One can begin to understand the mindset of a much older person. One can assume she was shocked/disappointed, but ended up becoming happy for him because she says, “You probably helped a lot of people who were suffering.” Which is true because he has helped some veterans with PTSD because he sees the work being done.

Dr. Gupta knows that the research on the medicinal aspects of marijuana will be worth while because it’ll be headed by the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases which have conducted research into AIDS, polio, smallpox, etc. The research has started to show that it could be used as a treatment for cancer, Alzheimer’s & epilepsy. Not just affecting ones with actual diseases, but also preventing people from overdosing on painkillers & allow many to rely less on more harmful narcotics.

There is now promising research into the use of marijuana that could impact tens of thousands of children and adults, including treatment for cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s, to name a few. With regard to pain alone, marijuana could greatly reduce the demand for narcotics and simultaneously decrease the number of accidental painkiller overdoses, which are the greatest cause of preventable death in this country.

Lastly in his concluding paragraphs he also sees the revolution rolling politically when he sees Senators Gillibrand & Booker when they were referring to data from earlier investigations. Also the thing is they were saying all this before the interviews started. They want marijuana rescheduled & legalized. They want it now and want to do everything they can to make sure it happens for the doctors to prescribe, dollars towards research, & lawmakers to open their eyes. He reminds them that many have failed in the past & that they should have a strong argument. Dr. Gupta sees the passion & is glad that the revolution is changing minds.

Overall this article has covered the medical & political aspect of the legalization of medical marijuana. He has seen the revolution personally touch lives of those personally & that it has changed the mind of politicians. I found this article useful because I knew a girl with seizures & I have seen her personally not have them in my math class anymore because she was introduced to marijuana. Other people in the class might find this essay useful if they are on the edge of the medical aspect of marijuana. He has seen the magic work, I have seen it, & the politicians are too.

The topic of Marijuana and its legalization in my mind has not always been a controversial topic. There was once a time were Marijuana use was strongly frowned upon, but now it seems that good ‘ole reefer has fashioned its way into our mainstream culture. No more is it for “thugs” and “delinquents”, but  for Pop stars such as Miley Cyrus and Rihanna. The ”let the good times roll” mentality has rolled Marijuana into the legal atmosphere and here it is decidedly blowing in the wind.

The  mainstream adoption of Marijuana has really made the legalization movement lose traction in my opinion. Why would the breadbasket of America lend its ear to the positives of pot, when Hollywood starlets and public figures are out traipsing around with it? How is pot to be taken seriously when its recreational uses are constantly being highlighted. I for one was raised with the belief that although God did indeed create  Marijuana, it is not to be abused. Too much of anything becomes a bad thing right?

My mother was raised Southern Baptist, so subsequently she passed her conservative views onto me. She had one dialogue about drugs; “Don’t do them”.   That’s not to say she was a total prude about Marijuana, or that she couldn’t appreciate its multi-purposefulness, she just didn’t believe in its recreational use. Concerning the legalization of pot I have to side with my mother, in that it should only be allowed for medicinal purposes . Time after time I have heard fantastic stories about what Marijuana has done for Cancer patients and ill children alike. But America wouldn’t be America if not only the sick, but everyone else in between could use it. Should this miracle drug be up for grabs by just anyone? How is this fine line to be walked?

Another question that bogs my thoughts when talking about legal Mary Jane, is how will our own government seep its way into the sticky icky. How will the most formal and upright body of the world perhaps, navigate the murky waters of  pot? Who can use it? Who can’t? How is the trade and disbursement to be handled? Our government isn’t going to miss the opportunity to make money; Uncle Sam will eventually want his cut, of that I’m sure, but how do we get to the place of accepting Marijuana as a okay thing. The media has glamorized pot, but its still up to the Feds to make it right within the law. To be frank I believe that the stall in legalizing pot, is in the perception that the U.S. would be in the drug business. There are still people like me who want to hold onto the sanctity of the government, and not see it bow down the highest profit. Not all money is good money as my mother would say.

Though legal Marijuana is an iffy  subject, its a conversation that needs to be had. We cannot run from it forever. Even though I disagree with the glorification of Marijuana, that does not change its usefulness, nor will it change the governments decision to make pot okay for everyone someday. One thing that I do know is that regardless of  legalization, Marijuana is here to stay; so its time to face the smoke.

To be rather blunt, my name is Anthony Matthews. I am from Abilene, TX & I am a business major. I run my own business & have been the sole proprietor of iGoRepair for almost 3 years.

In Abilene, many from our high schools were below or near the poverty level, so this means that marijuana usage was quite prominent in the area. Access to marijuana was easy & it could arrive to you faster than that Pizza Hut order you placed for your munchies. Mostly everyone at my school has experimented with marijuana at least once in their lifetime, because that’s just “what you did” at parties, instead of drinking. I personally have even experimented with it only once in my life & it was sophomore year. My observation of it was that, it was a very calming substance that made you want to just lay down, listen to some relaxing music, & reflect upon your life. I believe marijuana should be fully legalized because why not?

Many will tell you that it is a drug for “losers” or “lowlifes”, but most of the Top 25 in our graduating class had done it. 6 of them going to UT, 2 to Baylor, 3 to Tech, 1 to OU, even 1 to Columbia, and much more! In fact some of the most successful people that you look up to everyday have smoked it such as: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, George Bush, Bill Gates, & the list goes on & on. See the following link for a more extensive list: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/18/most-famous-marijuana-users_n_5160073.html

It is much more safer than Alcohol. Although it does impair your mind for a couple hours, your brain is actually never harmed. You don’t “lose brain cells”. In fact, I have a personal friend who actually smokes it to calm down her seizures. She had 4 a day almost all the time. She was harming herself more by taking prescription pills, so one day she decided to try out marijuana (illegally, of course, since we live in Texas..). She ended up only having 1 to even 0 seizures a day! This was quite a relief seeing the work be done, because she used to have seizures in class and that was very scary. However, after she started smoking, it was nice not having to be worried in my Pre-AP Pre-Cal class.

I could go on & on about why it should be legalized, but we were limited to around 400 words. However, as the class goes by, I encourage you all to have an open-mind about the topic of marijuana. It’s much safer alternative to alcohol & cigarettes, hemp is a much stronger fabric than cotton & polyester, it has many medical benefits, it costs billions of taxpayer dollars on the failed “war on drugs”, & much more. The time has come for marijuana legalization & it would be an overall better idea, than illegalization. The time is now, yes we cannabis!!

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