Legalization of cannabis remains one of the most disputable issues in contemporary American society. Some people claim that the use of cannabis in medicine can help thousands of people, suffering from terminal diseases, endure their pain. At the same time, others argue that legalization of cannabis can lead to corruption of the American society as Americans will start abusing the substance that can negatively affect their physical and spiritual development. The movie In Pot We Trust (2007) dwells upon the controversial issue.
In the first place, it is important to note that it is not about complete legalization of drugs, but it is all about giving really ill people the right to use the treatment that does work for them. The movie reveals views of proponents and opponents of cannabis legalization. Researchers, those who take cannabis as medicine and politicians have different opinions, which are provided in the movie. The stories of different people become living illustrations, so to speak, of arguments given by politicians who are to decide whether states can make their decisions on the matter.
Notably, the most appealing stories are told by those who suffer from terminal diseases. These people say about their pain and the relief they get from using the drug. These people stress that they can remain integrated into social life as their pain is relieved and they can socialize, enjoy meeting their relatives and/or being good parents and children. Importantly, the people who take their stand have terminal diseases and they have tried different medicine which failed.
Many researchers also claim that cannabis does not have a lot of negative effects on people’s health but does bring relief. It is necessary to add that the issue has also economic background. Thus, now when the use of cannabis is illegal there is a big industry which makes certain people dependent on it (In Pot We Trust). Some people are involved in the production and distribution of drugs instead of being a part of the American economy.
Moreover, the products of illegal production appear in the streets and often young people abuse the drugs. People who do not really need it use it because it seems a kind of rebellion against the system while those who really need it cannot use the medicine that could help as they do not want to break the law. Obviously, legalization of cannabis could (at least partially) solve the problem.
Of course, there are many people who are against the legalization of this substance as they claim it negatively affects people’s health and development. Some researchers argue that cannabis does have negative effects on people’s brains. Some stress that contemporary medicine cannot give all the necessary answers as it is still unclear whether the use of cannabis can have negative outcomes in the long run.
On balance, the issue remains disputable as people have to answer a number of questions concerning health, economy and even civil rights. However, it is also clear that the image of the user of cannabis as a teenage drug addict persists. Marches organized nowadays where lots of participants look quite antisocial only contribute to the development of the distorted image of the potential user of the drug. However, it is also clear that there are lots of people who do need cannabis to pull through and remain a part of society.
Works Cited
In Pot We Trust. Dir. Star Price. Wolper Organization, 2007. Film.