Writing 2 – Against Marijuana Legalization

Legalizing the marijuana use in the country? Definitely a bad idea. This trend started in the Netherlands, is spreading all over the Europe and even some US states are considering legalize the use. In Brazil, more and more politicians are considering legalizing the marijuana use.The legalization of marijuana in Brazil will be a step behind because smoking the herb is extremely unhealthy, it won’t reduce the crime rate in the country, and it is a gateway drug that leads to the use of harder and more dangerous drugs.

The first reason why the legalization of marijuana will in Brazil be a step behind is the fact that smoking the herb is extremely harmful. According to those in favor of legalization, marijuana is an innocent substance that is nowhere near as damaging as tobacco or other drugs, and it offer benefits to those suffering cancer. However, the truth is the opposite. According to an American Cancer Society article, marijuana impairs the immune system, enhances tumor growth and causes bronchitis and lung cancer, thanks to it containing four times the amount of the carcinogenic substance known as tar, which is also used in cigarettes. In addition, the effects of using marijuana include psychological effects. A number of studies indicate that marijuana use negatively impacts such cognitive functions as concentration, learning, and memory, also cause coordination and perception impairment and a number of mental disorders including depression, hostility and increased aggressiveness, general apathy, memory loss. For example, Marcos T. de Souza, 26, will never forget about his car accident in the night of March 27th, 2006. Driving in high speed under the influence of marijuana, he crashed his car against a truck which resulted in 2 two broken legs, severe injure in his face and, the worst of it, became paralytic from the neck down. Driving under the influence of marijuana also contributes to traffic accidents which regularly result in injuries and death. Therefore, the government should think twice before passing a law legalizing the use of marijuana in the country.

The second reason why cannabis should not be legalized in Brazil is the fact that it won’t reduce the criminality rate in the country.  Advocates for legalizing say that it will take the drug industry away from organized crime and it will reduce the drug related crimes. Again, this is a myth. It is know that the production, transport, the commerce and all the logistics of cannabis process is still in the organized crime and making it legal, will increase their profits. Job Cohen, Mayor of Amsterdam since January 1^st, 2001, decided to close half of the 78 coffee shops located in the center of the city by three main reasons: the crime rate in the city rose 23% from the year before, these places are used by the organized crime as money laundering and the city became a drug tourism route, attracting thousands of drug addicted people. Therefore, if the Brazilian government legalizes the drug as a solution to cut the high crime rate in the country, the effect will certainly be adverse.

The third reason why cannabis should not be legalized in Brazil is because it is a gateway drug that leads to the use of harder and more dangerous drugs. It is proved that the THC (tetrahydrocannabiol), the main psychoactive substance found in cannabis, is highly addictive. The substance acts in the brain’s reward system by liberating dopamine and to achieve the same effect of pleasure, the user start taking higher doses which results in addiction. The abstinence of the reward effect in brain leads the user to find pleasure in other drugs such cocaine and crack. According to the Drugs Prevention National Service 41% of the cannabis users from the State of Ceara which entered in contact with the institution admitted have consumed cocaine or crack besides marijuana. The Rates are even higher in the State of Para and São Paulo with 70% and 63% respectively. It shows that consuming the herb, the user became closer to the other drugs. Therefore, if the Brazilian government legalizes the drug as a solution to cut the high crime rate in the country, the effect will certainly be adverse.

The legalization of marijuana in Brazil will be a step behind because smoking the herb is extremely unhealthy, it won’t reduce the crime rate in the country, and it is a gateway drug that leads to the use of harder and more dangerous drugs. Law must be reinforced to punish drug dealers more severely. Also, the government must invest more on drug campaign prevention. All these solutions are necessary to prove that legalizing the marijuana is definitely a bad idea.