The Controversy Behind Cannabis

March 14, 2021 / Source: The Bizz USA
By Janet Reddy; Edited by Pallavi Vemuri

In today’s society, Cannabis is one of the most controversial topics. By some, it’s thought of as a “drug of abuse” that leads to many issues, while some love it for recreational purposes. Although many perceive it as something that can worsen health, it can actually have some pretty beneficial medicinal purposes. 

Cannabis is not legal in many countries for multiple reasons from outdated policy, racial justice to misperceptions about the drug use. Deemed as a psychoactive drug derived from the Cannabis plant, it is used primarily for medical and recreational purposes. Listed below are a few of the countries that have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes and what they use it for:

• Argentina - Cannabis oils, creams, and other products are used to help heal muscle pains and possibly improve the quality of life for Argentinians. 
• Vanuatu - legalized in late 2018, cannabis is mainly used for diabetes research and trials as insulin is hard to come by in this island nation, considering that 14% of the population faces this disease.
• Portugal - The cannabis laws in Portugal are regarded as among the most progressive in the world. As such, overall statistics of drug users in the country have gone down.
• Bermuda - a recent bill has permitted lawful activities relating to the cannabis plant, medicinal cannabis, cannabis products and cannabis-infused food products.
• Italy - Apart from the usual medicinal uses, residents in Italy are granted by law to grow a little cannabis at home for personal consumption.
• Sri Lanka - practitioners can sell cannabis-based medicine to their patients, as long as the ingredients come from the Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation.
• Croatia - cannabis is used  for medical purposes for patients with illnesses such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, or AIDS.

And the list goes on and on to include a total of 36 countries. On the other hand, the use of cannabis for recreational purposes is prohibited in most countries due to health and public safety; yet, many have adopted a policy of decriminalization to make simple possession a non-criminal offense (often similar to a minor traffic violation). Others have much more severe penalties such as some Asian and Middle Eastern countries where possession of even small amounts is punished by imprisonment for several years. 

However, given the drawbacks, some regions including Uruguay followed by Canada, South Africa, and a few states in the USA and D.C have chosen to legalize the recreational use for cannabis. 

All in all, Cannabis is an ancient medication with a wide margin of safety and it is useful in an array of medical conditions and ailments. However, one must also take into account the implications of substance abuse as it is a highly addictive drug. With the correct laws, many people will be able to benefit from the legalization of marijuana, from medicinal purposes to export, contributing to a country’s GDP. All associated parties are to ensure that they do not abuse the system for what it is in order for this to occur. Finally, it is on one to research and decide for themselves what their opinion on marijuana is.