As you may know, cannabis legalization has been controversial for decades. Supporters of legalization argue that it’s about time we recognized the potential medical benefits of marijuana and stop spending so much money trying to fight the war on drugs. But opponents argue that legalizing cannabis would result in more teens using the drug and cause an increase in crime rates\u2014and they have plenty of evidence to back up their claims. It’s easy to get lost in all of this information, but here’s something you should remember: You can make a difference! Every day, people all over the country are getting involved in discussions about cannabis legalization and making sure their voices are heard by elected officials who need to hear them most. Here are five ways YOU can support the legalization movement:<\/p>\n
Cannabis has been around for thousands of years, and there are many positive reasons why it should be legalized. To begin with, cannabis is a versatile crop that can be used in a variety of ways. Cannabis has been grown for industrial purposes, food, and medicine.<\/p>\n
Cannabis was used medicinally in ancient China as early as 2737 BC – far earlier than any other civilization considered to have an advanced medical system. The Chinese found that cannabis was effective in treating many ailments, including malaria, insomnia, constipation, and rheumatism (painful muscles and joints). In India, over 2,000 years ago, it was used by Hindu priests at religious ceremonies because of its calming effects on the mind (aided by its euphoric properties).<\/p>\n
Cannabis is a natural medicine that has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments, from depression and insomnia to nausea associated with chemotherapy. It\u2019s also been shown to lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels (this is why cannabis is often prescribed for individuals with hypertension), reduce inflammation in joints and muscles (which may explain why people who regularly smoke marijuana report less joint pain), delay aging (which also might explain why some very old people seem younger than they really are), increase appetite (that’s right\u2014cannabis actually helps you eat more!), reduce neuropathic pain (i.e., nerve-related chronic pain that doesn’t respond well to other treatments), improve sleep quality etc.<\/p>\n