Marijuana is the common name for a drug made from the hemp plant cannabis sativa. This hardy annual grows up to sixteen feet tall and requires little care to grow. Its primary active ingredie

Those who oppose the legalization of marijuana provide many good arguments against its approval. They maintain that it is neither safe, nor is it an effective medicine. The California Narcotics Officers' Association maintains a web site in which they denounce the legalization of marijuana. This is a group of over seven thousand law enforcement professionals who point to their firsthand experience in dealing with drug abuse as proof that marijuana is both damaging and dangerous ("Use" 1-3). The Major Cities Chiefs, another law enforcement organization made up of police executives from the fifty-two largest policing jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada, likewise oppose all marijuana legalization proposals. One of its members, Charles Ramsey, states that "decisions about medicine in our country should be based on science, not popular votes." He also said that public safety would be threatened with marijuana legalization, and that our country would be taking a step backward in the fight against crime (Ramsey 1).

Marijuana has had a long history of use for medical treatment in the United States. In fact, it was so popular that in 1854, it was listed by the U.S. Dispensatory as an approved medicine

Many parent and church groups also object to marijuana legalization. They fear that legalization will result in an increase in the number of children who use the drug. These groups maintain that the youth of our country are being given conflicting information and images about illegal drugs, and that legalization of marijuana only adds to their confusion. They contend that the message that is being sent to our youth is that marijuana is harmless, and is therefore safe for use. They feel that it is the responsibility of society to set standards and guidelines for youth, and that those responsibilities would not be accomplished by the legalization of marijuana. Simply put, their stand is that marijuana use sets a bad example for children.

* that there is no evidence that legalization for medical use would lead to an increase in the number of recreational users,

* that marijuana is less addictive than alcohol and nicotine,

Another argument for the legalization comes from those who think that marijuana

the use of marijuana for medical treatment. California and Arizona were the first states legalize it, and were followed by Alaska, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, and Washington (Zeese 1,2). The measure is pending Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont ("U.S." 4). Recent medical research has convinced the general population that marijuana has medicinal value. Dr. Lester Grinspoon reported in testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on October 1, 1997, that marijuana is useful in the treatment of several diseases. He suggested that its use has be

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