The document discusses the consequences of legalizing medical marijuana. It outlines symptoms of marijuana use like rapid heart rate and memory loss. It also discusses potential health risks like cancer and addiction. However, it also reviews marijuana's medical properties in relieving pain, seizures, and other conditions. Studies from countries that have legalized marijuana, like Holland and Portugal, found crime and drug use did not significantly increase and in some cases decreased. The document aims to provide information to help decide whether to legalize medical marijuana.

1. Consequences of
Medical Marijuana Legalization
E205 BI01

2. Object of study: Marijuana
• 5th commonly used illegal drug (The Richest, 2013)
• Originated from India as “hemp” from the plant “Cannabis Sativa”
• Container of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol)
• Uses: medical & recreational (others: textiles, paper)

3. Symptoms
• Rapid heart/breathing rate
• Red eyes
• Distorted sense of time
• Tendency to develop schizophrenia
• Magical or "random" thinking
• Short-term memory loss

4. Risk of lung
cancer
Decreased
testosterone and
amount/quality
of sperm
Addiction
AggressionAnxiety
Depressed
mood
Decreased
appetite
Repercussions
for excessive
use

5. Marijuana Legalization
Consists approval of the State to
use it for actual medical purposes
Making people realize that its usage goes
further from being just to get the
sensation of being “high”
Benefit society that requires
of it to attend their ailments.

6. Problem
• Nowadays, U.S. is on debate among its states that have not yet
decided whether to legalize marijuana or not.
• Government is indecisive on the matter as well, due to the fact that
it cannot have a certainty of how their people will use it: for medical
or recreational purposes.

7. Rationale
• It is relevant because it involves the disconformities of a
society which forcefully gets divided into two groups: Con’s & Pro’s
• We should worry more about ending AIDS, cancer, hunger,
etc.
• It actually helps people

8. Objectives
• Provide information about a possible future along with
marijuana legalization in the Mexico.
• Give the audience information that will allow may help them to
take a decision whether they are against its
legalization/prohibition.
OR

9. Pros Cons
There had not been any deaths
caused by marijuana.
Will just make this drug more
accessible to everyone
Has medical properties that actually
benefits us
May lead to death because of an
accident the person got involved in
Compared to other drugs like alcohol,
this one does less damage
People would only use it for
recreational means
Source of income for taxes the
government invest on education, and
on prevention/treatment of
addictions.
It’s a gateway drug that could
lead to the consumption of other drugs
such as alcohol

10. Medical properties
• Pain reliever
• Prevents Glaucoma disease from causing any more damage in
the optic nerve
• Helps to control epileptic seizures
• Can stop cancer cells from spreading further
• Relieves side effects of chemotherapy such as anxiety and nausea
• Slows progression of Alzheimer’s disease
• Reduces inflammation from arthritis
• Helps to treat posttraumatic stress disorder
• Protects the brain from concussion and trauma
• Stimulates appetite
• Could help people to quit other harmful drugs for this less severe
one
• Helps people to sleep more easily
• And much more

11. Research Approaches used
• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Hermeneutics
• Case Study

12. Does legalizing
medical Marijuana
increase crime?
Colorado has not been
showing any signs of
increase in crimes.
“In the first months of
2014, the government
collected $10 million
worth in tax revenues
on Marijuana.”
“From 2013 to 2014,
murder rate is down
by 42.1%”
“Marijuana Industry
Group has 10,000
employees, generating
2,000 new jobs”
(Chris Miles from
PolicyMic, 2014)

13. Case Study – Holland (Netherlands)
• Have Tolerant Drug Policy
• Drugs are still illegal
• Coffeshops: limited to sell 5 grams
of cannabis and soft drugs. People
under 18 cannot buy.
• Results: Successful
• Number of drug users isn’t greater
than in other countries,
• Drug-related deaths in Holland (2.4
per million inhabitants)is the lowest
in Europe.

14. Case Study - Portugal
Drugs decriminalization since
2001
You can legally purchase as maximum: 1
gram of heroin, 2 grams of cocaine, 25
grams of marijuana leaves.
Instead of going to jail, people receive
medical/psychological rehab, which is
cheaper and more humane.
“The number of addicts […] who repeatedly use “hard” drugs
and intravenous users — had fallen by half since the early
1990s, when the figure was estimated at around 100,000
people” said Joao Goulao, President of the Institute of Drugs
and Drugs Addiction (2011).

15. References
•Kilmer, B., Caulins, J., Bond, B., Reuter, P. (2010). Reducing Drug Trafficking
Revenues and Violence in Mexico Would Legalizing Marijuana in California Help?.
RAND Corporation. Retrieved in 5 July 2014 from:
http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/occasional_papers/2010/RAND_OP325.pdf
•Morris, R., TenEyck , M., Barnes, J., Kovandzic, T.(2014). The Effect of Medical
Marijuana Laws on Crime: Evidence from State Panel Data, 1990-2006. PLOS ONE.
Volume 9, Issue 3. Retrieved in 5 July 2014 from
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0092816
•Diaz, L. (2014). Mexico Medical Marijuana Bill Introduced Leftist Lawmakers. The
Huffington Post. Retrieved in 5 July 2014 from:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/19/mexico-medical-marijuana_n_4811954.html
•Svrakic,D., Lustman, P., Mallya, A., Lynn,T., Finney, R., Svrakic, N. (2012).
Legalization, Decriminalization & Medicinal Use of Cannabis: A Scientific and Public
Health Perspective. Volume 190, Issue 2, pp. 90-98. Retrieved in 5th of July 2014 from:
http://www.msma.org/docs/communications/momed/Medicinal_Use_Cannabis.pdf

16. References
•Johns, A. (2001). Psychiatric effects of cannabis. British Journal of Psychiatry. Volume
178, pp. 12. Retrieved in 8 July 2014 from: http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/178/2/116.full
•Bostwick, J. (2012). Blurred Boundaries: The Therapeutics and Politics of Medical
Marijuana; IJMG, pp. 1. Retrieved in 8 July 2014 from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22305029
•Janet, E., Watson, Jr S., Benson, J. (1999). Marijuana and Medicine. National Academy
Press: Washington D.C. pp. 13-16
•Courtwright, D. (2001). Las drogas y la formación del mundo moderno. Harvard
University Press. Pp. 75
•Ferner, M., Mathias, C. (2014). Here’s Why New York Needs to Legalize Medical
Marijuana Now. The Huffington Post. Retrieved in 8 July 2014 from:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/new-york-medical-marijuana/
•McKay, T. (2014). 6 Months Since Legalizing Pot, Washington Looks Very Different
Than Colorado. News Mic. Retrieved in 8 July 2014 from:
http://mic.com/articles/90565/6-months-since-legalizing-pot-washington-looks-very-
different-than-colorado