According to Holland, "marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States." (141) There are millions of people who use marijuana every year and many who use it daily. This document will review the medical benefits and effects, political effects, and laws associated with the drug. The legalization of marijuana is creating a huge debate in the United States, and both sides provide extensive research and information on the topic. According to Holland, “there have been no documented deaths related solely to marijuana use. (Grotenhermen 2003)” (145) According to my research, marijuana can have positive and negative effects on those who use it. The negative effects on the user are usually minimal, but in some cases they could become serious. The positive aspects, on the other hand, seem to substantially help people's lives. Today, many people use marijuana as a way to improve their lives. Laws tolerating the use of marijuana for medical purposes have been passed in several states. These laws allow problem patients to use marijuana as a type of medicine. Essentially, doctors prescribe marijuana to patients in place of painkillers or other medications. There are numerous problems to be treated with the use of marijuana and it seems to work for the majority of patients. Some of the medical uses include treating nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, muscle pain, anxiety, and depression. The primary use of marijuana is chronic pain in individuals. Many people think that there is no way that marijuana can solve a chronic pain disorder, but THC in all different forms has been scientifically proven to reduce numerous pains in people. Scientific studies reviewed by Holland state that "results showed significantly better pain relief... middle of the paper... individual. As you can see, marijuana is a huge point of debate in the United States, and is probably it will remain that way no matter what. Laws may change in the future, but that probably won't change anyone's current opinions. Scientists will continue their research and will most likely discover evidence to support both sides, but the marijuana debate will continue long into the future. There will never be a complete cultural evolution on the topic, so neither side will ever have the complete support of the opposition. Works Cited Holland, Julie in medicine, politics, science and culture. Rochester, VT: Park Street, 2010. Print.Ghosh, Palash. "The Pros and Cons of Drug Legalization in the United States" International Business Times. International Business Times and Web. 22 April. 2014.