Year 11 RE – Issues Investigation – Recreational Drug Use (-357 words)
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1. State what the issue is, why it is important and for what groups in society it is especially important.
The legalisation and use of recreational marijuana is a controversial topic in today’s Australian society. Also known as cannabis, the drug produces a pleasant and relaxing feeling when smoked or eaten but also has detrimental effects on health, which is the reason the drug causes great debate and is prohibited in Australia for recreational use. Despite its illegality, 34.8% of Australians aged 14 or above have used marijuana at least once in their lifetime, and 10.8% of Australians have used marijuana in the last 12 months (Alcohol and Drug Foundation, 2017).
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The Australian Government, who currently prohibit the sale, purchase, and possession of cannabis, are the most prominent opposition to recreational cannabis in Australia. Moreover, through initiatives such as the National Drug Campaign (part of the National Drug Strategy), the government aims to reduce people’s motivations for using cannabis by outlining their serious physical and mental consequences, which include impaired motor skills, slower reactions, anxiety, depression, and dependence, as well as social, financial, and educational problems, and relationship breakdowns (Department of Health, 2017). On the other hand, many pro-legalisation groups exist in Australia, including political parties Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) and the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation. They argue that prohibition of cannabis does not actually prevent the use and sale of cannabis, and instead leads to significant financial and legal expenses, the promotion of corruption, the prevention of the potential economic benefit of cannabis, and the prevention of the public to exercise their civil liberties to enjoy the benefits of marijuana (Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, n.a.). These parties promote the legalisation of cannabis for personal, medical, and industrial purposes, and to decriminalise the possession of cannabis in small quantities, and the personal use and growth of the drug …show more content…
Cannabis use is evidently an issue in Australia – despite the drug’s negative consequences on health and its prohibition, its use is still widespread. Given that teenagers and younger adults are the most prominent users of cannabis and are perhaps the most vulnerable, strategies should be implemented to lessen their motivation to use the drug. Raising awareness of the many short-term and long-term consequences of cannabis use should be a key priority, so that those who are inclined to use the drug because of peer pressure, curiosity, or because they perceive it has “cool” or unharmful, may be better informed before making decisions related to drug use. This should take place in high schools and other institutions where youth are present, through TV and online commercials, and anywhere that can reach out to teenagers and younger adults. Because cannabis is often used to alleviate stress, anxiety, or to simply relax (addictionblog.org, n.a.), more effective and safe ways to do so must be promoted as part of an awareness campaign. By addressing these key motivations, authorities can reduce the level of illegal and problematic cannabis
About one out of five 10th graders and about 1 out of four high school seniors used marijuana in the past month (Facts for Teens, 1). It is the second most popular drug among teens in the US (Encarta, 1). Teens, ages 12-17, that use marijuana weekly are nine times more likely than non-users to experience with illegal drugs and alcohol (Fed. Study, 1). More 13 & 14 year olds are using drugs, fifteen pe...
There is a major debate in today’s world about the legalization of cannabis, especially, in the United States. States such as California and Illinois have already moved forward in their open-minded thinking about the drug and are allowing people to use marijuana as an alternative to other prescribed drugs in treating the effects of certain ailments. The idea of legalizing marijuana is a touchy subject for many people; on the one hand its properties are beneficial to many people who suffer from many different illnesses, on the other hand, it is an illegal substance that has many addictive qualities. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency’s website, “Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in the treatment, in the...
An issue that has been brought up in recent times throughout Australia is if marijuana should be legalised for the medicinal benefit of many sick Australians around the country. Medicinal Marijuana has been used in ancient China ever since 2700 B.C and the use has continued for the same purpose as many thousand years have passed. Marijuana could be accessed by anyone in Australia and be used in any area at any given time; it wasn't until 1914 that drug use was defined as a crime, under the Harrison Act. Now, in the 21st century, Marijuana is illegal to be taken in the Australian public although some states allow for small amounts of marijuana to be grown or owned on private properties. All other Australian states hand out fines for any amount of marijuana found in possession. There are many positive consequences that can be concluded if marijuana was to be legalised for medicinal purposes; not only can the use of marijuana cure sickness and other health issues but also legalising marijuana could boost the economy.
...esh our minds on how to just say NO! Drugs shouldn’t ruin youth’s life. On an average day in 2006, 3,600 adolescents smoked marijuana for their first time. EXPLAIN If you help cut, that number by at least a quarter it will be a success. So, here I am to persuade you, to really take some time to think about how D.A.R.E can help kids deal with drugs.
Marijuana has long been the subject of many heated debates and political platforms. With lack of un-biased materials on marijuana, it quickly became victim to publications and political propaganda in the early 1900s. Richard Isralowits writes, “Publications from the period had such titles as Marijuana-Sex Crazy Drug Menace, Marijuana-The Weed of Madness, and Marijuana: Assassin of Youth”(Use of Marijuana,105). Surely in this modern age and heightened public awareness our marijuana laws, drafted in a time of extreme bias, have got to be obsolete. Although many people still have strong opinions against the legalisation of marijuana, after review of current un-biased studies and reports they will find that this is not the case. Marijuana should be legalised in Canada because of the cost, the justice system, and the health concerns.
Drug use and abuse is as old as mankind itself. Human beings have always had a desire to eat or drink substances that make them feel relaxed, stimulated, or euphoric. Wine was used at least from the time of the early Egyptians; narcotics from 4000 B.C.; and medicinal use of marijuana has been dated to 2737 B.C. in China. But it was not until the nineteenth century that the active substances in drugs were extracted. There was a time in history when some of these newly discovered substances, such as morphine, laudanum, cocaine, were completely unregulated and prescribed freely by physicians for a wide variety of ailments.
The drugs issue is a major problem in Australia. A simple solution cannot be found to solve this great problem because there are so many decisions, thoughts and sacrifices that need to be made. All sides of the issue must be considered when making such a large decision. To find a solution, several tests, meetings, interviews and research need to be made, to name a few. Extreme care is needed when challenging such major issues, all aspects of the problem need to be considered.
Mekdlawit Demissie IGED 130-06 Informative Speech Outline Topic: Marijuana Speech Goal: To inform the audience about the long and short term effects of marijuana usage. Central Idea: Marijuana is the most commonly used drug amongst young people in the United States. Introduction: I. Attention getter:
Lately it seems that drug policy and the war on drugs has been in the headlines quite a lot. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the policies that the United States government takes against illegal drugs are coming into question. The mainstream media is catching on to the message of organizations and individuals who have long been considered liberal "Counter Culture" supporters. The marijuana question seems to be the most prevalent and pressed of the drugs and issues that are currently being addressed. The messages of these organizations and individuals include everything from legalization of marijuana for medical purposes, to full-unrestricted legalization of the drug. Of course, the status quo of vote seeking politicians and conservative policy makers has put up a strong resistance to this "new" reform lobby. The reasons for the resistance to the changes in drug policies are multiple and complex. The issues of marijuana’s possible negative effects, its use as a medical remedy, the criminality of distribution and usage, and the disparity in the enforcement of current drug laws have all been brought to a head and must be addressed in the near future. It is apparent that it would be irresponsible and wrong for the government to not evaluate it’s current general drug policies and perhaps most important, their marijuana policy. With the facts of racial disparity in punishment, detrimental effects, fiscal strain and most importantly, the history of the drug, the government most certainly must come to the conclusion that they must, at the very least, decriminalize marijuana use and quite probably fully legalize it.
Macleod, J., Oakes, R., Copello, A., Crome, I., Egger, M., Hickman, M., & ... Smith, G. (2004). Psychological and social sequelae of cannabis and other illicit drug use by young people: a systematic review of longitudinal, general population studies. Lancet,363(9421), 1579-1588.
Criminalization of cannabis causes a weakened economy due to taxpayers paying to financially support America’s inmates and all of the tax money available if marijuana was regularly taxed. Also, with lawful cannabis not available, crime rate and violence within city our streets continues to be an issue. Prohibition of cannabis in the United States sponsors extreme violence and corruption and fails to curb the availability to children ("Marijuana Legalization and Regulation”). With cannabis being criminalized, the United States is also losing the largest potential cash crop because of marijuana’s many uses and benefits.
The debate between prohibitionists and citizens who believe in the legalization of illegal drugs provide many arguments. Since there are many drugs that are illegal there are many different arguments on what should be legal and what shouldn’t. The biggest debate, and the argument that I will mostly focus on, is the reform of marijuana. Prohibitionists argue that marijuana has adverse health, safety, social, academic, economic, and behavioral consequences (Goldberg 183). Not only do they claim that it causes all of those consequences but it also can cause harm to others including family and friends (Rachels 228). The obvious argument in harming others is driving under the influence of the drug but proh...
Legalization of marijuana has become an increasingly popular topic for debate in society with “sentiment in favor of legalization [increasing] by 20 [percentage] points in just over a decade,” bringing support for legalization to 52% (Dionne and Galston). The most common arguments for reforming current legislation are the following: enforcement wastes public resources, taxation can provide a new source of revenue, and enforcement of current laws is discriminatory (Dionne and Galston). It is necessary to look at the impact on the primary stakeholders by analyzing the various harms and benefits through application of the ethical theories of utilitarianism and deontology, in order to determine the solution that will result in the best possible outcome.
In an the article titled medical use of marijuana the topic is that of people who uses marijuana for medical reasons verses those who uses it just because. There are indications that marijuana is sometimes used to alleviate pain from cancer, to reduce nausea from chemotherapy, and to mitigate the wasting syndrome of AIDS. Studies have suggested that the medical use of marijuana is common among people with HIV/AIDS (CAMJ). There was a survey that involved telephone interviews with Ontario male adults eighteen years and older and completed with 2508 people. In the weighted sample 49 respondents reported using marijuana for a medical reason in the year preceding the survey, a total of 173 respondents reported using marijuana, but not for medical reasons. The remaining 2305 respondents in the weighted sample reported no use of marijuana in the preceding year (CAMJ). In this article it was also stated that compared with nonusers, those who use marijuana for any reason tend to be younger, more likely to have alcohol problems and more likely to have used cocaine in their lifetime. Those who use marijuana for medical reasons were similar to other users but more likely to use cocaine. About 2 percent of the population can claim the right to use marijuana for medical reasons, considering their needs, confronts the growth of a system to make sure they have entry to quality-controlled marijuana for medical use and could increase arguments for decriminalization of marijuana for personal use. The use of marijuana for any reason was linked with a male, comparative youth, smoking cigarettes, a lot of drinking, and the use of cocaine (CAMJ). Additional research has to be performed to decide whether uses with alcohol, drugs and other lifestyle choices influence the want for marijuana use and viewpoint in its medical benefits.
It is a common belief among today’s youth that marijuana is a low risk drug and that using it is harmless to their health (4). This widespread misconception is a large factor in why marijuana use is so regularly accepted by today’s youth. The percentage of young people using marijuana in Canada is one of the highest in the world, with Ontario sitting among the leaders in that percentage (CAMH). According to a survey done by the Canadian Public Health Association, “Marijuana use represents 90% of the illegal drug use among students” (CPHA), 2012 CP). With so many Canadian youth blindly abusing a substance with no real understan...