Super Grass, Ace, Greta, Ganja, Weed, Mary Jane, Dope, and the Herb, are just a few of the modern terms that today’s users call the drug that is marijuana. Research shows that in recent years the use of this drug has been on the rise, especially among teenagers. Bridget M. Kuehn, MSJ (2011) stated in her article, “As marijuana use for medical or recreational purposes is debated at state and municipal levels across the country, use of the drugs among teens continues to climb”(p. 242). In a survey done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 45,000 eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade students showed an increase in the use of Marijuana in comparison to years passed. From 5.2% of twelfth graders, 2.8% of tenth graders, and 1.0% of 8th graders reporting daily use in 2009; to 6.1% of twelfth graders, 3.3% of tenth graders, and 2.8% of eighth graders in 2011. The recent increase in media attention about this drug may have played a large role in this recent increase in widespread recreational use. Kuehn (2011) concludes in her article that, “fewer teens report much danger in use—and fewer teens report disapproval of use” (p. 242). These recent changes and shifts in attitudes bring about much debate on the topic of whether these increases are good or bad for individuals and society as a whole. Even though most agree that marijuana use is harmful, some argue the benefits for this natural drug. Many people try and look to the past in order to try and explain why the use of marijuana is on the raise in recent years. One study, conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, analyzed the news media’s effect on adolescents' marijuana use starting in 1977. The study covered news coverage presenting reasons why... ... middle of paper ... ...rieved from http://jama.jamanetwork.com.byui.idm.oclc.org/ McCarberg, B. (2012). Marijuana Can Help in the Treatment of Pain. In N. Berlatsky (Ed.), Opposing Viewpoints. Marijuana. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from Marijuana and Pain Management, 2012, National Pain Foundation) Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com.byui.idm.oclc.org/ Rey, J. M., Krabman, P., & Martin, A. (2006). Marijuana Use Is Harmful. In J. Carroll (Ed.), Opposing Viewpoints. Marijuana. San Diego: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2004, October, 43, 1-194) Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com.byui.idm.oclc.org STRYKER, J. (2003). Articles Media and Marijuana: A Longitudinal Analysis of News Media Effects on Adolescents' Marijuana Use and Related Outcomes, 1977-1999. Journal Of Health Communication, 8(4), 305-328.
Works Cited "The California Marijuana Vote." New Yorker 23 Dec 1996: 62+. Brookhiser, Richard. "Pot Luck." National Review 11 Nov 1996: 27+ Simmons, Michael. "Give Pot a Chance." Rolling Stone 26 Dec 1996: 111+. Rist, Curtis and Harrison, Laird. "Weed the People." People 21 Oct. 1996: 75+. Funk and Wagnall's Volume 23 "Marijuana" 1996 Baum, Dan. "California's Separate Peace." Rolling Stone 30 Oct. 1997: 43+ Brookhiser, Richard. "Lost in the Weed." U.S. News & World Report 3 Jan. 1997: 9 Buckley, William "Legalization of Marijuana Long Overdue" The Albuquerque Journal. Online. 8 June 1993.
In Wayne Hall’s article he reviews the possible problems and outcomes from legalizing recreational cannabis. In the introduction Hall discusses the states that have already passed laws about the legalization of marijuana which then leads the potential effects. Some of the main concerns that show strong rebuttal point are that adolescents can become impaired in school, disorders in children whose mothers used cannabis while pregnant, and how some users can develop psychotic ...
The usage and addiction rate of most illegal drugs has not increased recently, and in many cases has declined. The exception to this is Marijuana, being the only Illegal drug who has seen an increase in usage over the years. The usage of Marijuana has, as a matter of fact, skewed the results of usage surveys to make it seem as if the overall usage ...
the Future survey has been conveying an on-going study on teenage use of marijuana since 1975
Joseph C. Gfoerer, Li-Tzy Wu, and Michael A. Penne, initation of Marijuana Use: Trends, Patterns and Implications, Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, 2002.
...y lower the IQ of teen users by up to eight points. With marijuana being easier and easier to get on the streets, medical marijuana is now thrown into this, making most teens simple access to marijuana. Others are concerned that heavy marijuana use will lead to marijuana addiction in the user and a lower quality of life as well as health problems, financial issues and more life problems. The flashy marketing attached to marijuana laced drinks and baked goods appear to be marketed towards teens and this is disturbing to many. There is concern that people who don’t need marijuana prescribed to them will lie to doctors to be able to procure a medical marijuana card, allowing them to legally purchase marijuana. These people could be just selling the medical marijuana instead of using it, or they could be giving it to children and sharing it with friends on the streets.
Schwartz, Richard H. "Marijuana: A Decade And A Half Later, Still A Crude Drug With Underappreciated Toxicity." Pediatrics 109.2 (2002): 284. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. "The Nagative consequences of Marijuana Use." Marijuana (Contemporary Issues Companion). Tardiff, Joseph, ed. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2008. 34-44. Print
Marijuana while illegal on a federal level has been legalized in 18 states and the District of Columbia for medical use and also for personal use for anyone over 21 in Washington and Colorado. 48% of Americans admit to using marijuana according to a 2013 survey conducted by Scientific America. With the change in public opinion concerning marijuana the need to understand the effect and consequences associated with its use are vitally important. What are the effects on the brain and the rest of the body? Does it matter when you start using marijuana? Also what is the effect marijuana use has on a person’s life, to include school, work, family and friends.
For nearly one hundred and fifty years marijuana has been illegal in the United States of America. Though marijuana naturally grew in all of our fifty states, it was outlawed due the superior strength and durability of hemp rope. This threatened to replace cotton rope, which would cost wealthy cotton owners a lot of money. To this day marijuana is still outlawed in the U.S., however rope has nothing to do with it. Once slavery and the “cotton boom” were over hemp made a little bit of a comeback in a smoking form. Then, in the early 1940’s the government began releasing anti-marijuana propaganda. In the 1960’s when marijuana became popular amongst pop-culture, a movie by the name of “Reefer Madness” was released depicting marijuana users as fiends and criminals who’s normal everyday lives fell apart, and spun out of control due to the addiction to the drug. Even in the present day organizations, as well as the government, continue to try and sway people from using the substance by portraying users as irresponsible idiots. Some examples of behaviors portrayed in the commercials are: accidental shootings, running over a little girl on a bike, molesting a passed out girl, supporting terror, and impregnating/becoming impregnated. I feel that these advertisements are ridiculously tasteless and misleading. Through personal experience, surveys, an interview, and a case study I intend to prove that marijuana users do not behave in the fashion that the anti-marijuana campaign ads would suggest, and furthermore, I expect to find that the ads so grossly misrepresent the common user, even those who do not use disagree with the negative portrayals. I also challenge you to think about the suggested situations and behaviors from the commercials, I feel that you’ll see every situation and behavior in the advertisements is much more feasible to a person under the influence of alcohol than under the influence of marijuana.
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...
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...
In this article, Kristen Weir reviews the effects marijuana has on the developing brain. As more states are now legalizing marijuana for not only medical but recreational use, many medical doctors and psychologist fear the long-term effects. Many of marijuana’s long-term effects are still unknown even though it is one of the most widely used illegal substance in the United States. Recreational use in states that marijuana is legalized in only pertains to citizens 21 or older. Even with the age restrictions, some doctors still fear the legalization of marijuana recreational will allow the drug to become more accessible to younger adults or adolescences. Susan Weiss, the director of the division of extramural research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), voiced her concerns on the topic stating, “There are a lot of open questions…. But there 's a growing literature, and it 's all pointing in the same direction: Starting young and using frequently may disrupt brain development." (Weiss). As she acknowledges the fact that there is a “growing literature” when it comes to marijuana use and its effects, she also admits the new research is all leading to the same conclusion, frequent use and starting young may disrupt normal brain development. The government and other private institutions are funding and researching these unknown effects.
There has always been controversy about marijuana and the affects it has on health and the issue of legalization. Some people believe it is very destructive to one’s health, and yet others feel the complete opposite about it. Is Marijuana truly harmful to one’s health? “Marijuana, the Deceptive Drug”, written by George Bierson, was published in the Massachusetts News. In this article, Bierson determines that marijuana is harmful in many ways. He seems to think that it damages the brain, the reproductive system, and also contributes to the halt of production in the immune system. Bierson also tries to persuade the reader that marijuana is a “gateway drug” that leads to larger drugs in the future. However, by conducting research of my own, I have come to the conclusion that Bierson’s article simply lacks truth.
Wall, Melanie M., et al. “Adolescent Marijuana Use from 2002 to 2008: Higher in States with Medical Marijuana Laws, Cause Still Unclear.” Annals of Epidemiology (2011). Web. 6 Sept. 2011.