As a college student, drugs and alcohol are constantly creating temptations for individuals. In the United States, the problem with marijuana use is increasing. It is “the most used illegal drug in the world, with almost 160 million people, aged fifteen to sixty four, reporting having used marijuana in the last year” (Smith 429). The drug constantly surrounds users and their friends, but they have no idea of the effects. As the years pass, marijuana is being viewed as a “normal” drug, and although some disagree, they find no reason to discourage users. Marijuana has serious side effects; an individual’s choices might change with more knowledge of its effects. In order to protect friends, families, and the community, it is necessary to recognize the disadvantages it has on an individual. By the increasing number of marijuana users in the United States, the negative effects it has on the body, lives of individuals, and legal consequences should lead to a realization that marijuana should continue to be illegal and its usage should be avoided. Marijuana has been a problem since the early 1900s and continues to create problems. The Federal Bureau of Narcotics created a law which prohibited marijuana use in 1937 (Reinarman 128). Twenty years later, THC (delta-9-tetrahudrocannabinol) was discovered to be the main psychoactive component in marijuana causing its negative side effects (Reinarman 129). Almost seventy-five years later, the United States is still battling the problem of illegal marijuana use. Although scientists discovered the negative effects fifty years ago, the information has gone practically unnoticed and the amount of users continues to increase. Approximately half of the United States population has used marijuana a... ... middle of paper ... ...se Attorney | Morris Law Firm. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. Henningfield, Jack E., Mind-Altering Weed, Mason Crest Publishers, 2008. 27 Sept. 2011. Reinarman, Craig, et al. “Who Are Medical Marijuana Patients? Population Characteristics from Nine California Assessment Clinics.” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 43.2(2011):128-135. Web. 6 Sept. 2011. Shepard, Edward M., and Paul R. Blackley. “The Impact of Marijuana Law Enforcement In An Economic Model of Crime.” Journal of Drug Issues 37.2(2007): 403-424. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. Smith, Andra M., et al. “Effects of marijuana on visuospatial working memory: an fMRI study in young adults.” Psychopharmacology 210 (2010):429-438. Web. 5 Sept. 2011. 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.
The history of marijuana in North America is integral in understanding the reasons it is now illegal and how to...
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 ...
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.
Marijuana, the most abused drug in America, has had a lot of publicity recently. Marijuana has caused multiple economic problems within the U.S. A controversial question has arisen from the increased popularity and troubles of this drug. The question is whether or not the U.S. government should legalize marijuana possession and sale in the country. Many Americans believe that the drug should be legalized for various reasons; others, however, are against the legalization of the dangerous drug. While legalization has both pros and cons, the positives of legalizing marijuana for those people over the age of twenty-one far outweigh the negative aspects of legalization.
Ever since marijuana’s introduction to the United States of America in 1611, controversy of the use and legalization of the claimed-to-be Schedule I drug spread around the nation. While few selective states currently allow marijuana’s production and distribution, the remaining states still skepticize the harmlessness and usefulness of this particular drug; therefore, it remains illegal in the majority of the nation. The government officials and citizens of the opposing states believe the drug creates a threat to citizens due to its “overly-harmful” effects mentally and physically and offers no alternate purposes but creating troublesome addicts hazardous to society; however, they are rather misinformed about marijuana’s abilities. While marijuana has a small amount of negligible effects to its users, the herbal drug more importantly has remarkable health benefits, and legalizing one of the oldest and most commonly known drugs would redirect America’s future with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.
Marijuana has been widely mis-viewed as a bad thing; society classifies marijuana as a drug, parents warn their children to stay away from marijuana because it is bad; but those are all misconceptions. But in reality, it is actually a very beneficial drug to many degrees. Marijuana actually has numerous favorable effects, such as helping people escape the cruel reality for a moment, helping patients who are almost at the end of their lives feel better, and helping the economy recover. In addition, marijuana’s side effects are all due to human abusing it, like the old saying goes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Although marijuana users have a history of not doing so well in life, marijuana should still be made available to anyone above the legal drinking age and be regulated like tobacco and alcohol; due to its assuaging effects to the economy and human’s mental health.
"Marijuana is the second most popular drug after alcohol in the country today. So many people smoke marijuana that the numbers alone seem to legitimize and condone its presence in people's lives. Yet, even in moderation marijuana is not 'safe.' Somehow this information had not filtered down to people who think they are smoking a fairly innocuous drug. Our society perpetuates the myths about pot being a fun, harmless, recreational drug. These myths feed into people's denial of marijuana's problems" (Baum 6). However, the abuse of marijuana is a problem. It is not only a personal problem, but also more importantly a social problem. Throughout history marijuana has been used to serve various purposes in many different cultures. The purposes have changed over time to fit in with the current lifestyles. The cultivation of the marijuana plant in the United States began as far back as the Jamestown settlers around the year 1611. At that time the main focus was on survival rather than for psychoactive purposes. Medicinal uses of marijuana eventually changed to enjoyment manipulation. Beginning in the 1960s marijuana use saw a reemergence with the rebellious youth, and the "hippie movement." This evolved into increased use among the older population as well. This trend continues to this day. Marijuana use can be termed abuse. Today the debate over marijuana is a major controversy that affects our society as a whole. During the 60's it was easy to depict marijuana as a beneficial and completely harmless substance because there was not enough scientific research done during this time (Grolier Wellness Encyclopedia). Today we know that the levels of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana called tetrahydr...
Marijuana has the reputation of giving users a high when smoked, eaten, or inhaled through vaporization. The chemical that causes the feeling of euphoria is called Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). When smoked or ingested, the THC rapidly passes through your lungs or stomach, then your bloodstream, and to other organs in your body. When it finally reaches your brain, the THC targets specific brain cells called cannabinoid receptors (Harding, 2013). These receptors are especially found in parts of your brain that control your memory, thinking, pleasure, concentration, perception of time, and coordinated movement. Users will experience alterations with their mood, have difficulty with problem solving, and will definitely have trouble learning and memorizing. These are just a few health issues marijuana can cause to your brain.
The California Narcotic Officers' Association consists of over 7,000 criminal justice professionals who are dedicated to protecting the public from the devastating effects of substance abuse, whether cocaine, methamphetamine, or marijuana. We have seen first hand the debilitating and often tragic results, both psychologically and physically, of those who choose intoxication as part of their lifestyle. We have studied the medicinal use of marijuana issue, compiling information from medical experts to present to those we are sworn to protect. It is our firm belief that any movement that liberalizes or legalizes substance abuse laws would set us back to the days of the '70s when we experienced this country's worst drug problem and the subsequent consequences. In the '80s, through the combined and concerted efforts of law enforcement, prevention and treatment professionals, illicit drug use was reduced by 50 percent. Teenagers graduating from the class of 1992 had a 50 percent less likely chance of using drugs than those who graduated in the class of 1979.
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...
...ssures to be the best they can be academically. With all these pressures of adolescence on the rise, more and more teens are falling prey to the alluring “high” that allows a temporary leave from their problems and stress. Because teens lack the maturity and knowledge to understand long term consequences, they tend not to think about the down falls that they will face as a result of the drug use. This is especially true when it come to marijuana, as it is seen by so many as the harmless drug. With the increased use of marijuana by youth over the last three decades, it is imperative that better preventative measures, and firmer penalties, be put in place to educate and raise awareness concerning the risks and dangerous side effects that marijuana use can have. Only once society has put these preventative measures in to action, will there be an effective change seen.
People usually abuse marijuana by becoming addicted and smoking it just because instead of using it for their well-being. I went around and asked about ten people I know who have been smoking for at least five years. When I asked them if they had ever experienced memory problems, learning difficulties, trouble with problem solving and loss of muscle activity and addictive capability, they responded, “If anything, marijuana enhances my memory.” “I would not be able to learn in school if I did not smoke.” “The only problem I had, was being addicted to marijuana, but it was all in my head because when I finally stopped smoking, I had no withdrawal symptoms.” The only side effect that seemed to be accurate when asking these questions was the addictive properties. Although being addicted to marijuana mentally can be a problem, all of the many positive side effects of marijuana outweigh the one negative side effect that seems to be the most
Shohov, T. (2003). Medical use of marijuana: Policy, regulatory, and legal issues. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Reinarman, Craig, et al. “Who Are Medical Marijuana Patients? Population Characteristics from Nine California Assessment Clinics.” Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 43.2(2011):128-135. Web. 6 Sept. 2011.