Weed: A Short Story

In America there are a lot of problems, ranging from violence to obesity. A growing concern of many Americans is the drug “epidemic” with the growth of the war on drugs. Marijuana, throughout history, has been demonized and illegalized, however now a newfound acceptance of the drug is growing rapidly with some states fully legalizing the drug recreationally, and others medically.

THC disrupts the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed. This makes it hard for the user to recall recent events (such as what happened a few minutes ago), and so it is hard to learn while high. A working short-term memory is required for learning and performing tasks that call for more than one or two steps. Some studies show that when people have smoked large amounts of marijuana for many years, the drug takes its toll on mental functions. Among a group of long-time heavy marijuana users in Costa Rica, researchers found that the people had great trouble when asked to recall a short list of words (a standard test of memory). People in that study group also found it very hard to focus their attention on the tests

Each year the United States government documents drug related deaths in our country, breaking the deaths down into categories of cause. These categories include tobacco, alcohol, prescription medications, illegal drug, and of course marijuana related deaths. Every year the number of deaths coming from marijuana is equivalent to zero. So why is there even controversy over the issue of legalization? Obviously, there are still some people out there who believe the drug is a topic for concern in our nation. In recent years, there has been tremendous progress being made in the field of medicine. University hospitals around the country have been proving again and again that the drug poses no threat to human health and well being, even

There has never been a death from marijuana overdose. “A person would have to smoke 20,000 to 40,000 times the amount of THC in a joint to overdose” (Wing). Marijuana was classified as an illegal drug in 1970, because it can be abused very easily (“infoplease”). Marijuana was then grown indoors. Marijuana is illegally used by many people daily. Marijuana should be legalized because it is naturally grown and can be used to help cancer patients, relieve stress, and be used daily.

Wether you call it Hemp, Mary Jane, Pot, Weed; it doesn't matter. It is still Cannabis Sativa, or cannabis for short. And it is still illegal. The use of marijuana as an intoxicant in the United States became a problem of public concern in the 1930s.

A subculture is a group of people who share a distinctive set of cultural beliefs and behaviors that differ in some significant way from that of larger society. Marijuana smokers can be considered a subculture for many reasons. Marijuana is used by millions of people around the world, either for recreational, spiritual, or therapeutic reasons. Some call themselves the cannabis connoisseurs; people who respect cannabis and use it responsibly. Few drugs have been so politicized recently as marijuana has. It is frequently praised by one side and condemned by the other, on the basis of emotional issues rather than an objective view of research.

Hall, P. W., & Degenhardt, P. L. (2009, October). Adverse Health Effects of Non-Medical Cannabis Use. The Lancet, 374(9698), 1383-1391.

Ever since the federal criminalization of marijuana in the United States in 1937, there has been a large underground drug market (Paul). Much like how the prohibition of alcohol simply forced imbibers underground, those who chose to partake in marijuana are forced to stay away from the prying eye of the law because of present marijuana laws. This means the drug world is concealed from the average citizen, hiding the dangers of drug deals gone wrong, police shootings, and other dangerous occurrences. In a way this allows the government to mask the fact that their well-funded ‘War on Drugs’ is ineffective, a ‘War’ with a budget of roughly twenty billion dollars; which is not profoundly effective in the curbing the use of drugs (Jillette). If

A subculture is a group of people who share a distinctive set of cultural beliefs and behaviors that differ in some significant way from that of larger society. Marijuana smokers can be considered a subculture for many reasons. Marijuana is used by millions of people around the world, either for recreational, spiritual, or therapeutic reasons. Some call themselves the cannabis connoisseurs; people who respect cannabis and use it responsibly. Few drugs have been so politicized recently as marijuana has. It is frequently praised by one side and condemned by the other, on the basis of emotional issues rather than an objective view of research.

unknown, I asked dispatch to call PPD and see if they were ok with us seizing

Marijuana or Cannabis is one of the bused drugs in America and the rest of the world. Interesting accumulating evidence show that the significant negative impact of this drug outweighs the positive effects. However, the medical benefits of the drug seem on the process of chemical compounds as compared to the drug itself. Medical debates show that chemical compound in marijuana are the problem as compared to the plant. The said chemical compound affects the mental and physical health of the persons abusing this drug. There have been traditional efforts to control the use of marijuana through legislation laws, (Crick, Haase, & Bewley-Taylor, 2013). However, in the recent past the efforts and the laws are being lifted to relax the implementation of the same legislations and the population is responding fast in accepting the legalization of the use of marijuana. The aim of this paper is to discuss how lifting on the laws of the said drug indicate adverse tolerance of Cannabis among populations. The paper will also discuss impact of legalization marijuana on the safety, security and overall quality of human life. Also, the paper will analyses the effect of relaxation of the laws controlling this drug to other hard core drugs such as cocaine, heroin and meth-amphetamines among others.

Marijuana, Cannabis Sativa, has been used for centuries for its medicinal and euphorant properties, and its fibers, to make hemp cloth and paper. Medicinally, between 1850 and 1942, it was prescribed in the United States Pharmacopeia as a remedy for a variety of ailments including gout, tetanus, depression, and cramps (Farthing 1992). Today, it is used for reducing intraocular pressure due to glaucoma, as an antiemetic to relieve nausea associated with chemotherapy, and as an appetite stimulant for AIDS patients. Recreationally, it is the most widely used illicit drug, especially among adolescents.

Marijuana, a plant that humans have used for thousands of years, grows ever closer to decriminalization and legalization around the country. Now that states like Washington and Colorado have legalized the recreational use of Marijuana, the opposition proclaims that usage of this plant will lead to harder drugs. This claim simply isn’t true and studies done by numerous organizations discredit the gateway drug theorem. Marijuana affects psychomotor skills because of the chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana; however, there has been no evidence to say that this plant will cause more accidents. Also, another theory about an individual failing in the cycle of abuse associated with marijuana has no validity

referred to dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds. It comes from the hemp plant, Cannabis

According to e-text and other reading, middle age school girls like Swan are obsessive with their body, they diet more than once a week and they are about four times likely than other girls to become smokers which is why Swan’s parents might be concern that their daughter might be involve in marijuana. I think that there is a slight possibility that Swan might be indulging in marijuana because there are signs of rolling paper found in her room. I believe that there her friends are indulging in cigarettes, diet pills, barbiturates and even marijuana to lose weight to avoid the smell of cigarettes which could lead to Swan becoming an addict. Marijuana works by shutting down the adrenal gland and makes the individual feel very relax after smoking. Diet pills and barbiturates cause sleepiness, loss of appetite, and restlessness. Peer pressure is the reason that Swan might be confused and are using drugs. Swan might want to be accepted and to fit in with her peers. Especially if they are popular she will be willing to do anything she wouldn’t normally do to be part of that group.