Jahmeir Alberts
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Research Paper Outline
Mr. Moe
Research Paper Outline
The use of marijuana for medical purposes has stimulated debate for many years. Some people find it beneficial, and believe it is the best way to relieve their chronic pain. There are a growing number of people who think marijuana is safe and think it should be legalized in small quantities for recreational use. Despite its illegality, marijuana has continued to be used by many people. Though some discount it as a harmful substance, there are many others who worry about increased criminal behavior, addiction and other health problems that can arise from its use. But more importantly they are concerned about the message teenagers would get if marijuana was legalized for recreational use. Since marijuana is a natural product many people may think it is safe to use, but it is known to affect a person’s thoughts, ability, and reactions. And, for this reason, there are questions as to the threat it poses. It is prepared from the flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It has many names and is usually smoked but can also be used in several other forms of consumption. The active ingredient in marijuana that gives it its “high” is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. TCH quickly moves through the bloodstream and attaches to receptors in the brain and triggers the euphoric feeling users experience. Because it is usually smoked, it can cause side effects similar to smoking like respiratory disease or lung cancer. But it can also lead to addiction if it is used for too long. Since cognitive and motor skills are involved, people need to think about the effects marijuana use has before introducing these chemicals to the body. There are many who believe that legalization will lead to more cases of addiction and especially to increased use and addiction in teenagers. Teenage use of drugs is not new. Many teenagers are under a great deal of stress from school, family, peer pressure. As more responsibilities are heaped on teenagers, they are prone to find a way to deal with it, possibly drugs. It does not help that many people in authority, including some of our Presidents, have admitted to using marijuana at one time in their life. This acceptance of marijuana coupled with the pressures teens face on a daily basis is one reason that more teens are using marijuana. Because of the widespread use and acceptance of this substance, as well as the passage of several state medical marijuana laws, several research studies were conducted. These studies were analyzing whether new medical marijuana laws were causing an increase in teen use. The data from the research showed there was an increase in teen use over the last four years. One such study even revealed that it had increased in the youngest age group studied, eighth grade students (Anonymous). This increase in teen use is discussed in an article from “Target News Reports” that states “one in every fifteen high school seniors today is smoking pot on a daily basis” (Marijuana). These studies show a growing trend in teenage use of marijuana. It also indicates that legalizing marijuana, even for medicinal purposes, may play a role in increased teen use.However, there is some conflicting evidence from National Institute on Drug Abuse that demonstrate research over a period of ten years, 2001-2010, indicating that there has not been a significant increase in the number of teenagers using marijuana (InfoFacts). These conflicting facts can complicate an already complex debate. However, the percentage of students using marijuana is quite high regardless of whether there is an increase or not. The acceptance of marijuana use by a growing number of people may have been a contributing factor to this increase. Such a broad acceptance of a drug as okay for medical reasons gives teenagers a mixed sense of right and wrong. When we as adults demonstrate that something is acceptable it leaves an impression on children that we may not intend to make. This misunderstanding can cause teens to reason that it is a safe drug to use. As more dispensaries for medical marijuana are opened, people are finding it easier to obtain the substance. And if the ease of acquiring marijuana increases it is logical that it would also be easier for teenagers to get. The fact that teens are exposing themselves to a substance that can be harmful is a serious concern to many people. Marijuana is known to affect the memory, concentration, coordination, and thinking to name a few (InfoFacts). This can affect their performance at school, sports, work, home, and in their social life. It is essential that teens are completely aware of how it can affect their ability to function in different areas of their life. Officers are also concerned about what legalization would mean to public health and safety. Because marijuana can affect mental and motor skills, many in law enforcement are strongly opposition to its legalization. They believe the availability of the substance would create an environment that is more unstable with more crime. Marijuana has been lumped together with many illegal drugs for many years now. And drugs often play a role in criminal activity, either because they are being used by those perpetuating the crimes or because they are associated with other criminal activity. Because of its association, marijuana use can lead to other dangerous drugs, drugs that are often connected to more serious offenses such as theft, abuse, and violence. These new dangers pose a threat to the public and require additional police involvement. The idea that legalization may lead to other criminal activity has some merit. During routine questioning, some criminals have made statements that support this idea. Several of those interviews indicated that they started their life of crime smoking marijuana while others said they were pressured into it by peers (Lacey). Because of its association as an illegal substance, marijuana has been lumped together with many other drugs as a stepping stone toward harsher drugs or more violent crimes. This is critical information to consider when weighing whether to legalize marijuana. On the other side of the argument, some officers believe that prohibition in itself creates a world that is extremely questionable. There are officers who feel some law enforcement would prefer to keep it illegal. Thus allowing them to implement searches they would normally need warrants for. Or using it as a means to arrest criminals when they do not have the evidence they need right away to make an arrest. This manipulation of the law, although often for the protection of citizens, is almost as devious as the crime itself and can lead to many small arrests that can monopolize their time. For many criminals, money from the sale of marijuana is a strong motivator. Keeping marijuana an illegal substance allows it to continue to be treated as a drug. If the illegal element is removed it can help eliminate some criminal aspects, and bring it into the open. The former head of the Seattle FBI office shared his perspective in a KOMO News article by saying “Take away the money and you take away the criminal element” (Kaminsky). Legalizing it would include new laws that would regulate the dispensing of it. Such a step could save millions of dollars being spent on the war on drugs, and allow police officers to focus their attention on other more dangerous crimes. If the focus is free of tedious arrests for marijuana possession, which is usually small amounts, officers would be able to respond to more severe criminal activity and improve public safety. The fact that some people are permitted to use pot and some are not makes it difficult for officers to ascertain who the legal users are from everyone else. There are about sixteen states that have passed laws that have legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, and several more proposing such laws to the voters. Many feel this is a significant step forward to getting marijuana legalized. And there are, in fact, a growing number of states proposing bills that would soon let the voters legalized it recreationally in small amounts. Because several states have already passed laws permitting the use of medical marijuana, it should be easy for patients to obtain it for medical reasons. But finding a physician willing sign a medical marijuana card has proven a challenge. The contradiction, of both state and federal laws, have made doctors wary of signing a recommendation, even though they also have an obligation to take care of their patients medical needs. If they follow the laws of the state but ignore the federal laws, who will protect the doctors from prosecution? But help came earlier this year in February 2012 when President Barrack Obama ordered that “he would no longer subject individuals who were complying with state medical marijuana laws to federal drug raids and prosecutions” essentially telling federal agents not to act (Parloff). Although this is a temporary relief to the dilemma, it may still pose a problem in the future, because it is still illegal federally. If marijuana were to be legalized at a federal level, it would alleviate this predicament for doctors allowing them to recommendation medical marijuana without worry of prosecution. For this reason, doctors would no longer have to worry about prosecution for writing recommendations for their patients. It is necessary to consider one more relevant reason for legalization. Consider the fact that marijuana has proven vital for many who suffer from chronic pain and conditions that are not alleviated by traditional, expensive, and sometimes harsh medications. The fact is that there are many patients in chronic pain turning to medical marijuana for relief. Drugs that are used to treat diseases and other painful conditions, are often expensive and difficult to get, even if one has prescription coverage. In comparison, the price of marijuana is relatively minimal to other drug therapies and easy of cultivate which shows it is an affordable and effective way to relieve the discomfort of many people. Legalization can help many people who suffer from chronic pain and save states time and resources that stem from marijuana arrests. However, teen exposure to and acceptance of the substance needs to be addressed. With teen use on the rise and the public wavering more toward legalization, there needs to be a strong program toward the education of marijuana and its effect on the mind and body. Legalizing it similar to what we have with alcohol and tobacco would help ensure that teenagers would be kept safe. There will always be those that circumvent the system. But strict regulation age limits and how much can be dispensed at one time would help keep it out of the hands of minors. Legalization may be in the hands of the majority of voters, but we can take precautions to lessen the impact on teenagers and the safety of all citizens while making it available to those who need it most.