Final Copy English 122 2 Essay

Submitted By crazyblue24
Words: 1660
Pages: 7

Erick Hernandez
Dr. Brandon Gramer
English 122-073RL, TH 1:30-4:15
Paper 1, Final; 1674 words; March 22, 2015
The Epidemic
There are two sides to every story. The side that stands out the most of course is the good side. The side in which nothing is wrong, but the other side is always kept in the dark. It’s kept in the dark for the fear that it will change your opinion. Marijuana has newfound fame since four states have chosen to legalize it for recreational purposes. This fame has effected the youth in America having them believe that marijuana is harmless. Marijuana is a narcotic and should be treated nothing less then that. Hans Breiter, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine stated, "Marijuana is the ideal compound to screw up everything for a kid”. We as parents can not let this epidemic spread anymore. Nothing hurts more then the truth and the truth is marijuana is still illegal regardless of what state legislation says. The federal government of the United States has it recognized it as narcotic. The scary part of its classification is it sets on the shelf right next to heroin and LSD. The federal government has made it very clear that marijuana has no medical value and has a high potential for abuse (Koch 705-728). Your state cannot protect you when the federal agents appear at your door. So why endorse recreational law for marijuana when you are not promised safety? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also has a say in the marijuana debate. Many teens contemplate the idea that since there is now medical marijuana it is a lot safer then the marijuana you find in the streets. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reported some very interesting facts in an article they published it stated, “There are no FDA approved medical reasons for children or teenagers to use marijuana or THC in any form.” This information is vital knowledge because it proves that marijuana is a narcotic 100 percent when it comes to teens using it. Medical marijuana was created for elderly men or woman not meant for developing teens. So why allow something to be legalized recreationally if it is not helping our youth but rather hurting them even more. The youth must be protected from this narcotic or else there will be an epidemic similar to the crack epidemic that ruined thousands of lives. James McDonough, director of Florida's Office of Drug Control stated, “We should refrain from dignifying marijuana as anything more than what it is -- a harmful drug which addicts invariably claim as their initiation into a life of ruin” (qtd. In Koch, 707). Recent studies show that there has been an increase in marijuana usage in kids from grades 10-12 since 2010. Peter Katel who has been a journalist since 1972 reported that seniors have a ratio of 6.1 percent usage per day the highest it’s ever been (483). This is significant information because the narcotic is already impacting teens. The Alcohol- Drug Education Service who specifies on the effects of what occurs when teens use marijuana it stated, “Teens age 12 to 17 who smoke marijuana weekly are three times more likely than non-users to have thoughts about committing suicide.” That is painful information but it’s the reality of what happens if we do not take a stand to stop the recreational laws. Our children should not be offered to use a drug without a consequence. Bodies will start to show up and we will have no one else to blame but ourselves for letting this continue. What are the effects of marijuana on the human body? An article written by the Alcohol-Drug Education service who stated, “All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. That is, they change how the brain works.” Furthermore this information blatantly addresses what marijuana effects first and that is the brain. Marijuana immediately effects this part of our body the moment you intake the smoke. Sadly there is more then just the brain that is…