Justin Smith
Dr. McCormick
10/25/10
English 103
Research Paper Topic
Throughout the duration of this English 103 class, I will be working on a revision of a paper I previously wrote. The essay is about the positive, as well as the negative, effects of marijuana use. I touch upon the substance called THC and the affects of it on the neural system. I also speak about the arrests made over cannabis compared to those of much more serious and harmful crimes. I was amazed when I found the precise number of convictions made. It was hard to believe that the U.S. judicial system has serious flaws that many disregard and see as justified. A major point I found when first writing this paper was something I deemed very interesting. I found that many famous historical figures have used hemp in many different ways.
There are many research questions that come to mind with this subject. One is, what exactly does marijuana consist of? What are the short and long term effects of the drug? I would also research what the differences are between various state laws. I was also wondering about the legal ramifications are of marijuana use outside of the U.S. I get all of the information necessary through a variety of books and numerous credible Internet sources. Dr. Lester Grinspoon is the author of many informative texts discussing marijuana. I will be citing passages from those books.
Hi Justin,
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I read your topic it made me think of my friend. She has been arrested twice because of marijuana use and possession. The second time, she was on probation. My friend has three young children. It makes me wonder, is pot really worth risking losing your children or going to jail? No matter how scared or worried she gets, the countless times she's said that she will never do it again, and regardless of what people who care about her like myself say, she still continues to do it. I am not saying that I agree with everything that is legal, illegal etc. I am also very pro fighting for what you believe in even if it comes with many hardships....but is taking a stand against marijuana worth it? She goes out at night alone while leaving her children unattended just to purchase more marijuana. Her children have caught her smoking it. She’s in debt, can barely pay rent and other bills, yet still buys weed. Would it be better if it was legalized so all this could be avoided? I've seen her drive hazardously and make other questionable decisions while under the influence. So again I ask should it be legalized? I use her as an example but I have many. There are also the ramifications of dealers, growers and all the things involved with that aspect. What years ago seemed to me like not such a big deal and harmless has taken on a whole new meaning. It’s not a black and white issue and I guess that’s why it’s an ongoing debate. I can’t even begin to give a direct answer as to whether it should be completely legalized or not.
There are so many facets that can be explored in this topic. I think it would be interesting to include stories, experiences and opinions from users who are willing to discuss them with you. What you learn in your Drugs and Behaviors course will really enhance your paper and the research you do for this paper will supplement what you learn in class. I think you should also try to bring something unique and not often discussed regarding this subject to your paper.
Good luck!
I was also thinking of doing this topic because I'm taking drugs & behavior too. I have the same questions which was the reason why I took the class in the first place I think this is a paper that a lot of teenagers should read. A lot of my friends from high school dropped out because they started smoking it or because they are selling it. They would even tell me stories when the cops would just let them go. I dont think smoking one a week or once in a blue is bad but people that over do it should stop. And when you try to tell a regular smoker they say that weed is harmless. I think you can include your own experiences, like if you ever tried it or one of your own friends and how they changed after they did. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteive actually had a similair discussion with my step dad recently about the legalization of marijuana. He beleives that it should be legalized and Im still on the fence with how I feel about it. He says taht because its such a popular drug and not as harmless as some people may think, it should be sold in stores with no problem as long as the people buying it are 18 and over. He believes that since its okay for cigarettes and alchahol to be legal over a certian age, why cant marijuana? theres as much harm in drinking too much alcahol and smoking too many cigarettes then smoking weed. Even though im on the fence about the legalization of marijuana, i believe that other substances such as cocain or exstasy should never be legalzied because they are 10 times more harmful than marijuana is. i would love to see what facts and theories you come up with in your research so it can maybe help my opinion and other peoples who are interested in the legalization of marijuana
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling that someone was going to present this issue, for the fact that this is a heated topic. Alot of time people are influenced by society and are conditionally trained on what maybe morally right or wrong and fail to evaluate both sides for themselves. However, I like the fact this is can be debated.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it's a good topic I believe your argument can be narrowed down a bit. I feel it would be more beneficial if you took a side rather then present both sides, you can then also add a rebuttal to sway the reader to your position. For example: I believe Marijuana should be legal within the state of NY or wherever, because blah. Then you can compare the law within another state to see as to why they allowed it within their state and present it to the state you think should legalize it.
This seems like a really great topic - now you have to find your TINY corner of it to argue for. Are you interested in laws? health? growers? Sellers? users? US-mexico border issues? Compassionate use? Full-out legalization? treatment for abuse? tennagers? Pick a small subtopic and proceed!
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