... the effects of other substances, is a double standard. It is often argued that alcoholics will stick to alcohol, tobacco addicts will stick to alcohol, but marijuana is a gateway drug that can lead to the use of other, "harder" drugs. The gateway theory is "any mood-altering drug, ... to the use of addictive drugs, as heroin" (Dictionary.com). There have been some studies done that have come to the conclusion that marijuana is a gateway drug, but a majority of those studies only focus on adolescents whose brains and bodies are still developing which can alter the ... to help with all k...

• Word Count: 1514
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... realize the good of what this plant can do for our society. Today 35 states have passed laws supporting the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. When smoking marijuana it relieves pain, nausea, stunts the growth of malignant breast tumors, protects the brain cells of stroke patients from being killed ... people suffering from cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, menstrual cramps and depression. It has also been scientifically proven that marijuana has little to no addictive properties and little potential for abuse. However, marijuana is still in the same categories as LSD, cocaine, and heroine. H...

• Word Count: 662
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... over half of all domestic violence and rape cases, up to 2/3 of all assaults and a quarter of all suicides." (1). Where do you see marijuana doing that? Marijuana does not make people violent. At least from my own personal experiences I am far, far from violent. Also I do drink alcohol, but I ... (one shot each) within a one hour time period your blood alcohol level is above .08 and your getting a ticket or taken to jail. "Marijuana, a drug with no physical dependency and one of the lowest overall addictiveness ratings, seems rather tame (1)" Now, tobacco is another very addictive subst...

• Word Count: 928
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... and it will increase our country's revenue. There are also many benefits that can be uncovered to help people if legalization of marijuana is given a chance. Legalizing marijuana would increase our economy's revenue. During Prohibition alcohol use was still sold and used, but people were doing it illegally. ... drug users in Trenton alone" (Long 128). All of this money could be used on better things. By lifting the ban on marijuana use and treating it like other drugs such as tobacco and alcohol, the nation would gain immediate and long-term benefits. This change ... income taxes.. Se...

• Word Count: 871
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... and it will increase our country's revenue. There are also many benefits that can be uncovered to help people if legalization of marijuana is given a chance. Legalizing marijuana would increase our economy's revenue. During Prohibition alcohol use was still sold and used, but people were doing it illegally. ... drug users in Trenton alone" (Long 128). All of this money could be used on better things. By lifting the ban on marijuana use and treating it like other drugs such as tobacco and alcohol, the nation would gain immediate and long-term benefits. This change ... income taxes.. Se...

• Word Count: 801
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... when comparing both in terms of their physiological effects, the result of these effects on social presentation, and the long-term effects of their use. Marijuana is not hard to come by these days, and the use of it is increasing. Drinking alcohol is also very common, and many young people ... don't even realize the many effects of doing so. Both marijuana and alcohol have many short-term physiological effects on the human body. The effects of marijuana use are not very severe. The smoke of the drug is irritating to the mouth, throat and lungs ... of body heat and dehydration. Some of th...

• Word Count: 508
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... from 1922 to 1930, to realize that the Prohibition Act was a mistake. It is just a matter of time before the realization of the stupidity of marijuana exclusion will hit the nation. Millions of people die in the country every year. The main "drug" causing death, however, is tobacco. According to ... information above, the two drugs that the government lets its people use are more damaging to the human body and society itself. Comparing the three, marijuana is the least addictive of them all, even though all substances have a drastic impact on a human's actions, appearances and well-being...

• Word Count: 589
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... consumed worldwide by an estimated 200,000,000 persons for pleasure, and escape from reality, or relaxation. One argument made against the legalization of marijuana is that it damages not only the user but, innocent bystanders. This argument, like the one about protecting the user, has two parts. ... and long-term benefits. This change in the law would greatly improve the quality of life for many people. Victims of glaucoma would find marijuana easily available. Thousands of dealers would be put out of business, and a secret part of the economy would come into the open. It ... through ...

• Word Count: 485
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... spent on enforcement, and will therefore increase our countries revenue and lessen drug related crimes. There are rarely any deaths caused by the smoking of marijuana, however cigarettes, which are legal, cause millions of deaths per year. Alcohol, another legal drug, also causes millions of deaths per year, ... possess, even when the use of this substance could cure their illness or prolong their life. Many people have been apprehended by authorities for growing marijuana, even though it was for their own private medicinal use. A woman in New York was incarcerated for growing a ten-foo...

• Word Count: 1414
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... and it will increase our country's revenue. There are also many benefits that can be uncovered to help people if legalization of marijuana is given a chance. Legalizing marijuana would increase our economy's revenue. During Prohibition alcohol use was still sold and used, but people were doing it illegally. ... drug users in Trenton alone? (Long 128). All of this money could be used on better things. By lifting the ban on marijuana use and treating it like other drugs such as tobacco and alcohol, the nation would gain immediate and long-term benefits. This change ... income taxes.. Se...

• Word Count: 873
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... is also an addicting and also lead to numerous diseases to the body; emphysema and types of cancer being the main diagnosis. One author wrote that "marijuana should be categorized somewhere between alcohol and tobacco on one hand, and caffeine on the other." ( ) Richard Lowry later states that while "alcohol and ... tobacco kill hundreds of thousands of people a year", that there is "no such thing as an overdose of marijuana." ( ) This is a great point; when has it been heard that people were fighting because they had too much to smoke, or wrecked their car because ... they had too muc...

• Word Count: 593
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... in Providence, which is a very historical city. After spending a few nights with friends in Providence and around Brown, I have witnessed many kids smoking marijuana. It was very similar to URI just more urban. The students felt the same way as the URI students did and they both push for ... marijuana to be legalized. In Providence within a mile radius of Brown, there were many homeless people who were on more hardcore drugs such as ... All of those are common around Brown University but most students do not get involved with hardcore drugs. Marijuana on college campuses is always going...

• Word Count: 626
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... rolled in a cigarette. Thirty-seven percent of people between ages 12-17 have tried marijuana. Marijuana gives a slight buzzing feeling of light-headedness. Experimentation with marijuana is dangerous because studies show that 60% of people who smoke marijuana on a regular basis move on to try harder drugs soon after. Marijuana tends to diminish the ambition and motivation in the user. In the long run, it ... spent on funding drug abuse agencies, educational programs and treatment facilities and on prosecution of drug users and dealers. Drugs hurt future generations of citizens, because...

• Word Count: 936
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Why do we use drugs? There are many different opinions as to why people use drugs. Some of the most widely used drugs today are heroine, cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana. These drugs each have there own history, and they all have addictive qualities. Heroine comes from the opium poppy. Opium's calming, painkilling, and sleep-inducing properties were first recognized more ... . The users then commit themselves to carrying the message to others in need of guidance. Marijuana is a very widely used drug today. Very popular among adolescents, marijuana is usually one of the first drugs u...

• Word Count: 1357
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... the right to do what u want to do, as long as your not harming anyone else. This brings me to my first argument on why I think marijuana should be a legal substance. The first and basic reason why I believe this is because smoking pot is a victimless crime. Sure it might effect your health, ... 21 year old can go to the bar and get drunk legally, why cant he go to a bar and get high legally? The second important reason that marijuana should be legal is that it would save the government a lot of money. In the united states, all levels of government (Federal, state and local authorities .....

• Word Count: 460
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... countries ability to make money and charge taxes on a product our government can grow anyplace in America! Sense we have been losing the drug war on marijuana for the past 30 years, and in the generation that started its wide use. They are now all in there 60s. Do they still not ... , and allowing democracy to vote on whether or not its citizens would like this item legalized. Amendments and proper taxation would make legalizing marijuana part of boosting the local economy. And when the economy is good because America is making money on itself, then Americans benefit from better Social ....

• Word Count: 575
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... makes students not want to do homework or study for an exam. Therefore these bad decisions are causing grades to slip drastically. Not only does using marijuana hurt academic performance, it also makes a person's lungs and body hurt. This use reduces motivation to maintain personal hygiene.The fact that the lungs ... are tared and hurt , attributes to one's lack of athletic motivation or ability. The abuse of marijuana is a problem in high schools everywhere. The consumption of alcohol is another big problem in high schools. High school students are partying every weekend ... before or ...

• Word Count: 504
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... of people get killed every year due to drunk driving. Alcohol has definitely proved it can be an abusive drug. Marijuana is another popular, yet illegal, drug. Its largest consumers are young adults. Thirty-seven percent of people between ages 12-17 have tried ... marijuana (Belenko). Marijuana has become such a dangerous drug because is a gateway to other addictive drugs. Many think that it is a mild drug that should ... Most likely this will never happen due to its negative side effects. The best way to rid this drug is to inform young people about how marijuana can be harmful. Cocain...

• Word Count: 860
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... and it was just causing too much trouble. There has been controversy about legalizing certain drugs for many years. For example, people have been smoking marijuana throughout history but for the past thirty years it has become a real problem. Kids start smoking before they even enter high school. Some even become ... start to overlook what really matters in their lives at that age, like school and families. Their only ambition is to get a hold of more marijuana. Yes, there are some kids who are able to balance getting good grades in school and smoking but there are always those others w...

• Word Count: 1071
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... the US. The last group of psychoactive drugs is classified as hallucinogens. A hallucinogenic drug is capable of producing hallucinations, or perceptional changes. The most common hallucinogen today is marijuana. The effects of marijuana vary from person to person, but typically consist of a feeling of general well being. On the other hand, individuals who feel depressed can end up even more depressed because ... the drug magnifies both good and bad feelings. Heavy use of marijuana can temporarily decrease male sperm count and lower the ability of the immune system to fight germs. One l...

• Word Count: 568
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... many teens believing that casual sex is okay. In the year 2002 drug use has increase in the youth immensely. In almost every rap music video they are either smoking Marijuana, or abusing alcohol. When kids see their role models in these acts they copy and try to impersonate the rapper. One rapper, Cypress Hill sings, "I want to get high, so ... high." This line influences fans of Cypress Hill to smoke marijuana. When interviewed on national television, the rapper, 50 cent talked about how he sold drugs to survive in the past. Then in 1996 rapper Snoop Dog was arrested in Colorado ... a...

• Word Count: 869
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... amount of tobacco use each day. If tobacco causes so many different diseases to an adult, the affects on an unborn baby can be much greater. Marijuana contains more cancer causing chemicals than tobacco. Tobacco and marijuana decrease the amount of blood flow to the baby from mom, which results in not enough oxygen to grow normally and brain damage. Smoking one ... marijuana joint can expose a fetus to harmful chemicals for up to thirty days. (Drugs and Birth Defects-- Nancy Shniderman) Cocaine and crack are illegal teterogenes. Cocaine is one of the most ... ...

• Word Count: 1209
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... has been a sixty percent decrease in alcohol-related traffic fatalities involving young drivers. (NHTSA, Feb. 1997) Since then, the number of DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) arrests, youth suicides, crime, and marijuana use has gone down in drastic numbers. In 1987 alone, 1071 lives were saved as a result of this one law. (NHTSA, Feb. 1997) There was also a sixteen percent decrease in ... is true that teens are going to drink whether or not there is a law against it, there have been substantial decreases in alcohol-related traffic accidents, crime, youth suicides, and marijuana use sinc...

• Word Count: 1570
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... believe that drinking will give them greater social acceptance. Alcohol is a gateway drug. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) said that alcohol is the precursor to marijuana and other drugs. The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) found out that those who start drinking before age 15, 67% end up using an illicit drug. About 25 ... % of those who don't drink until the age of 17 use other drugs. Kids 12-17 who drink are 22.3 times more likely to smoke marijuana and 50 times more likely to use cocaine. The majority of 12-16 year old adolescents are lig...

• Word Count: 783
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... believe that drinking will give them greater social acceptance. Alcohol is a gateway drug. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) said that alcohol is the precursor to marijuana and other drugs. The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) found out that those who start drinking before age 15, 67% end up using an illicit drug. About 25 ... % of those who don't drink until the age of 17 use other drugs. Kids 12-17 who drink are 22.3 times more likely to smoke marijuana and 50 times more likely to use cocaine. The majority of 12-16 year old adolescents are lig...

• Word Count: 783
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School