I have chosen the first prompt about marijuana to discuss this week. Marijuana use is a popular topic of discussion today because more people are gaining access to it and using it. A few states have already made it legal which causes some people to wonder why it is not legal throughout the whole country. Many feel as though it should be legal in every state while others are strongly opposed to the idea.
People who favor the use of marijuana would argue it is not as harmful as other substances and it is used to heal many medical issues. Others who do not agree with the legalization of marijuana believe it can be hurtful to the next generation and it is addictive.
Some also think, the legalization of marijuana will cause teenagers to use it more and more. The rate of teenagers using marijuana increases every year. Marijuana is dangerous for children because their brains are not fully developed at this stage of their life. The negative effects of marijuana use can include decreased concentration, difficulty problem solving, and a lack of attention in school. Though there are not enough research supporting these as facts.
On one hand, many believe marijuana is addictive. Even the smell of marijuana in the room can cause an addict to crave it. While it does take numerous uses over a large amount of time, people start to desire the “high” feeling they receive from it and it will soon become a part of their daily life.
This can of course be compared to other legal substances which have shown worse effects from being abused. On the contrary, marijuana is not as dangerous as tobacco or alcohol. There is not one reported case of death by overdose of marijuana. Many people have died from overusing alcohol and prescription drugs. It is also important to point out it is safer than most substances which are already legal. Marijuana has caused zero deaths and alcohol causes thousands a year.
Marijuana is also used to help with many mental and physical ailments. This would be the medical use of marijuana. People also wonder if it could be recreationally to treat people suffering from depression or anxiety. It has proven to help with these issues. This may only last for a short amount of time and using marijuana is not shown to completely treat these problems.
After thinking through and discussing the negative and positive impacts of marijuana, I believe that it should not be legalized. I think it is addictive and could be very harmful to an individual whether it be physically or emotionally. I also believe legalizing it would cause people to drive while under the influence. I think driving when high could cause some of the same issues as drunk driving. Both will cause the driver to be distracted and not in their right state of mind. It could also cause an innocent person to be killed. I believe it should not be legal, but I do see the possible benefits for medical use just not recreational use.
Emily's Blog 
Hey, Emily! I completely agree with your opinion on the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana. It is addictive and can put people in dangerous situations, and it should not be legalized. You had mentioned in your first impression post that the effects of the drug put people in a different state of mind, which is obviously correct. I would like to add to your statement some supporting information that we discussed in class this past week. In our textbook, marijuana is classified as a hallucinogen, along with LSD. The book explains that with these types of drugs, the effects that users experience are often unpredictable. Most times when people use substances such as alcohol, they know how they will react to the substance, therefore they know how to handles themselves (emphasis on “most times”). However, with hallucinogens, people can act differently every time, no matter how much experience they may have with the drug. For this reason, I agree with your opinion that the recreational use of marijuana should not be legalized.
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