Allye Baker

T/TR 11:30
Due: Nov. 1, 2016
Persuasive-Research Paper

The Consumption of Confusion

Since the early 20th Century there have been countless amounts of
propaganda videos, horror stories, protests, and movements in regards to
the harm that Marijuana causes to its users. Unfortunately, many of these
efforts have been laughed at, and at best, not taken seriously. How can we,
as a society, expect real answers with real results, if we cannot look at
marijuana for what it truly is: another harmful substance, robbing our youth
of its full potential? In this paper, I will address the real effects marijuana
has on the most sensitive members of our society, children.
How many of us have been in the position where another individual,
perhaps one we look up to, or view as the cool guy has offered, or even
pressured us into just one puff of weed? What was their reasoning?
Varying from, come on, its not gonna kill ya; itll help you relax, to you
wont be in with us if you cant smoke with us. Of course, both statements
are very far from the actual truth. In fact, a lot of the information we hear
about marijuana is from the people who profit from it, such as drug dealers,
and growers, of whom will tell anyone anything to get them to buy their

harmful and illegal substances. Before we discuss further who uses it and
who endorses it, and why, lets take a look at what marijuana actually is. As
I have mentioned before, the first step in improving our society and the
minds and health of our youth, we must first educate ourselves.
The plant, Cannabis, native to India, grows freely like a flowery weed
throughout the world, and thus has caused the mass confusion, in regards
to its effects and uses, of those who intake the plant, as well as those who
dont. Ranging from many different names, it is but one of the confusing and
misleading aspects of cannabis. Such names for the substance, of marijuana
particularly, are: astro-turf, weed, pot, herb, Mary-Jane, J or Jane, dope,
Danka, dank, ganja, reefer, bud, Buddha, chronic, grass, Texas-Tea, roach,
homegrown, the sticky-icky and dagga. The nicknames of the cannabis plant
vary from state to state, and country to country, making it increasingly hard
to keep up with the terminology of the drug. To make things even more
complicated, there are several substances that can be derived from the
plant, such as its flower, Marijuana, or the weaving of its trunk and stems to
be used as clothing or paper: hemp, and finally, the broken-down form of
marijuana into a resin, referred to as Hash or Hashish. These three
substances are quite different, despite their common origin. Marijuana is
the green (typically) flowers that bud from the stem of the cannabis plant.
Each flower contains a substantial amount of the hallucinogenic chemical
tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC; however, when compacted and concentrated

into a resin form, the THC properties sky-rocket, creating the form of
Hashish, of which is also smoked and supplied out to our growing youth.
Cannabis is a hallucinogen, despite its different forms of marijuana
and hashish. No matter how you take it, it is a substance that distorts how
the mind functions and perceives the world it is in. Even more troubling, is
the vast increase of the amount of the chemical property, THC that is found
within cannabis. Throughout the years, drug dealers and suppliers have
been on a mission to create a super-drug; a much more powerful substance
than those of our pot-head predecessors. As we remain undecided about the
harms of marijuana, and bicker amongst ourselves, the underground elite of
dealers continue to concoct a more powerful form of the plant, day by day.
Of the 400 different types of chemicals that can be found in cannabis, THC,
is the chemical that exhibits hallucinogenic effects, and the high that so
many of our youth seek. THC works by binding itself to the receptors in our
brain, and over-activates said system, responsible for pain, pleasure, and
sensory elements such as time, and perception. This causes impaired
coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, learning, and
memorizing. These effects not only limit the productivity and successes of
our adult population, but completely stunt the growing minds and
motivations of our children.
Despite the chemicals within the plant that have shown the same
cancer-causing smoke from just one joint or bowl of weed, as those in five
cigarettes, people ignore this fact, and continue its use, claiming it isnt the

same as cigarettes, because of its natural origin. It has been proved that
the smoke immitted from marijuana use contains 50-70 percent more
cancer- causing substances than those in cigarettes; yet cigarettes take all
the blame in mainstream society.
In 1974 THC levels were in the range of 1%, and in 1994 it had
jumped to 4%; however, in 2008 the THC levels had made a substantial
growth compared to the past, of up to 9.6%. If the levels of this one
chemical are going up significantly in recent years, then naturally so are the
other chemicals within the drug. Unfortunately, these other chemicals are
hardly looked at by users, despite their potent existence. I inquired to know
the amount of THC that is typical now, eight years after the highest
recorded amount, of 9.6%, and found several statistics, all pointing to its
doubling of potency and harm; the average marijuana flower now has17%
THC. Its condensed forms like hashish, edibles, shatter, budder, wax, or
hash oil and other extracts, have been up to 80-90% THC. These alternative
forms are becoming increasingly popular due to its lack of smell, its small
size, and its extreme potency. Whats even more troubling is that in recent
years, society has become more laxed about marijuana and its effects,
despite its extreme enhancement of its chemical properties, and its clever
disguises in candy, such as Sugar Patch Kids, or gummy-bears, and
previously mentioned edibles: weed extract cooked with in baked goods.
Furthermore, is the process of cooking such goodies, which often include

the use of butane, and standard knowledge of cooking; leading to fires,

unexpected potency, and even explosions.
With more adults using the drug for their own, more children are apt
to be less aware of the dangers in how it effects a growing mind, and those
who may have avoided the substance are now falling victim to it by
accidental ingestions. Director of emergency medicine clinical operations in
Colorados top-level pediatric hospital, Dr. Michael DiStefano states, They
look like regular candy. . . . Theres no way to discern what is an edible
gummy bear that has THC in it, versus a regular gummy bear. In fact, you
cannot distinguish them unless theyre in the package. Since the
legalization in Colorado, he has personally seen a raise of children in the
emergency room, due to the accidental digestion of marijuana products.
States like Colorado, where marijuana is promoted as a healthy
alternative to alcohol or prescription pills, of which the latter have been
carefully moderated and tested for decades, now have the dilemma of
having to make laws against weed being too potent. Not knowing the full
consequences of such a drug being freely grown and used, has already lead
to extensive side-laws that wouldnt be necessary if the drug had remained
outlawed. In the early eighties, the Federal Drug Enforcement
Administration reported the production of marijuana to be 2.2 million
pounds, and in 2007 22 million poundsan unprecedented amount. Along
with the complications of multiple new limitations and laws to be
implemented and enforced by law enforcement, despite still having the

same amount of police, and no special task force in regards to the matter,
have been the issue of drugged-drivers. Chief John Jackson, of the
Greenwood Village Colorado Police Department Edibles pose a problem
because there is no way to tell the potency of it, there is no way to test it in
the field. And no law enforcement officer is going to lick it and say, Well,
theres marijuana, THC in that. With this new problem to add amongst the
intoxicated drivers Americans already face, the police are burning the rope
at both ends, trying to keep their community safe, as well as being Just in
their policing.
With the legalization of marijuana in Colorado there have also been
increasing problems with their economy, despite all the hype regarding it.
Marijuana is still illegal on a federal level, and what people dont realize is
that the state may say its legal, but when it comes down to all the technical
aspects of the matter, they have created a new mess for themselves. Banks
are federally owned, and because marijuana is illegal federally profiteers
are straining with the complications therein.
Unfortunately, our most vulnerable age group is attacked without any
way of defending themselves. Without the knowledge to confidently oppose
the use of the drug, mixed with variants of peer-pressure, selfconsciousness, boredom and anxiety, our youth exhibit the most sensitive
targeted group for drug use; especially the increasingly popular marijuana,
now in candy and smell-proof baggies. Throughout the 21st Century, the
United Sates Government has conducted several researches regarding

marijuana use amongst adults as well as children. Between the crucial ages
of 12-17, over half state the ease of accessibility of the drug, and almost
seven percent of those children were current habitual users. Older users,
approximately between the ages of 18-25, 19% percent report using
marijuana. As more people become frequent users of this drug, there will
be more laws struggling to regulate the dangers therein, and the people
affected by them. The lack of consistent evidence of the harms that
marijuana causes to its users and their families, over the perceived benefits,
certain states who have participated in its legalization are simply creating a
society of guinea-pigs; each user is now a subject of science, whether they
agree to it or not; now swallowed into a deep cloud of smoke, lost from the
light of clarity and consciousness.
In conclusion, drugs are never the answer, they just cover up the
reality of the problem and suspend the suffering, and make it that much
harder to endure and work on throughout adulthood. We can prevent its
harmful abuse, by starting with our own education, and the education of
those who inevitably follow, in our footsteps. By educating ourselves of the
true effects of marijuana, as well as any controlled substance, we can
further educate our children, and the youth around us; that no substance is
the answer to our problems, and that even recreational, and just for fun
use is a growing threat to our development into strong, thoughtful, and
successful adults. The following attachment has been included, as quick goto guide from drugabuse.gov, concerning the basic realities about

Points to Remember

marijuana. All we can do is to set a positive example, and detour our youth
from the harmful setbacks that all controlled substances and illegal drugs

Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the
hemp plant, Cannabis sativa.

create.

The plant contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds.
People use marijuana by smoking, eating, drinking, and inhaling it.
Smoking THC-rich extracts from the marijuana plant (a practice
called dabbing) is on the rise.
THC over activates certain brain cell receptors, resulting in effects such
as:
altered senses
changes in mood
impaired body movement
difficulty with thinking and problem-solving
impaired memory and learning
Marijuana use may have a wide range of effects, both physical and
mental, which include:
breathing illnesses
possible harm to a fetuss brain in pregnant users
hallucinations and paranoia
The amount of THC in marijuana has been increasing steadily, creating
more harmful effects for users.
Marijuana can be addictive.
Treatment for marijuana addiction includes forms of behavioral
therapy. No medications currently exist for treatment.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute of Washington University:

http://learnaboutmarijuanawa.org/factsheets/dependence.htm.
The Cannabist, a marijuana activist association:
http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/03/28/thc-limit-colorado-marijuana/50990/.
http://f.edgesuite.net/data/www.drugfreeworld.org/files/truth-aboutmarijuana-booklet-en.pdf.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana.
http://abovetheinfluence.com/drugs/marijuana/?
gclid=CjwKEAjwtNbABRCsqO7J0_uJxWYSJAAiVo5LbNJPO6gxS1dwcS252Rquelf8CUWNoqqgRv5lMGCqxoCaHfw_wcB#facts.
http://www.livescience.com/56550-marijuana-use-adolescents.html.
http://www.livescience.com/55258-how-marijuana-affects-the-brain.html.
water mark taken from: 419gottaminute.com.