Marijuana Subculture
Subculture: Marijuana in the United States
Fatima Alikhan
ENG 122
Professor Kenneth Newton
Monday May 23, 2010
The United States has an approved list of drugs that are considered legal and illegal that create adverse side effects and hold diverse political views. Marijuana is a substance that popular media holds in a negative undertone while other drugs such as valium and alcohol are supported, if not glorified. Popular media is a powerful tool that gathers a mass of people and provides all types of information. Some types of information are historical facts, statistics, entertainment, opinions, and biases which alter the state and views of those who access it. Marijuana has had an extremely controversial political view throughout history and is considered a “gateway drug,” enabling users to pursue stronger and dangerous substances. Although marijuana includes negative side effects, statistics prove it may be far less dangerous to people and those around them compared to legalized substances with higher danger percentages. The comparison and political attitudes of marijuana throughout history of the United States is what is examined in this paper to draw awareness to readers on the bias of intolerance towards marijuana. I plan on limiting my topic selection by choosing a limit of 3 substances to compare the statistics against and only recording major milestones that changed the way people viewed marijuana throughout American history. The underlying argument in this paper would be in the form of an ultimatum: legalize marijuana or criminalize alcohol and prescription pain medicine. The American people may not know why exactly marijuana is considered illegal when neither side effects or symptoms cause fatalities or crime when contrasted against prescription pain pills that target teenagers to adults. Alcohol related accidents are also significantly higher than marijuana related stresses however it has been considered wrong, immoral,
Fatima Alikhan
ENG 122
Professor Kenneth Newton
Monday May 23, 2010
The United States has an approved list of drugs that are considered legal and illegal that create adverse side effects and hold diverse political views. Marijuana is a substance that popular media holds in a negative undertone while other drugs such as valium and alcohol are supported, if not glorified. Popular media is a powerful tool that gathers a mass of people and provides all types of information. Some types of information are historical facts, statistics, entertainment, opinions, and biases which alter the state and views of those who access it. Marijuana has had an extremely controversial political view throughout history and is considered a “gateway drug,” enabling users to pursue stronger and dangerous substances. Although marijuana includes negative side effects, statistics prove it may be far less dangerous to people and those around them compared to legalized substances with higher danger percentages. The comparison and political attitudes of marijuana throughout history of the United States is what is examined in this paper to draw awareness to readers on the bias of intolerance towards marijuana. I plan on limiting my topic selection by choosing a limit of 3 substances to compare the statistics against and only recording major milestones that changed the way people viewed marijuana throughout American history. The underlying argument in this paper would be in the form of an ultimatum: legalize marijuana or criminalize alcohol and prescription pain medicine. The American people may not know why exactly marijuana is considered illegal when neither side effects or symptoms cause fatalities or crime when contrasted against prescription pain pills that target teenagers to adults. Alcohol related accidents are also significantly higher than marijuana related stresses however it has been considered wrong, immoral,
References: Aud, J. (1981). Marijuana Use and Social Control. University of Illinois at Chicago. New York: Academic Press Inc. Baggins, David Sadofsky. (1998). Drug Hate and The Corruption of American Justice. University of Illinois at Chicago. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Earleywine, Mitch. (2002). Understanding Marijuana: A new look at the scientific evidence. University of Illinois at Chicago. New York: Oxford University Press. Novak, William. (1980). High Culture: Marijuana in the Lives of Americans. University of Illinois at Chicago. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Philip Palmgreen, Lewis Donohew, Elizabeth Pugzles Lorch, Rick H Hoyle, & Michael T Stephenson. (2001). Television campaigns and adolescent marijuana use: Tests of sensation seeking targeting. American Journal of Public Health, 91(2), 292-6. Retrieved June 12, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 67849612). Goodwin, J.. (2010, August). Smoked Marijuana May Ease Chronic Nerve Pain. U.S. News & World Report,1. Retrieved June 12, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2170726371).