Holden 1

Keona Holden Instructor: Malcolm Campbell English (1102) Januar 2!" 201# Topic Proposal: Legalization of Marijuana... To be or not to be? Introduction/Overview I $ill be e%amining the legali&ation on mari'uana" a mild drug most commonl re(erred to as $eed) *nl t$o states ha+e legali&ed the use o( mari'uana (or recreational purposes but man states are considering doing so as $ell) Mari'uana is a combination o( the lea+es" stems and seeds o( Cannabis sati+a" a hemp plant) Mari'uana can be smo,ed in hand rolled cigarettes called 'oints or blunts" smo,es in bongs" and consumed through (oods and drin,s such as bro$nies and tea) Mari'uana use is +er common in oung adults and teenagers- according to the Monitoring the .uture /ur+e ) Currentl there is a (ederal la$ that prohibits mari'uana use and position" and it can result in a misdemeanor or (elon o((ense in our perminate record) 0hile some most mari'uana users don1t seem to thin, that mari'uana has an negati+e a((ects on their bod science pro+es other$ise) /tudies ha+e sho$n that $hen a user ingests or smo,es mari'uana a potent chemical" 2HC" is released in the bod and can cause rapid heart rate" increased blood pressure and breathing" red e es" increased sense o( hunger" a mild slo$ed reaction" random 3magical4 thin,ing and mild short term memor loss) 5lthough these s mptoms are not that harm(ul to a recreational user" e%perts belie+e" but ha+e not et pro+en" that hea+ use can be related to lung cancer) 5lthough mari'uana can be harm(ul" it is much less harm(ul than cigarettes" cigars" and alcohol) 3Herb is the healing o( a nation" alcohol is the destruction4 is a 6uote (rom 7ob Marle $ho $as an a+id mari'uana user)

Holden 2

3.ederal la$s should be changed to no longer ma,e it a crime to posses mari'uana (or pri+ate use4 sa s 8ichard M) 9i%on" a :/ state senator (rom Cali(ornia) ;eople $ho are pro< recreational mari'uana use (eel that the :/ could bene(it (rom it) 2he amount o( re+enue though mari'uana ta%es $ould help bring the national debt do$n) *thers $ho disagree $ith the legali&ation o( mari'uana thin, that it $ill harm the nation) 5lthough not et pro+en" man scientists thin, that mari'uana use can be lin,ed to other drug use such as cocaine or heroin) 2he (eel that once someone tries mari'uana the $ould be more li,el to tr other illegal drugs) 5lso" some (eel li,e mari'uana is addicti+e" and $ill a((ect someone1s1 li(e long term)

Initial In uir! "uestion#s$ 0hat other states are loo,ing at legali&ing mari'uana= 0hat other tests on mari'uana itsel( can be done to pro+e or dispro+e that it is harm(ul on the human bod = 5msterdam has legali&ed the use o( mari'uana) Ho$ is li(e in 5msterdam= 5re the people there generall happ = Is crime lo$ in areas $here mari'uana use is pertinent= 0hat restrictions are put on the use o( mari'uana in 5msterdam= 2hese 6uestions $ill help me gi+e the reader more unbiased in(ormation so that the can (orm their o$n educated opinion about legali&ing mari'uana)

M! Interest in t%is Topic I1m interested in legali&ing mari'uana because man o( m peers are interested about it) It is o(ten the main topic o( con+ersation) I $ant to be educated on the sub'ect so I can (orm m o$n opinion about it" and not 'ust go on $hat I hear (rom m peers) I don1t ,no$ much about the topic alread accept (or the (act that onl t$o states ha+e legali&ed it so (ar) I $ould li,e to ,no$ $h the legali&ed it" and $h it $as illegal to begin $ith) &e't (teps

Holden !

I $ill be +isiting $ebsites such as C99" 0eb M> and go+ernment sites to sta updated on the legali&ation o( mari'uana) I $ill also read blogs o( those $ho are opposed and those $ho are not opposed to legali&ing mari'uana) ?astl " I $ill as, people their opinions on the sub'ect) 2he more in(ormation I can obtain" the better m research pro'ect $ill be)

Holden #

Sources
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/marijuana-use-and-its-effects http:// http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-abuse/how-does-marijuana-use-affectyour-brain-bodynorml.org/laws/item/federal-penalties-2 http://norml.org/laws/item/federal-penalties-2 http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/201 /01/21/!-reasons-marijuana-should-remainillegal-n1"#20#$/page/2 http://www.goodreads.com/%uotes/tag/marijuana