Medicine or Illicit Drug?: Marijuana’s Social Acceptance

Medicine or Illicit Drug?: Marijuana’s Social Acceptance

The harmful effects of marijuana are certainly debatable in today’s society. We hear about marijuana use being condemned by some government and health experts, but we also hear about the medicinal purposes of marijuana. Well which one is it, and where do we draw the fine line between medicine, and harmful drug?

Marijuana is socially accepted in todays society-especially among our youth. By social acceptance, I accept the idea that those who use (or abuse) marijuana are not looked down upon as “drug users.” In fact, professional athletes and famous actors are caught using marijuana illicitly, and are not looked at from a negative point-of-view from the general public. Marijuana is extremely prevalent amongst our youth. It is the second most abused substance just behind alcohol for young adults. In fact, 48% of twelfth graders report using marijuana at least once.  (NIDA, 2009)

Since marijuana is prevalent in our communities, it is important to examine the possible negative side effects of the drug, and determine if the negative side effects outweigh the possibility of using marijuana as a form of medicine. Because of Proposition 215 which was passed in California in 1996, people with specific medical conditions are eligible to have a prescription to use marijuana. Once the patient is given the prescription, they are entitled to possess, cultivate, and use a large amount of marijuana. The amount one can possess is unique to the specific jurisdiction. From past experiences, I can attest to the fact that the actual number of marijuana plants a patient can possess and cultivate can be up to 99 plants, which is far more than is necessary for personal use.

The abuse of Proposition 215 is rampant throughout the state. Obtaining a prescription to cultivate and possess marijuana is as easy as contacting The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation, and paying about one hundred dollars for the actual subscription. The symptoms you need to explain to your doctor could include headaches, loss of appetite, and/or anxiety to receive a medicinal marijuana recommendation. It is also not uncommon to see high school-aged young adults in possession of a “California Green Card” because of how easy it is to obtain a prescription, and how doctors who prescribe medical marijuana do not perform comprehensive physical tests to determine if marijuana is properly suited for the individual. The bottom line is that somebody can enter a specialized doctor’s office with the intent to obtain a medical marijuana card, and receive one.

Sufficient research has not been done to determine that marijuana use is an optimal way of increasing appetite, and easing pain. Other forms of medicine have similar effects as marijuana, only they do not produce the euphoric “high” that inhaling marijuana produces. Therefore, those who desire to have a medicinal marijuana prescription are able to reap the euphoric as well as “medicinal” benefits.

http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/MarijparentsN.html (NIDA)

 

MDMA Movement

            MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a psycho-active stimulant that contains psychoactive properties. This drug is very popular amongst young people, and especially popular known to be prevalent in nightclubs, raves, and social gatherings where the stimulant effects can be exaggerated and multiplied. In 2008, 2.1 million Americans age 12 and older had abused MDMA at least once within the year being surveyed, which means that the drug is fairly common amongst young Americans, along with marijuana and alcohol use (NIDA, 2008)

            MDMA has a severe negative impact on the user. Similar to dextro-methamphetamine, more commonly known as “crystal meth,” MDMA has the ability to permanently disrupt the body’s natural production of serotonin, and dopamine which are responsible for emitting nuero-chemicals that determine mood, and well-being. Other effects include depression, sleep deprivation, anxiety, and severe addiction to the drug.

            MDMA became very popular in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s then slowly became less popular because of the widely known effects as well as the number of organizations which manufactured MDMA were dismantled. However, the MDMA trend had picked up ground again in 2001, when the popular rap artists in the San Francisco Bay Area began glorifying the drug and started to endorse the recreational use of MDMA. This phenomenon was known as the “Thizz Movement.” Along with the increase use of MDMA, the San Francisco Bay Area began to see an increase in crime, as well as sideshows which became increasingly more popular.    

            MDMA is a chemical cousin to methamphetamine which is seen as a much harder drug, but in reality has very similar effects. Through personal experiences I have heard many people say that they would never use methamphetamine, but would not refrain from using MDMA. It is important to understand the similarities of the drug, and to understand that both synthetically manufactured drugs are equally as dangerous.

 

Student Groups and Alcohol Consumption

Student Groups and Alcohol Consumption

            Many students first have had their first experience with alcohol consumption by the time they enter their first year in college. Alcohol is socially accepted in the college community and is very assessable to the common student which makes alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse such a problem in colleges throughout the country. In fact, a recent study conducted by Knight et al. (2002) measured 23,751 undergraduate students aged 18-24 from 119 four-year colleges around the country. The study states that only 15.6% of college students abstained from alcohol while 24.6% engaged in occasional heavy episodic drinking. The study went on to say that 19.5% of the college students surveyed engaged in frequent heavy episodic drinking, which is defined as three or more occasions of heavy episodic drinking in the past two weeks. It is evident that college students prefer to drink during social events. An increased attendance to social events could make a student more likely to consume a greater amount of alcohol more frequently.

            Student groups on campus, such as Greeks or athletic teams, are often times associated with large social gatherings during the weekend. Fraternities and sororities are known for hosting themed parties and other events often. In most of these events, alcohol is present. Unfortunately, an increased attendance to parties can lead to an excessive amount of alcohol consumption and also lead to binge drinking. According to the 1995 National College Health Risk Behavior Survey (NCHRBS) as cited by DeSimone (2007) 69% of fraternities, sororities, and other student group affiliates reported binge drinking, which is defined as five or more alcoholic beverages within a few hours, while 42% of non-student group members reported binge drinking. Student group members are more likely to consume alcohol because of the environment in which they are subjected to more often than those who do not belong to a student group. Student group affiliates are also exposed to a greater amount of peer pressure from fellow student group members who would cause an increase in alcohol consumption. It could be noted that a student group member who rarely drinks could often be pressured into drinking because 69% of his/her student group are heavy alcohol consumers according to DeSimone (2007).

             Another self reported survey conducted by Reis and Trockel (2003) examined fraternity and sorority chapters, and measured members’ alcohol expectancies as well as any possible increase in consumption. (The alcohol expectancies were measured with items used to assess the degree to which people believe that alcohol has positive effects.)  Reis and Trockel (2003) also noted that alcohol consumption was positively associated with Greek life and was glorified among students. Fraternity and sorority members had seen alcohol as a socially acceptable part of Greek life and believed that their college and Greek experience would be enhanced through the use of alcohol. Reis and Trockel (2003) also used their available information to state the different aspirations of consuming alcohol between the two genders.  They concurred that males used alcohol for enhancement of social interactions while females used alcohol for stress reduction. Unfortunately, the use of alcohol for mood altercation is a sure sign of alcoholism. Reis and Trockel’s (2003) survey sheds some light to the fact that alcohol abuse for some people can start in college through the use of social drinking, but can easily gain momentum and become a huge problem later on in life.

            Binge drinking among college students is a much bigger problem than most would expect because of all the other factors that go along with drinking such as disorderly behavior, drunken driving, and forced sexual activity. Aside from an excessive amount of harmful outcomes, binge drinking and alcoholism will hinder a student’s chances of maximizing academic potential.  DeSimone (2007) connected other harmful habits and behaviors that fraternity and sorority members are more likely to participate in versus a college student not affiliated with any student group or organization. DeSimone (2007) stated that fraternity, sorority, and other student group members are more likely to smoke cigarettes, use marijuana and other controlled substances, and are even less likely to wear a seatbelt when driving in a vehicle. The ability to abstain from alcohol consumption is something that is very difficult for some people, especially for those in college.

 

 

 

 

Knight, J. R., Wechsler, H, Kuo, M, Seibring, M, Weitzman, E.R., & Schuckit, M.A. (2002).    

          Alcohol abuse and dependence among U.S. college students. Department of Pediatrics,

          Harvard Medical School & Department of Medicine: Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 263-

          270.

 DeSimone, Jeff (2007).Fraternity membership and binge drinking. Journal of Health            

Economics.26, 950-967.

Reis, J., & Trockel, M (2003). An empirical analysis of fraternity and sorority individual-

          Environmental interactions with alcohol. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 33, 2536-

           2552.

Methamphetamine and Violence

Methamphetamine and Violence

Methamphetamine use and violence are synonymous. The effects of methamphetamine create a feeling of euphoria, confidence, motivation, and will also impair judgment. With a user’s inability to make rational decisions, methamphetamine abusers are liable to act violent. Darryl Inaba and William Cohen, authors of Uppers, Downers, and All Arounders, stated that, “The increased suspiciousness, paranoia, and overconfidence lead to misinterpretations of others’ actions, and hence to violence reactions.” (Inaba and Cohen, 121) It is noted that excessive methamphetamine abuse, such as when a user is under an amphetamine psychosis, will amplify symptoms and lead to atrocious thoughts such as suicide, homicide, and other acts of violence. These statements show the dangers of methamphetamine use, and the liability of violence that comes with its use.

A 2008 article written by Elizabeth A. Tyner and William J. Fremouw entitled “The Relation of Methamphetamine Use and Violence: A Critical Review” discusses the consequences of methamphetamine use, and the correlation between abuse and criminal activity. Even though it can be speculated that methamphetamine abuse drastically influences the crime rate, it is noted in the article that “In 2003, 21.5% of all drug arrests made by the DEA were methamphetamine related. Methamphetamine abusers were also described as being amongst the highest risk of offenders of property and violent crime.” (Tyner and Fremouw, 2008) The above statement describes methamphetamine abuse to be a national epidemic that is elevating our crime rates.

The authors state in the reading that the main findings in the article are inconclusive and continue to claim that the “Relation between methamphetamine and violence is methodologically problematic and limited merely to a vast accumulation of findings.” (Tyner and Fremouw, 2008) Although no data has been correlated to directly link methamphetamine use to violence, it is evident that methamphetamine abuse is indirectly correlated to violence simply because the symptoms of methamphetamine use and the ambiguous relevance it has to violence.

One examination found in the article was particularly interesting in relating methamphetamine use to violence. The study used a sample of 1580 arrestees from California (89.2% non- meth users, and 10.8% meth users), completed a survey shortly after they were arrested. Of the sample, 27.6% of methamphetamine users reported violent behavior compared to just 18.1% of non-meth users. (Tyner and Fremouw, 2008) Since the number of methamphetamine users was disproportionally smaller than the amount of non-meth users, this finding can speculate that methamphetamine users are more liable to commit violence crimes.

The one problem the article had was assessing and measuring drug use and violence together. Researchers must first define methamphetamine use (amount taken, frequency of use, and duration of use), and also define what constitutes violence. However, appropriate data taken from existing users who have a history of violence (through criminal backgrounds), can yield more conclusive results, thus making samples more relevant and conclusive. I believe that would make the article and its findings stronger, and hold more value.

This article reiterates the dangers of methamphetamine use, and the irrational decision making that can result. Through this reading, and the comprehended information I have obtained, methamphetamine use has the potential to alter the brains natural chemistry, and cause severe mental disorders for months after the drug has been removed from the system. If there was a past mental condition, symptoms of withdrawal as well as mental problems can last even longer. (Inaba and Cohen, 121)

Methamphetamine use and its relation to violence is apparent when the effects of the drug are examined. Looking at methamphetamine, and the effects it has on the body, it can be hypothesized that methamphetamine use will aggravate violent crime rates because of the way it alters a user’s state-of-mind and causes them to act irrationally. Methamphetamine users also must maintain their rather expensive habits, and will resort to violent acts such as robbery in order to make money to satiate their need for methamphetamine.  This article merely hypothesizes the connection between methamphetamine use and violent crime. Even though their samples and designs were methodologically problematic, it can be assumed that methamphetamine use and violent crime rates are interrelated. 

Tyner, E. A., & Fremouw, W. J. (2008). The Relation of Methamphetamine Use and Violence: A Critical Review. Aggression and Violent Behavior. 13, 285-297.

Inaba, D., & Cohen, W. (2007). Uppers, Downers, All Arounders. Medford, OR: CNP Productions Inc.