Narrative sketch by Jackson Brandes
WRIT 101 Sec. 10
I was kind of foggy on what exactly we where supposed to do exactly, I took away that it was mainly to show we can research our topic and generate information. So this is what I wrote:
The legalization of Marijuana has been a hot topic for debate over the past couple of years. I myself, having pro-marijuana views, as well as being a former user of this substance have always had a slight interest on the subject. I have really never taken the time to delve down into the details and see what the argument is all about. Now that I have the opportunity I intend on answering some of the fallowing questions: Why is Marijuana considered so bad when it is considered such a widely used drug? What are the pros and cons of legalization? And do they have merit? How would it affect the government? How would it affect consumption rates amongst population if legalized? These are a couple of questions on a long line that are being examined through this project.
I really started thinking about this when I was remembering back to about my sophomore and junior year of high school. Lunchtime and after school time would usually consist of roving around the neighborhood with a group of buddies trying to smoke weed. I remember loving it back then. The perception was that it was so cool, and their was a slight risk involved which exhilarated my 16-year old mind to think that I was getting away with something illegal. I held weed to a lesser standard for degradation of personal image then being a cigarette smoker or one of those kids who can’t come to class sober. There was something bout it being illegal but not too illegal that made it enticing. This brings me to my question of origin for my research: Why is it illegal? Why is something that is in comparison much less harmful then the two other main drugs on the market, tobacco and alcohol, illegal? Why was I smoking weed instead of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol? I believe exploring this sub-topic first will open up much more background for my essay.
I found this article on The National Institute of Health journal list, written by Philippe Bourgeois, titled: the Mystery of Marijuana: Science and the U.S. War on Drugs. The author makes a good point that I agree with in basically saying that the perception Marijuana since the 50’s has been thought of as wrong for the idea that it is a self-destructing mechanism that will lead an individual into the deep dark depths of drug-addiction, basically saying it’s a gateway drug. This quote exemplifies this point, “The pharmacological properties of a drug are not the sole determinants of its potential harm. Of special importance and concern is the nexus between socially structured vulnerability and destructive drug consumption.” (Bourgeois, 2003b) The author then eludes to the fact that drug use begins earlier and stays more prevalent with people in very unstructured social situations; and without a structured life it becomes easier for drugs to make-up that structure. The author says that the war on drugs is mainly focused on heavier narcotics. He then goes on to assume that why Marijuana is banned is to cut-off the supposed gateway mechanism to harder drug use with the idea that the less people that don’t break the law and don’t smoke weed as a young adult will not use hard drugs. (Bourgeois). I agree with this statement. I think it is a very smart point and logical factor into why Marijuana is illegal. This article then goes on to analyze many points and views of this topic of marijuana and also gives much more insight into the proposed origin question of my argument. The fallowing question, paraphrased, is the underlying theme that this article left me asking myself is: In this day and age is it more reasonable for our generation to fallow the social norms that have been in place for the past 50-80 years that allow our economically depressed country to continue to pump so much money into a failing war on drugs? Or should we look to evaluate how our society is today and strive for social revamp of the system that will allow us to adjust moral and cultural values to a reasonable scale based on current issues and trends? (Bourgeois)
If I can come away with questions like that from researching one article I am very confident in my researching capabilities and look forward to expressing all my ideas, reactions, questions, and answers on the essay.
1. The Mystery of Marijuana: Science and the U.S. War on Drugs
2008, Vol. 43, No. 3-4, Pages 581-583 (doi:10.1080/10826080701884853)
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
2. (Quote within article): Bourgois P, Schonberg J. Righteous dopefiend. Berkeley: University of California Press; 2008.
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