Introduction
Marijuana abuse has really affected the citizens of the United States of America. The drug has been highly abused since people tend to pretend that they use it for its medical value but in the real sense they end up using it to for recreation. The use of Marijuana for medical purpose involves the use of the drug to cure diseases such as epilepsy. Marijuana has many chemicals that are believed that work well in the cure of epilepsy (Knopf, 2017). Many states in the United States of America have therefore legalized the drug due to its medical value. Young people have however taken the advantage of the situation and have ended up abusing the drug. The drug is taken into the body by both smoking and eating. The drug can be mixed with baked foods and be consumed as the edibles (H Stone, 2015). Marijuana has a lot of names among young people. Some people call it Kush, while others call it Weed. However, its scientific name is Cannabis Sativa. Young people have decided to give it many nicknames so as to hide their identity (Winters, 2017). It is because of this reason that many people have abused Marijuana. It is majorly abused in the states full of black people. These people use the drug as an identity.
Prevalence of the Issue
Marijuana abuse has been observed in young men aged between the ages of 18 to 25. This is the age gap of the most active people in the society. Research shows that more than eleven million adults used Marijuana last year. This is a very large population keeping it in mind that a large use was recorded in the people who used it as a recreational facility. The use of the drug as a recreational facility has led to many students being affected in the universities. The university students normally use marijuana as a party tool where they take it in the parties to get high (Winters, 2017). The worst side of the case is that the number of people who consider marijuana to have mental effects has highly reduced. Nowadays the people have the notion that the drug does not have any effect as it only keeps people high. Universities and some high schools have been affected negatively with the abuse since the students usually carry the drug for use in schools. These students carry the drug and use it in the school toilets.
In the past few cases were reported on the abuse of marijuana since many people considered it a hard drug. Nowadays musicians have really promoted the use of marijuana since they use it in their music videos to express the fun they experience after consuming the drug. They have also come up with lyrics in their songs which try to beg the government to legalize the drug (Hopfer, 2014). The notion that people have on the drug is what has made the drug be consumed by many people in the United States of America (Knopf, 2017). University students have also ended up making money for their upkeep by selling the drug to the other students since the drug is considered a hotcake. The changes in the mentality of people towards the consumption of marijuana are what have led to the drug being abused by many people.
Consequences of the Abuse
The abuse of marijuana has many side effects on the government and the people. The government has really complained about the abuse of the drug since it has rendered many people useless in the society since all that they can do is to consume a lot of marijuana every day (Hopfer, 2014). Marijuana has a lot of side effects for the people since it causes depression, low blood pressure, and anxiety. Marijuana has a feeling of keeping people high due to the chemicals contained in it. The depression caused by the drug has resulted in many people being miserable in society. Depression keeps someone to figure out his life negatively and therefore ends up doing stupid things (Winters, 2017). Marijuana also causes impaired judgment among people where it causes people to have many fights with their friends. It always gives a person the notion that the other party has wronged them. This is a very dangerous way of living that should be done away with.
The excessive consumption of marijuana has also made a lot of people run mad. Research shows that after consuming marijuana, the contents of marijuana normally remains in one's bloodstream for many years. Therefore when one continuously abuses the drug he has a higher tendency of getting mad (Enos, 2017). Majority of the rehabilitation centers in the US are highly populated by marijuana victims. Families resort to taking these people to the rehabilitation centers so that it can help them change their ways. However, after coming out of such centers a good number of them have continued to abuse the drug. They consider the use of marijuana to be a very common thing.
Public Costs
The use of marijuana has brought a lot of effects to the public where it has led to increment in the cases of crime. Crime has increased in the United States as a result of drug abuse. The addicts normally look for ways in which they can use to get the money to buy the drugs, if they fail to get the money from their friends, they engage in crime to get the money smoothly (Knopf, 2017). Many deaths have been recorded in the United States that have been caused by Marijuana addicts. These people normally have impaired judgments; therefore, they can tend to shoot at other people without even realizing. Crime has also increased due to the possession of guns by marijuana trading people. These people usually buy guns so as to use them as security against the authorities. The possession of guns by these people has led to many police officers being killed by the drug lords.
Many school dropouts have also been recorded in the United States of America due to the continuous use of marijuana. Students have dropped out of school in search of money to buy more marijuana. The issue has led to the United States raising a society where majorities of the youth are hopeless people. Last year recorded the highest number of school dropouts. The students have also run away from their homes and opted to live in places where they are not close to their strict parents. Escaping the presence of their parents makes them be in a position to use the drug much freely (Enos, 2017). This issue has affected the United States of America since the government spends a lot in trying to fight the abuse of marijuana. The worst decision made by the government is its decision to legalize the medical use of marijuana in many states. This legalization that has led to increased abuse.
Social Consequences
The use of marijuana in society has led to the coming up of many addicts. There are people in society who cannot do without the drug. The abuse has led to society becoming miserable. Many young graduates are not employed and they are also not looking for jobs. All they do is to smoke marijuana as they listen to rap music (H Stone, 2015). It is very bad that rap music has nowadays been associated with drug abuse and criminal activities. Nowadays many parents discourage their kids from listening to rap music due to the consequences that it will bring to the kids. The parents take it that listening to rap music will make the kids want to smoke marijuana just like the artists in the songs. Therefore the abuse of marijuana has created a lot of worries in the United States of America.
The excessive use of marijuana has led to many unwanted pregnancies and increased dependency ratios in the United States of America. The increased dependency ration is due to the existence of many people who are not working. Some of these people have been affected to an extent that they cannot handle any job (Hopfer, 2014). The employers cannot trust them with anything due to the appearance that they have. The unwanted pregnancies are due to the sexual activities that the youth engage themselves into after taking the marijuana. This clearly shows that the abuse of marijuana has affected the US negatively.
Inventions to Prevent the Problem
The government has been able to come up with restrictive measures that will see the reduction in the use of marijuana in public places and also in schools. Any schools have adopted the carrying out of drug tests after a particular period of time I school so as to prevent the use of the drug. Many sniffer dogs have also been deployed in many streets to try and handle the people who trade marijuana (H Stone, 2015). Coming up with such will help reduce the consumption of marijuana in the United States of America. It will help raise a society where the kids and the youths live a life free of drugs. The digital cameras installed in the corners of buildings are also very effective in monitoring what occurs in such a place. Monitoring of such place is effective in ensuring that no drug abuse occurs in those areas.
The restrictive measures have started to be of great benefit due to the arrest of the Idaho resident who was trying to trade marijuana for fast food. This shows that the authorities are working to see the reduction in the abuse of marijuana (Enos, 2017). This also shows that the systems put in place are also working. Many of such arrests are expected to take place due to the intelligence of the sniffer dogs. The drug tests digital cameras installed and the sniffer dogs are also working out well to ensure that America becomes drug-free. These measures will lead to decreased abuse of marijuana.
References
Enos, G. (2017). Analysis sees malpractice liability as overlooked in medical marijuana states. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 29(11), 1-7. doi: 10.1002/adaw.30880
H Stone, M. (2015). Marijuana and Psychosis: The Effects of Adolescent Abuse of Marijuana and other Drugs in a Group of Forensic Psychiatric Patients. Journal Of Child And Adolescent Behavior, 03(02). doi: 10.4172/2375-4494.1000188
Hopfer, C. (2014). Implications of Marijuana Legalization for Adolescent Substance Use. Substance Abuse, 35(4), 331-335. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2014.943386
Knopf, A. (2017). Adolescent exposure to marijuana linked to adverse effects in adulthood. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 29(12), 1-3. doi: 10.1002/adaw.30887
Winters, K. (2017). Marijuana and Health. Journal Of Drug Abuse, 03(01). doi: 10.21767/2471-853x.100043
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