Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America. Around 100 million Americans have used marijuana, and over 25 million used it in the past year. Marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol and tobacco, which collectively cause over 400,000 deaths per year in the US. Marijuana does not cause fatal overdoses and is nontoxic. However, marijuana does have negative effects like forgetfulness, lack of concentration, and dizziness. There is debate around legalizing marijuana for medical uses to treat conditions like nausea, pain, seizures and muscle spasms.

1. What is marijuana???
what is marijuana????
Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in
America (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and has been
used by nearly 100 million Americans. According to
government surveys, some 25 million Americans have
smoked marijuana in the past year, and more than 14
million do so regularly despite harsh laws against its use.
Our public policies should reflect this reality, not deny it.
Marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco.
Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol
poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year
are attributed to tobacco smoking. By comparison,
marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by
overdose.

2. Positive effects of marijuana• Positive effects of marijuana
• The positive effect findings from my first source
were fairly typical for what one may have heard
about the drug. Some of which being: feeling
relaxed, feeling happy, getting munchies (could also
be considered negative), increased enjoyment of
music and art, more appreciation of the
surroundings, forgetting cares and worries, better
imagination and visualization, increased creativity,
as well as more enjoyment of sexual activity and
increased feelings of excitement (Hammersley, R,
& Leon, V. 2006).

3. • Negative effects of marijuana
The negative effects findings
were also pretty typical for
what one
may have heard
which would include: being
forgetful, over sleeping,
not getting
things done,concentration difficulties,
neglecting work or duties, loss of balance or
dizziness, problems with performing tasks,
and nausea (Hammersley, R, & Leon, V.
2006).

4. • Although marijuana is known to have negative
effects on the human body, there's a raging
debate over the use of medicinal marijuana.
Some say that marijuana should be legalized for
medical use because it has been known to
suppress nausea, relieve eye pressure,
decrease muscle spasms, stimulate appetite,
stop convulsions and eliminate menstrual pain.
Because of its therapeutic nature, marijuana
has been used in the treatment of several
conditions:
• Cancer and AIDS (to suppress nausea and
stimulate appetite)
• Glaucoma (to alleviate eye pressure)
• Epilepsy (to stop convulsions)
• Multiple sclerosis (to decrease muscle spasms)

6. Preventing Marijuana Use.
• A recent independent, third-party evaluation of middle-school youth living in
drug–free coalition-funded communities found a 12 percent reduction in alcohol
use, 28 percent reduction in tobacco use and 24 percent reduction in marijuana
use between 2007 and 2009. High school–aged youth have reduced their use of
alcohol by 8 percent, tobacco by 17 percent and marijuana by 11 percent in drug-
free coalition communities.
• To date, CADCA (Community Anti–Drug Coalitions of America) has trained more
than 60,000 adult and youth prevention professionals and has hosted presidents
(including Bill Clinton, who gladly tooK the torch from his predecessor, George
H.W. Bush, and signed the first major piece of legislation, the ―Drug–Free
Communities Act,‖ funding thousands of coalitions across the country).i
• Protective factors include engagement in religious activities, family
communication and cohesion and school engagement — including completing
homeworK and participating in extracurricular activities. Teachers can provide a
great deal of support for adolescents by serving as a buffer for negative peer
interactions and by helping to develop a feeling of
connection with school.

7. To date, CADCA (Community Anti–Drug Coalitions of America) has
trained more than 60,000 adult and youth prevention professionals and
has hosted presidents (including Bill Clinton, who gladly tooK the torch
from his predecessor, George H.W. Bush, and signed the first major
piece of legislation, the ―Drug–Free Communities Act,‖ funding thousands
of coalitions across the country).i
• Protective factors include engagement in religious activities, family
communication and cohesion and school engagement — including
completing homeworK and participating in extracurricular activities.
Teachers can provide a great deal of support for adolescents by serving
as a buffer for negative peer interactions and by helping to develop a
feeling of
connection with school.