Many researchers and voters believe “Mary Jane” will cause Californian students’ academic performance to decline if marijuana becomes legalized; however, some do not accept this theory. While “Mary Jane” is constantly put down, new sources have proven that since the legalization of cannabis, teenagers have not increased their use of medical marijuana (Borchardt). “One of the biggest worries about legalized medical marijuana was that teenagers would smoke more pot, but it turns out those fears were wrong” (Borchardt). Since the legalization, the unincreased use of marijuana has not affected the academic performance of students. On a report from a National Survey on Drug Use, says other sources believe that the use of marijuana is increasing, …show more content…
Researchers have come to believe that marijuana can harm the students brain functions such as attention span, motivation, memory, and learning ability (NIDA Blog Team). “[They also believe that] students who use marijuana regularly tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school than those who don’t use [cannabis]” (NIDA Blog team). While others researchers, Sisley and Borchardt, believe that “Mary Jane” does not affect a students’ IQ; further research has proven that early use of the gateway drug can lower someone’s IQ by 8 points (Schick). “The study found that ‘even after controlling for the effects of demographics, high school GPA, and personality variables’ heavy users [,] those who smoked more than 15 times a month [,] were "twice as likely" to experience discontinuous enrollment than minimal users” (Shick). Even people who infrequently visited “Mary Jane” were 66% more likely to drop out of school than minimal users and people who did not use the drug at all (Schick). The students who are letting her control their lifestyle, they are making their own decisions that are most likely not the best choice for them to make. But, the students are continuing to visit “Mary Jane”, they’re letting her control their lives and their academic performance. …show more content…
With the upcoming vote on California Proposition 64, what will happen to the students’ academic lives? While some researchers believe that the students IQ and test scores will not be affected, the research obtained by the article, “Will My Teen’s Marijuana Use Affect His School Performance?”, proves that “Mary Jane” will cause the loss of memories and lack of concentration she creates (“Will My Teens Marijuana Use Affect His High School Performance”). While authors like Ingraham try to state that marijuana levels are decreasing, other evidence shows that 1,200 freshman college students who used marijuana spent more time getting high than studying or being in class (Schick). With the overuse of the drug, students’ IQ can drop up to eight points (Schick). Under the legalization of “Mary Jane”, students time spent with her and their academic performance decreased rapidly (“The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: the Impact”). Also, with a student’s IQ reflecting on their academic performance, the study from Duke University found that marijuana can discursively cause a student’s academic performance to deteriorate (Neighmond). As well as academic performance, “Mary Jane” also has a psychological effect on the students as well; things such as loss of confidence and motivation to sustain high achieving goals play a factor into why “Mary” should not be
“Results released this week for the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as NAEP or the “Nation’s Report Card,” show that Colorado students’ scores in reading and math either remained flat or slipped a bit since 2013…” (Colwell). Experts are worried that the same will happen to California students if “Mary Jane” is legalized in California, and they should be. If California Proposition 64 is passed, California students will be negatively impacted. Since legalization will make it easier for one to obtain and use “Mary Jane”, the number of students using marijuana will increase, just like what happened after her legalization in Colorado (“The Legalization of Marijuana”). The students who use “Mary Jane” will experience, firsthand, her often adverse effects on users’ cognitive and psychological abilities/skills. Those effects will distract students from school and prevent them from achieving academic success, just like how it affected students in Colorado (Colwell). Therefore, the academic performance of students in California will decline under the legalization of the recreational use of
This statistic showing that the used of marihuana is increase every years. This affect the teenager in school, because affect the memory, cannot concentrate, this will end on poor performing, dropping out without graduation. Most of the teenager that used marijuana their parent not has idea what going with their young. Also this will be affecting their relation with their families, some come aggressive or depress. According to National Institute of Drug Abuse, students who smoke marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school. In United State the teenager start work since of age fifteen in some place, but several studies have linked workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, and job turnover. ("What is marijuana? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)", 2012).
Former principal, Jon Moody, has noticed students becoming less motivated when they are using drugs such as marijuana. He believes it is effortless to pick them out of a crowd from certain characteristics they obtain. He has noticed many students have used drugs or started to use drugs. Moody assumes that in some situations boyfriends or girlfriends are the impact of pressure that causes the use of marijuana. If marijuana was legalized it could possibly stop the flow of marijuana to younger individuals. It would mostly be sold by dispensaries so only people that are the age of twenty-one can purchase it.
Marijuana has its strongest long-term impact on young users whose brains are developing and maturing. Researchers see a decline in verbal ability as well as general knowledge in children between ages 9-12. (National Institute on Drug Abuse August
The University of Michigan “annually survey in 2010 ” identified that adolescents nationwide, will start using drugs from 8, 10, and 12-grade use drugs, which include alcohol, Tabaco, marijuana, and other drugs; the survey shows the increased of marijuana use among high school seniors to daily basis. Consumption is the highest in comparison with the previous study nearly 65% of those students use marijuana as their primary drug of choice.
I am very concerned about the legalization of marijuana, since I am a parent of six children, whose ages range from nine to twenty-two. I have made it a point to educate my children on how smoking marijuana can affect their brain development. Just recently my youngest son, has told me that he has learned that middle school and high school kids have been eating marijuana in different forms of baked foods, such as brownies, chocolate truffles and rice crispies. The kids are over eating the marijuana treats because they don’t think it’s getting them “high”. The children are not realizing that it takes time for the body to absorb the THC. They then end up in the hospital for feeling ill because they have eating too much of the drug. The National Families in Action Campaign, reported that pot-related emergency admissions have tripled and expulsion rate has gone up 40% since the legalization of medical marijuana due to pot related incidents (5). Parents will need to be more aware of the potential risks and signs of THC posing due to the high levels of THC found in the marijuana that
Marijuana is the most popular illicit drug used among our teenagers in the United States. Research shows that 42% of high school seniors have smoked Cannabis, 18% within the past month and 5% smoked daily and 1 in 6 are addicts. More than 64% of teenagers reported that marijuana is very easily available (Gary). Unfortunately, some parents live in a world of denial and say “It’s not my kid. My child doesn’t smoke.” Unbeknown to us, there are unfavorable concerns for many young marijuana abusers such as the risk of addiction, poor school performances and a “gateway” to other lethal substances. Smoking marijuana increases respiratory diseases, impaired immune function, cognitive problems and motivational impairment. (National Institute on Drug Abuse). It is the leading cause of abnormal cognitive development which persists long after abstinence. Marijuana is the main drug used by children who seek emergency medical treatments and screened following an arrest or autopsies (Dennis et at).
Due to this, many has sought comfort in maladaptive behavior as a form of coping, one of which is substance use (Unger, 2001). According to research, marijuana is the most preferable use of drug among high school student, totaling about 32 percent with 12th graders along and hallucinogens is nearly second to marijuana (Kopak, 2014). Hispanic early adolescents are at a risk for substance use, 8th graders are reported at a higher rate for marijuana and alcohol (Schwarts, Zamboanga, Jarvis, Tyne, 2009).
“The earlier marijuana use begins and the heavier it becomes, the stronger the tendency to use other drugs is” (Effects of marijuana on youth 2). For instance, it introduces that among high school seniors who use marijuana daily, four times as many report daily alcohol consumption; twice as many report daily tobacco use. People don’t realize how dangerous marijuana can be; when they smoke it, they don’t think about the future consequences but only of the momentaneous pleasure it gives
Within Friese and Grube, they state that Marijuana is the most commonly used drug among teens in the US and with the access to medical marijuana, teens have only increased their use (34). Research also argues that with legalization, recreational use would suggest to adolescents that marijuana is safe and normal (Friese and Grube 34). This finding suggests teen use might increase (Friese and Grube 34). Therefore, since research shows a defeat in executive functioning and processing with use of cannabis (Battistella et al.), it is essential that adolescences decrease their use since the teen brain is still maturing (Crean et al. 5). As well, there is evidence that teenagers who use cannabis in early years have more significant cognitive problems than their peers (Crean et al. 2). Furthermore, in Friese and Grube findings, they argue that a typical drug free environment is crucial for teens’ development (37) since an environment with accessible marijuana will encourage marijuana use and increase risks of negative consequences in their adulthood and health (Friese and Grube 33). Therefore, legalizing the recreational use of cannabis could potentially have a large harmful effect on
Marijuana is considered in popular culture to be a widely accepted mainstream recreational illegal drug used in the United States; its use comes with severe adverse side effects that are often overlooked. Long-Term use of marijuana 'sis shown to have negative effects on physical, mental, and environmental health. Studies have shown that in the United States, up to 20% of daily marijuana users become dependent (Marijuana and Lung Health) showing a physical or emotional need for the drug. Marijuana use has the potential to affect every aspect of a person 's physical and mental wellbeing negatively. Its use also comes with potentially life-altering risks to one 's future including an individual’s likelihood of obtaining a degree, impacting their future earning potential and decreasing their overall reported life satisfaction. Once dependent on marijuana, people stop caring about their schooling. Long-term use of smoking marijuana can result in the inability to learn, retain information and think critically.
The use of marijuana can also cause student’s to forget and miss assignments, which is yet another factor that increases a student’s risk for poor academic performance. When a student starts to become dependent, they don't see their drug use as a problem, especially when marijuana is so prevalent among college students. At this stage, students continue use despite negative consequences. Students should be aware of the dependency issues that are associated with marijuana and decrease their use as soon as possible. If drug use continues, academic performance will continue to
One of the biggest issues since legalization of marijuana in Colorado is the effect it has on our youth and future generations. In a report posted regarding the cause and effect on teenagers using marijuana Krista Lisdahl, director of the Brain Imaging and Neuropsychology lab at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, talks about the changes in the THC levels from the seventies to now. She also talks about how through modern technology it is possible to physically see the difference in the brain when a teenager is
It seems every decade marijuana studies show that it has no side effects on users, in turn it become more available like when some states in America had legalized it. Dr Kevin M. Gray believes that the only side effect of smoking weed is the physical addictions it causes, he believes that over 51% of all teens have used weed at least once and the biggest problem we are facing with this rapidly growing drug use is only addiction. Dr Marshall M. Gay believes that the health effects of weed isn’t that much as smoking cigarettes and doesn’t see it a threat to people’s health. “More than half (51%) of adolescents reported that marijuana is fairly or very easy to obtain.2 this ease of availability may have contributed to a recently reported "reverse gateway" from cigarettes use to marijuana”. The more ignored belief is that marijuana can lead to a variety of developmental, mental and physical side effects. The effects of smoking weed can extend to those of smoking cigarettes “studies show regular marijuana use can lead to many of the same
Marijuana is a green or brown mix of preserved, crushed leaves from the marijuana plant. A psychoactive drug, marijuana contains fifty-percent more tar than tobacco. Smoking the harmful plant can damage the brain, lungs, and the male reproductive system and may escalate the effects of epilepsy and psychosis (Kahler, 1988). Within campus colleges and universities, there are a lot of students who are using marijuana recreationally. Long-term marijuana use can induce negative effects on short-term memory, concentration, attention span, motivation, and problem solving, which clearly interfere with learning. Tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana, can reinforce dependence on the drug and on other addictive drugs (Joffe &