Determinants of Marijuana Use Essay - 1052 Words

Marijuana is a popular and universal drug. It is easily accessible to most people and is the number one illicit drug used in North America. Although the availability and knowledge of this drug is fairly equal for all people in North America, marijuana tends to be more prevalent in teenagers and young adults. Maisto, Galizio, and Conners (2004) reported that use of marijuana [in young people] was 8.0% among those aged 12-17; 16% among those aged 18-25, as compared to 6.8% among those aged 26-34; and 2.4% among those 35 and older. People of all ages, races, and religions use marijuana and have their own reasons to use it. Young people first try marijuana because of some common reasons. Some teenagers feel pressured by their peers to†¦show more content†¦With this high percentage of students using marijuana and the availability of the drug being so vast, teenagers find it hard to stay away from this substance. As some teenagers are pressured in to using marijuana, others are in terested in experimentation. Many young people who are curious about drugs tend to try marijuana because it is viewed as the safest illicit drug. The popularity of the drug, talk of legalization, and media all contribute to marijuana being seen as a safe drug. Aforementioned, many young people use this highly accessible drug. People begin to think that if everyone else is doing it without harm, then they can too. It is well known that marijuana alone has never lead to death and has only been associated with fatal accidents when combined with alcohol or other drugs. These unthreatening ideas of marijuana combined with the constant debate about legalizing or decriminalizing the drug, persuade people to believe that it is safe and will not do them any harm. The most significant way this idea is developing is through the media. Although there are many anti-drug commercials and campaigns, the amount of television shows, movies and songs involving marijuana outweigh them all. In an articl e about marijuana in the media, Gary Oetjen, assistant Drug Enforcement Administration special agent, says that television is glamorizing the usage of [marijuana] and these young kids believe they can get awayShow MoreRelatedHealth Policies and Health Determinants1438 Words   |  6 PagesDiscuss the ways that health can be conceptualized by a society. What are the determinants of health in humans? What is the connection between how a society defines health and how it pursues health? Has increased access to technology changed that perception over the last decade? Discuss the connection between health policies, health determinants, and health. Abstract Health policies, health determinants and health are all categories that are intertwined with one another. As technologyRead MoreThe Psychological And Psychological Aspects Of Drug Use Prevention Programs1593 Words   |  7 Pagescan be done to prevent adolescent marijuana users from shifting to harder drug use?† This paper specifically is referring to adolescents within a secondary education level, between the ages of 12 to 19. Introduction This paper will emphasize the necessity of school-based drug use prevention programs by supporting the psychological growth and understanding of the harmful effects of drug abuse. Forming healthy parent-child relations, external social determinants, and the neurobiological imbalanceRead MoreSubstance Abuse : A Public Health Problem Among American Children And Adolescents1561 Words   |  7 PagesSubstance use and abuse is a definitely a public health problem among American children and adolescents. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, substance abuse is the excessive use of a drug or the use of a drug without medical justification. There are various different substances that adolescents are abusing. Alcohol is the most abused in adolescence with four in ten high school seniors consuming some type of alcoholic beverage in the past month and more than one in five engaging in bingeRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1565 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana Legalization From mandatory crop to illegal drug, cannabis has gone from revered to criminal in the course of United States history. Its fall from grace has been an education in mass hysteria, propaganda, market manipulation and greed. Fortunately, for those suffering debilitating medical conditions and those that wish to enjoy its euphoric effects alike, it appears that the pendulum is swinging in the opposite direction. The close of the 2015 legislative session revealed a potentialRead MoreBefore Delving Into The Economics Of The Proposed Policy,1554 Words   |  7 PagesBefore delving into the economics of the proposed policy, the paper will first show why marijuana is the safer alternative, but as previously mentioned, alcohol and marijuana are still harmful to the body, just in different magnitudes. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been able to directly identify 30 diseases that are attributable to alcohol consumption and although these disorders are not as fatal as other chronic d iseases, they still rank fourth among the most disabling diseases in lowRead MoreAlcohol And Cannabis : The Second And Third Most Consumed Drugs Behind Tobacco For New Zealanders Essay1388 Words   |  6 Pages2007). Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) exhibits the highest rate of cannabis use in the world, with 9.1-14.6% of the population aged 16-64 using cannabis. In conjunction, more than one third (males 38.5%, females 37.9%) of New Zealand youths aged 13-17 have smoked marijuana at least once, with 7.9% of males and 5.7% of females indicating weekly use (Watson, Clark, Sporle, Merry, Adair, et al., 2003). Alcohol use is much more prevalent, with 95% of the New Zealand population aged 16-64 havingRead MoreTreatment For Diabetes Requires Refining And Management Of The Patient s Lifestyle921 Words   |  4 Pagesliving with diabetes. Reducing the symptom Is sometimes much more than Changing a person s â€Å"bad habits† it s fixing the problem at its core. This means extra efforts are needed to address the problems with the disease and change the societal determinants at the root of these problems. Future plans for diabetes involve, increasing knowledge of the disease and its prevention, creating research into a cure, and promoting a better system of support for people with the disease. Many health care specialistRead MoreThe Problem Of Health And Wellbeing1506 Words   |  7 Pagesnecessary to be aware how problems of socio-economic status and race lead into child protection conclusion. One research finding showed some factor of disadvantages such as neglect as the primary form of child abuse, violence, poor housing and substance use that affects the decision in child welfare system (Stokes Schmidt 2011). Another study revealed that Indigenous children in Australia are ten times most likely to be subjected to some sort of child protection order. One reason that was discussed wasRead MoreDrug Testing Of Middle School Students1251 Words   |  6 Pageswho were randomly drug tested are less likely to continue the drug use as an adult. Studies show that when students get jobs, money, and cars they have the easiest access to drugs. Among the studies it has been found that students who have drug tests earlier in life will be less likely to continue the drug use. By drug testing young kids you can show them that there is consequences for their actions. Often times the spike in drug use among students is noticeable in the junior year of high school. OnceRead MoreHealth Inequalities Experienced By Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People1222 Words   |  5 Pagesau/publications/achieving-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-health-equality-within-generation-human#a-the Health inequities are extremely detrimental and could be abridged by a development of government policies. 2. Choose 1 of the following 3 determinants. Analyse the impact it has on the health inequalities you have described in Question 1. (8 marks): a) Sociocultural – family, peers, media, religion and culture b) Socioeconomic – employment, education and income c) Environmental – geographical