Another essay I was able to enjoy writing was a cause and effect essay. This essay required outside sources and knowledge about the topic. The topic I chose was the things that cause teenagers to start smoking marijuana. Finding sources were a little rough at first but using my school's library database I was able to adequately find four useful sources in my essay. Planning this essay was as simple as an outline. I wrote down my main points for each paragraph before I started my first draft. When writing my first draft I did not implement my quoted sources until my first draft was completely done. This is because I wanted to ensure my essay was strong enough without the quotes at first. Then after my first draft was done I implemented the quotes. After reviewing and revising my first draft, I found that I didn't have too many mistakes. I still struggled with my use of commas but I was able to fix it before turning in my final draft. This essay received a B as the final grade. Not my best work but I'm still proud of what I was able to produce. Feast your eyes!
Peace Love and Marijuana?
Teen years can be some of the most exciting years of one’s life. Although many have surpassed their years of puberty and awkwardness, it’s nice to look back and reflect. It’s no surprise that for most, reminiscing on the past brings up memories of marijuana. Talking about marijuana, smoking marijuana, selling marijuana, refusing marijuana, everyone knew about marijuana as a teenager. According to The Monitor’s Editorial Board “Teen use of pot is at its highest in 30 years.” More now than ever teenagers are smoking pot, why? Teenagers start smoking marijuana because of lack of knowledge on the drug, the societal norm of smoking it and parental misguidance.
In elementary school, everyone is given a brief finger wagging on drug usage. Associations like Students against Destructive Decisions, or SADD are preventive measures to ensure kids won’t grow up to be drug addicts. However, the teachings on drug use is limited to none when it comes to teenagers. “Nearly 80% of high school seniors don't consider occasional marijuana use harmful.” (Leger) If people don’t find marijuana use harmful then the hesitation to try it drops. The effects of marijuana are not taught in school to the people who are the most susceptible to trying it, teenagers. With education in America it’s no surprise that programs and classes are forced to be cut from the schools program. It doesn’t make sense to leave out the programs that are going to help teenagers make good decisions though. If there were more educational programs or lessons about the effects of marijuana, lesser amounts of teenagers would start smoking in the first place.
In addition to lack of knowledge, teenagers try smoking marijuana because it’s socially normal for a teenager to do so. Celebrities and social media are a huge example of this. For instance, on the rappers Instagram Waka Flaka Flame stated “I’m paying 50K a year for a blunt roller….Hashtag #ICanRoll.” The celebrity is bragging about all the money he spends just to roll a marijuana blunt. Of course Mr. Flame didn't get in any trouble for posting this, freedom of speech still exists. However, because of social media posts like this, teenagers are more susceptible to being introduced to marijuana as a luxury, not a drug. Every day on social media someone posts about weed. Beautiful pictures of the drug, and pretty girls smoking marijuana have flooded the internet. It’s hard to see why smoking marijuana might be a bad idea when it’s romanticized all over the web. Because of this, teenagers are more likely to try smoking marijuana.
When it comes to marijuana, parents don’t know what to do. “Experts agree conversations about drugs should begin early and continue throughout adolescence.” (Shultz) Talking to teenagers about marijuana long-term can be a challenge, especially because sometimes teenagers don’t want to talk to their parents about personal things. If parents talk to their teenagers about the effects of marijuana, the parents have done their part in preventing their teenager from trying it. This is because teenagers will be more informed about the drug. Moreover, if parents don’t talk to their teens about marijuana, the teenagers will only get the information they’ve accumulated from the media and friends. Since marijuana is so widely talked about, teenagers will hear and gain an opinion on it. If they are given both the positive and negative risks of smoking marijuana by their parents, then at least they have the information to make an educated decision whether to smoke or not.
Teenagers are uneducated about marijuana, socially accepted to smoke it and are not talked to about it by their parents. Although marijuana resides in the memories of teenagers from past to present, if these were changed, marijuana might live where it belongs, the medical field.
Works Cited
Jackson, Marni. "Pass The Weed, Dad. (Cover Story)." Maclean's 118.45 (2005): 26-31.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
Schultz, Stacy. "Talk To Kids About Drugs? Parents Just Don't Do It." U.S. News & World Report 128.5 (2000): 56. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
The Monitor's Editorial, Board. "Why teens need to know risks of marijuana." Christian Science Monitor 16 Dec. 2011: N.PAG. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
Waxman, Olivia B. "Waka Flocka Flame’S Ad For Throat Drops Is A Giant Weed Joke." Time.Com (2014): N.PAG. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
Teen years can be some of the most exciting years of one’s life. Although many have surpassed their years of puberty and awkwardness, it’s nice to look back and reflect. It’s no surprise that for most, reminiscing on the past brings up memories of marijuana. Talking about marijuana, smoking marijuana, selling marijuana, refusing marijuana, everyone knew about marijuana as a teenager. According to The Monitor’s Editorial Board “Teen use of pot is at its highest in 30 years.” More now than ever teenagers are smoking pot, why? Teenagers start smoking marijuana because of lack of knowledge on the drug, the societal norm of smoking it and parental misguidance.
In elementary school, everyone is given a brief finger wagging on drug usage. Associations like Students against Destructive Decisions, or SADD are preventive measures to ensure kids won’t grow up to be drug addicts. However, the teachings on drug use is limited to none when it comes to teenagers. “Nearly 80% of high school seniors don't consider occasional marijuana use harmful.” (Leger) If people don’t find marijuana use harmful then the hesitation to try it drops. The effects of marijuana are not taught in school to the people who are the most susceptible to trying it, teenagers. With education in America it’s no surprise that programs and classes are forced to be cut from the schools program. It doesn’t make sense to leave out the programs that are going to help teenagers make good decisions though. If there were more educational programs or lessons about the effects of marijuana, lesser amounts of teenagers would start smoking in the first place.
In addition to lack of knowledge, teenagers try smoking marijuana because it’s socially normal for a teenager to do so. Celebrities and social media are a huge example of this. For instance, on the rappers Instagram Waka Flaka Flame stated “I’m paying 50K a year for a blunt roller….Hashtag #ICanRoll.” The celebrity is bragging about all the money he spends just to roll a marijuana blunt. Of course Mr. Flame didn't get in any trouble for posting this, freedom of speech still exists. However, because of social media posts like this, teenagers are more susceptible to being introduced to marijuana as a luxury, not a drug. Every day on social media someone posts about weed. Beautiful pictures of the drug, and pretty girls smoking marijuana have flooded the internet. It’s hard to see why smoking marijuana might be a bad idea when it’s romanticized all over the web. Because of this, teenagers are more likely to try smoking marijuana.
When it comes to marijuana, parents don’t know what to do. “Experts agree conversations about drugs should begin early and continue throughout adolescence.” (Shultz) Talking to teenagers about marijuana long-term can be a challenge, especially because sometimes teenagers don’t want to talk to their parents about personal things. If parents talk to their teenagers about the effects of marijuana, the parents have done their part in preventing their teenager from trying it. This is because teenagers will be more informed about the drug. Moreover, if parents don’t talk to their teens about marijuana, the teenagers will only get the information they’ve accumulated from the media and friends. Since marijuana is so widely talked about, teenagers will hear and gain an opinion on it. If they are given both the positive and negative risks of smoking marijuana by their parents, then at least they have the information to make an educated decision whether to smoke or not.
Teenagers are uneducated about marijuana, socially accepted to smoke it and are not talked to about it by their parents. Although marijuana resides in the memories of teenagers from past to present, if these were changed, marijuana might live where it belongs, the medical field.
Works Cited
Jackson, Marni. "Pass The Weed, Dad. (Cover Story)." Maclean's 118.45 (2005): 26-31.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
Schultz, Stacy. "Talk To Kids About Drugs? Parents Just Don't Do It." U.S. News & World Report 128.5 (2000): 56. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
The Monitor's Editorial, Board. "Why teens need to know risks of marijuana." Christian Science Monitor 16 Dec. 2011: N.PAG. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
Waxman, Olivia B. "Waka Flocka Flame’S Ad For Throat Drops Is A Giant Weed Joke." Time.Com (2014): N.PAG. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.