Anahad O’Connor article on marijuana and its usage in American school is informative. Marijuana is a commonly used drug in the United States, as well as other countries in the world. The effects of marijuana are known to be extreme and unhealthy especially among the youth.
O’Connor’s article gives an insight on how marijuana use is increasing among high school students in the United States. The author’s concerns in the article are that the usage of marijuana is becoming prevalent among the American youth. Moreover, the author is concerned about regulations and restrictions against the use and trade of marijuana.
From the article, it is evident that the author is worried by the physical and psychological damage caused by marijuana. It is evident that the author is against the publication and marketing of the medical marijuana among the youth. In this regard, the article includes a scientific perspective about the harmful effects of marijuana to an adolescent’s brain. In addition, the article has been written to compare the use of marijuana against other common drugs such as alcohol and cigarettes.
From the article, it is evident that the usage of marijuana is prevalent among high school students. At least 90% of high schools students in the United States are adolescents.
Moreover, marijuana is legally traded in at least 20 states, in the United States. From the article, an estimated 12% of students in the eighth grade have consumed marijuana. Moreover, 36% of senior high school students across the United States have indulged in drug abuse. Further research on the same reveals that peer pressure is the main cause of marijuana abuse among adolescents in high schools.
The adolescents who use marijuana risk their health in several ways. For example, marijuana inhibits brain development since the white matter is yet to develop fully during adolescence. From this perspective, marijuana affects the cognitive function of an adolescent.
Therefore, it becomes common to find a high schools student experiencing learning disabilities compared to non-marijuana users. Individuals who abuse marijuana are known to be hyperactive. In this regard, adolescents using marijuana are hyperactive, and symptoms of violence and social withdrawal are common. It is rare to find improved academic performance among students who abuse marijuana.
The article is interesting to education stakeholders who may want to understand the usage of drugs among highs school students. The article is insightful on matters pertaining to the dangers of marijuana from a scientific perspective. The article’s inclusion of scientific studies on dangers of marijuana on an adolescent’s brain is interesting.
This offers critical information for researchers who may want to conduct research on related issues. The article is educative and can be used as a source of information during establishment of drug regulation policies in high school education. Moreover, the article can provide critical information for regulation policies on proliferation of the marijuana trade in the United States.
The choice for the article was significant in understanding the problem of marijuana among high school students. In addition, the author’s lack of bias in the article is crucial in forming a reader’s perspective about marijuana. Moreover, the article is not based on mere assumption and heresy, but scientifically proven research. In fact, the article offers a platform for a debate about the legalization of marijuana in the United States.
Works Cited
O’Connor, Anahad. “Increasing marijuana use in high school is reported”. The New York Times 2013: 1A. Web.