Position paper on marijuana use.

Marijuana use and teens

Read the article below:

 https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/how-addiction-hijacks-the-brain.htm

Here is the economic impact study on how marijuana may impact our economy:

https://americanmarijuana.org/marijuana-statistics/

Here is an article stating that legalization actually reduces teen use:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/08/health/recreational-marijuana-laws-teens-study/index.html

The questions below are "guiding" questions for you if you need them.  These are NOT required in your position paper.  

1.  What is addiction?

2.  How does it happen?

3.  How does "pleasure" play into this?

4.  How have our thoughts on addiction changed over the years?

5.  Do you have an addiction?
6.  Has addiction changed over the years?
7.  Is marijuana really dangerous?
8.  How is today's marijuana more "addictive"?
9.  At what age would it be considered "less harmful" to use marijuana?

10.  What "new" information did you learn about today?

According to these articles and ANY OTHER RESEARCH that you do, please write up a two page position paper on your thoughts about marijuana and turn it in.  Cite your sources (parenthetically).

"I believe that marijuana is not addictive". Could be a position statement.
"I believe that the teen brain is very likely to be addicted if an adolescent uses marijuana":  Could be a position statement.  

What is marijuana?

Ok.  You all know what marijuana is right?  I'm sure it's all the same.  I'm sure it's the same as it was in the sixties right?  It's much less harmful than most other drugs correct?  What about addiction?  People say that it's "addictive".  Is it?  Can it be a habit?  Have you ever seen anyone that smoked "too much" marijuana?  How could you tell?

The above are all questions to ponder.  I'd like you to talk to your neighbor and decide how you'd like to pose these questions with your parents.  This is a difficult assignment as parents need to be involved.  Do you have a dinner conversation about marijuana?  Do you offer up your position on marijuana and ask them?  Do you have any pre-conceived ideas about marijuana?

At the end of class, you should have a plan as to how you're going to visit with your parents about this.  I will be sending a note home so that they are expecting this discussion.  I've got a few ideas, but I want you to be creative and record the results of your discussion.

So what do I turn in?  TODAY, you should turn in your idea.  It can be a simple list of questions that you'll record with your parents.  It could be an entire lesson plan with definitions, the differences between sativa and indica, etc...etc.  It could focus on the laws in Oregon.  It could focus on the development of a teens brain and the impacts on it.   JUST TURN IT IN TO THE DROPBOX UNDER "MARIJUANA DISCUSSION AT HOME QUESTIONS"! (Dropbox)

So what do I turn in after I have this discussion with my parents?  You'll then turn in a SECOND file to the dropbox for this assignment titled "MARIJUANA DISCUSSION".  This is where you write in length about this topic.   This is not a simple discussion.  There are so many sides to this topic and you will need your feedback for another assignment.  THIS SHOULD BE A DISCUSSION, NOT A QUICK QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION.

Thanks!