The Effects of Marijuana

Kerrionte Broussard

English 102 MWF 10:00

Dr. L.P. Cadet

The effects of Marijuana

        Marijuana can be found on every college campus in the United States and is the drug of choice coming in right behind alcohol. Meaning, that no matter what marijuana, also known as weed, will always be on campus. Weed is easily accessible and tempting to experiment with.  The price of marijuana can be costly and not just financially. If you’re a student attending college with federal financial aid you have the risk of losing your federal aid by being charged with a misdemeanor. Possession of marijuana is considered a misdemeanor and if charged, the federal government has the right to take away any government aid that you were granted. So, not only will you have charges for possession, but also will be going through the judicial system of the college or university with a strong possibility of being be suspended or expelled. Another downfall of using marijuana, is that it can lead to academic problems. Students tend to spend more time socializing than being focus on their grades and classes. Two of the mental effects of marijuana that directly affect academics are difficulty in problem solving and poor memory.

        Many students see marijuana as a drug. With increased use the drug can cause some people to become very dependent on marijuana. The psychological dependence for smoking causes the individual to crave that feeling of intoxication or the “Highness or High feeling.” It is common for students to first experiment with their peers, whether it be a friend, sibling or just an acquaintance. The peer pressure is the most likely cause of first time users.

         Honestly for my college experience with marijuana, I was never a smoker because I have asthma. Therefore, I was always told that smoking would hinder my breathing abilities. I must admit, I attempted marijuana for a season when I entered college. While smoking, I did not have to use my asthma medication.  So I do feel like honestly marijuana does have benefits, it just hasn’t been discovered yet. I’m all for legalizing marijuana, due to the fact that more people die from alcohol or operating under the influence of alcohol. In my opinion of smoking weed, it stimulates and relieve stress that a person may have.