Rough Draft of my English Paper (Vocab is a little intense)

wtb paragraphs...

 

Thanks for my new English Paper

 

whoa bro u use opposing viewpoints? we just had to do a paper and use that. anyway;

minor gramatical issues, just proofread it aloud to yourself or have a friend do it, and your 3rd paragraph (the one that talks about the legality of marijuana) you definietly want to mention the decriminalization states alaska, colorado, etc. Annnnndddddd it would be EXTREMELY helpful if you cited the part from the union where there is that weed "conference" in DC and the cops just stood around and did nothing (that whole part of the movie ties in with your quote from the surgeon general)

Edit: other than that, fucking awesome job dude, youre a good writer

 

nice job

 

haha the vocab really isnt intense. you should see my psychology papers.

why are you putting the reference for the quote after the period? shouldnt it be bla bla states, "the quote goes here," (CNBC).
seems weird to me.
i'd also put the year of each source. (CNBC, 2007).
but idk what your referencing needs are. depends on the class, and if you go to university, the faculty.
referencing requirements are the bane of my existence.

good paper otherwise. enjoyable to read too.

 

Lol, thats not exactly advanced vocab but other than that, it's pretty good.

 

Lol nice. Your teacher is gonna know for sure know that you been smoking at lunch and coming back to class

 

Capitalize the C in "Cannabis". It is a genus.

 

Posting my paper on Marijuana, brace for impact...
FEEL FREE TO TURN THIS SHIT IN AS YOURS BRO


As of late, one of the most controversial issues is the debate over whether or not the United States should legalize the use of marijuana. First and foremost, it is important to remember why marijuana was even made illegal in the first place.

\tThe history and events leading up to the outlawing of marijuana in the United States consists of a series of completely illegitimate arguments, decades of slanted facts, complacency and willingness of the people to believe anything they are told, fear-mongering, and racism. The list of contributing factors is vast, and the timeline of the direct outlawing of marijuana has been included in an appendix.

\tMarijuana, or hemp, is one of the oldest psychoactive plants known to man. Traditionally, marijuana has been used for just about everything; from making plastic, using it as a fuel, making ropes, crafting clothes, consuming it, using it to cure illnesses, or giving it as a religious offering.

\tThe Chinese were always finding a new use for cannabis. The Chinese’s first use for marijuana was its seeds, which were consumed as food. This practice was the first of many uses for hemp, and dates back to around 6000 B.C.

Sometime around 4000 B.C., China began using hemp to make textiles. Remains have been found of hemp fibers from this period and from Turkestan a century later. The next big use for cannabis was discovered in 2727 B.C. This was the year in which the first recorded medicinal uses of cannabis were made in the Chinese pharmacopoeia.

From that time on, civilizations have been finding even more new, and interesting uses for hemp. One lesser known interesting fact about hemp was that Henry Ford built a car out of hemp plastic (which is 10 times stronger than steel), and that could run on oils from the hemp seed.

\tOne of the primary pro-legalization arguments is that by regulating use of cannabis to medical use in a few odd states, the federal government is infringing on the rights of the people. The United States of America has long been famous as a country where the government plays as minimal a role in citizens’ lives as possible, with very few restrictions and limitation.

Furthermore, studies show that the annual death toll caused by marijuana is zero. An expert quotes “In practical terms, marijuana cannot induce a lethal response as a result of drug-related toxicity.” Meaning that overdosing on cannabis is physically impossible. On the other hand, together, tobacco and alcohol are responsible for 520,000 deaths a year, and are the first and third leading causes of death in the United States, respectively.

\tI am unable to comprehend why our government would allow us to indulge in such destructive behaviors. Not only is partaking in acts like drinking and smoking detrimental to our health, It also puts others around us at risk. A man who sits at home and gets high every now and then is much less of a threat than an alcoholic who abuses his wife and/or kids as a result of his getting violently drunk.

\tThere are also many myths are misconceptions surround cannabis, and many of them are false (see “Marijuana Myths”). One of the most common misconceptions is that smoking weed can be/is just as bad for you as cigarettes. Not only is this untrue, but it’s completely ignorant. While smoking a joint may be one of the more common methods of consuming cannabis, it is neither the only method, nor very effective (it’s actually rather a waste, a joint contains only 28% of the THC content of the original marijuana leaf, and is the most ineffective way to consume cannabis). There are other, healthier, more effective ways.

Another act committed by our government that leaves me incredulous is the effort spent by the U.S. government to eradicate “ditchweed” marijuana. Ditchweed marijuana is a remnant of the hemp once grown by U.S. farmers. Nearly 99% of all hemp plants eradicated by the government are just harmless feral ditchweed, which contains so little THC, that smoking it would have no effects. Yet there have been reported cases of the National Guard sweeping down in helicopters to burn fields of harmless, feral hemp (later reported as being “marijuana”). Not only is it a wasted effort, it’s counterproductive.
Feral hemp is also important for supporting gamebird populations in Missouri and Nebraska, and also is the only remaining germplasm from the hemp bred over decades in this country to achieve high yields and other important performance characteristics. By spending federal money for a government already trillions in debt, they are just destroying the ecosystems of local wildlife and tearing apart a valuable part of U.S. history.

If, instead of spending billions of dollars on the war on drugs, the U.S. government legalized, and taxed marijuana, its profits would be really considerable. And considerable profits are something our country is in dire need of right now.

A paper written by a David P. West, Ph.D., has a conclusion so perfect I would consider it blasphemous to alter it in any way. It reads:
“Hemp is making a comeback around the world. Whether it will be a miracle crop, as some of its enthusiasts claim, or simply another important addition to world agriculture, is yet unknown. Much research and development remains to be done. Sadly, the drug enforcement agencies, by disseminating false information, have created a mythology about Cannabis sativa that ill serves the nation, its farmers, and its industry.
We are one of the few countries in the world that continues to insist that we should outlaw a crop simply because one of its botanical cousins can be used inappropriately. Thomas Jefferson, who experimented with different hemp varieties and invented a brake for separating out the fiber from hemp, once wrote that the greatest contribution a person could make to his country would be to introduce a new crop. If Jefferson could see the roadblocks amassed against hemp today, how would he judge us?”


Appendix

When and why was marijuana outlawed?

California, 1913

The first state marijuana prohibition law was passed in California in 1913. The law received no public notice in the press. It was passed as an obscure technical amendment by the State Board of Pharmacy, which was then leading one of the nation's earliest and most aggressive anti-narcotics campaigns. Prior to the passage of the law, there was no indication that cannabis was a problem in California. The Origins of Cannabis Prohibition in California from California NORML

Utah, 1914

Utah outlawed marijuana in 1914. A number of Mormons moved to Mexico when polygamy was outlawed in Utah in 1910. When they returned to Utah, marijuana was one of the things they brought back with them. Marijuana was outlawed with a number of other common vices as part of Mormon religious prohibitions enacted into law.

Other state laws 1915-37

Marijuana was outlawed in 30 states by 1930. There were two primary reasons for the laws.

In the southwestern states, marijuana was outlawed because of racial prejudice against the Mexicans who used it. As one Texas legislator said, "All Mexicans are crazy and this stuff (marijuana) is what makes them crazy."

In the other states, it was outlawed because of fears that heroin addiction would lead to the use of marijuana - exactly the opposite of the modern "gateway" myth.

The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937

Marijuana was outlawed at the national level in the US by the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. (Note that the US Government has traditionally used the spelling "marihuana".) There were a number of reasons given for its passage in the congressional testimony. The quotes included:

“Two weeks ago a sex-mad degenerate, named Lee Fernandez, brutally attacked a young Alamosa girl. He was convicted of assault with intent to rape and sentenced to 10 to 14 years in the state penitentiary. Police officers here know definitely that Fernandez was under the influence of marihuana. But this case is one in hundreds of murders, rapes, petty crimes, insanity that has occurred in southern Colorado in recent years.”

“I wish I could show you what a small marihuana cigaret can do to one of our degenerate Spanish-speaking residents. That's why our problem is so great; the greatest percentage of our population is composed of Spanish-speaking persons, most of who are low mentally, because of social and racial conditions.”
“Did you read of the Drain murder case in Pueblo recently? Marihuana is believed to have been used by one of the bloody murderers.”
“. . . A boy and a girl . . . lost their senses so completely after smoking marihuana that they eloped and were married.”
“It is commonly used as an aphrodisiac, and its continued use leads to impotency.”
“Practically every article written on the effects of the marihuana weed will tell of deeds committed without the knowledge of the culprit, while he was under the influence of this drug. . . . "A man under the influence of marihuana actually decapitated his best friend; and then, coming out of the effects of the drug, was as horrified as anyone over what he had done”. Then we have the case of a young boy in Florida. The story runs as follows: "A young boy who had become addicted to smoking marihuana cigarettes, in a fit of frenzy because, as he stated while still under the marihuana influence, a number of people were trying to cut off his arms and legs, seized an axe and killed his father, mother, two brothers and a sister, wiping out the entire family except himself." “

From Additional Statement of Harry Anslinger from Transcripts of the Congressional Hearings for the Marihuana Tax Act

There was no credible evidence that any of these statements were actually true.


Marijuana Myths

Myth: Marijuana Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness. Among adolescents, even occasional marijuana use may cause psychological damage. During intoxication, marijuana users become irrational and often behave erratically.

Fact: There is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults. Some marijuana users experience psychological distress following marijuana ingestion, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. Such experiences can be frightening, but the effects are temporary. With very large doses, marijuana can cause temporary toxic psychosis. This occurs rarely, and almost always when marijuana is eaten rather than smoked. Marijuana does not cause profound changes in people's behavior.

Myth: Marijuana is Highly Addictive. Long term marijuana users experience physical dependence and withdrawal, and often need professional drug treatment to break their marijuana habits.

Fact: Most people who smoke marijuana smoke it only occasionally. A small minority of Americans - less than 1 percent - smoke marijuana on a daily basis. An even smaller minority develop a dependence on marijuana. Some people who smoke marijuana heavily and frequently stop without difficulty. Others seek help from drug treatment professionals. Marijuana does not cause physical dependence. If people experience withdrawal symptoms at all, they are remarkably mild.

Myth: Marijuana is More Damaging to the Lungs than Tobacco. Marijuana smokers are at a high risk of developing lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Fact: Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung's small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.

Myth: Marijuana Causes an Amotivational Syndrome. Marijuana makes users passive, apathetic, and uninterested in the future. Students who use marijuana become underachievers and workers who use marijuana become unproductive.

Fact: For twenty-five years, researchers have searched for a marijuana-induced amotivational syndrome and have failed to find it. People who are intoxicated constantly, regardless of the drug, are unlikely to be productive members of society. There is nothing about marijuana specifically that causes people to lose their drive and ambition. In laboratory studies, subjects given high doses of marijuana for several days or even several weeks exhibit no decrease in work motivation or productivity. Among working adults, marijuana users tend to earn higher wages than non-users. College students who use marijuana have the same grades as nonusers. Among high school students, heavy use is associated with school failure, but school failure usually comes first.
Myth: Marijuana Kills Brain Cells. Used over time, marijuana permanently alters brain structure and function, causing memory loss, cognitive impairment, personality deterioration, and reduced productivity.

Fact: None of the medical tests currently used to detect brain damage in humans have found harm from marijuana, even from long term high-dose use. An early study reported brain damage in rhesus monkeys after six months exposure to high concentrations of marijuana smoke. In a recent, more carefully conducted study, researchers found no evidence of brain abnormality in monkeys that were forced to inhale the equivalent of four to five marijuana cigarettes every day for a year. The claim that marijuana kills brain cells is based on a speculative report dating back a quarter of a century that has never been supported by any scientific study.

Myth: Marijuana Impairs Memory and Cognition. Under the influence of marijuana, people are unable to think rationally and intelligently. Chronic marijuana use causes permanent mental impairment.

Fact: Marijuana produces immediate, temporary changes in thoughts, perceptions, and information processing. The cognitive process most clearly affected by marijuana is short-term memory. In laboratory studies, subjects under the influence of marijuana have no trouble remembering things they learned previously. However, they display diminished capacity to learn and recall new information. This diminishment only lasts for the duration of the intoxication. There is no convincing evidence that heavy long-term marijuana use permanently impairs memory or other cognitive functions.

Myth: Marijuana Causes Crime. Marijuana users commit more property offenses than nonusers. Under the influence of marijuana, people become irrational, aggressive, and violent.

Fact: Every serious scholar and government commission examining the relationship between marijuana use and crime has reached the same conclusion: marijuana does not cause crime. The vast majority of marijuana users do not commit crimes other than the crime of possessing marijuana. Among marijuana users who do commit crimes, marijuana plays no causal role. Almost all human and animal studies show that marijuana decreases rather than increases aggression.

 

good shit, i would have included why it was made illegal, but as brownie^ said it depends on what kind of paper it is. Talking about how the first anti-marijuana campaigns were a result of the cotton industry is a huge selling point on the initial brain washing of our country (i feel like i should be saying "man" after all this)