Eskimos have about 50 different words for ‘snow’. The linguistic relativity hypothesis includes that cultures create vocabulary for things that are important to them. In our society, Mary Jane, weed, pot, grass, kush, dope, reefer, Maui Wowie, and numerous other creative terms are used to describe marijuana. Since the early 1900’s, the use of marijuana as a drug has been present in American history. The implications associated with this drug have widely ranged as time has passed on, and they still vary today. Some view marijuana as a useful tool, great for medicinal purposes and recreational uses; while others categorize it as a dangerous and addictive drug. Nonetheless, marijuana has made a huge impact on our culture and society as a whole. It has an everlasting and ubiquitous presence in the media, exemplified by movies such a Pineapple Express, songs such as “Because I Got High”, candids of celebrities smoking, and fashion trends incorporating the pot leaf in their designs. It’s no surprise that the use of marijuana is either accepted or embraced by most of our society today. Yet, the amount of arrests made for the possession of marijuana accumulate in large numbers every year.
For my final project I plan to research the history of marijuana; my research will consist of how marijuana became illegal, the positive and negative side effects it attains, and the media’s role in advocating and normalizing its use. I plan on essentially addressing the question of how a substance that is glamorized by the media and strongly integrated within our culture can incriminate many individuals for simply using it.
Here is a link to a corresponding article that I found.
Parishay this is great topic to write about. You seem to know the direction you are going with this. Take into consideration the different perspectives medical professionals and the media have on this drug. Overall defend your point of view regardless of the different opinions many have on the drug. Perhaps the question your paper can be narrowed down to the following: Why is non-medical Marijuana illegal in the United States? Why is Marijuana popular in pop culture? Talking about something that exists is much easier than trying to answer "Should marijuana be legalized?" Best of Luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris! I agree, I think that taking a firm standpoint instead of asking the question "should marijuana be legalized?" will give my project depth and certainty :)
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