Marijuana is the world’s most commonly used illicit drug, by far. Weed, grass, pot, dope, whatever you’d like to call it, it’s ready and available in almost every corner of the United States. It is found growing in homes, in the suburbs, and in the cities. It is also being smuggled into the United States from places like Mexico and Cambodia.
Marijuana’s main mind-altering ingredient is THC. It gives you the feeling of being “high.” The amount determines the drug’s strength. The effects of smoking marijuana are generally felt within a few minutes and the short term effects wear off within two to three hours. Marijuana induces a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation and feeling mellow that encourages fantasies and distorts perception. Users often feel an increase of hunger, or the “munchies.” Long term effects are not yet known but the THC can play a role in causing problems in the respiratory and immune systems.
Knowing this, then why is it so popular? Most of you reading this probably know the answer. It is relatively cheap and easy to obtain. According to the 1998 National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, half of all 13-year-olds said that they can find and purchase marijuana. Of teens surveyed, 49 percent said that they had first tried marijuana at age 13 or younger. The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found adolescents who smoke marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than their peers that do not smoke marijuana. Many high school students sell marijuana to one another. Teens say that it is easier to get than beer or cigarettes.
Average Street Prices / Amount / Quality
$17.50 / 3.5grams / low
$88.75 / 28grams / low
Marijuana Prices, Chicago, 2000
KEY: [ Commercial Grades = CG Higher Grades = HG ]
Gram
$3-$5 CG
$7–$10 HG
Ounce
$50–$75 CG
$200–$500 HG
Pound
$900–$1,200 CG
$2,500–$4,000 HG
These charts are good examples of just how cheap you can get this drug. The use of hydroponic techniques, which is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil, in growing marijuana, is likely to have enhanced productivity, with a result of lower prices for consumers. The rural areas of Illinois provide an environment for the domestic growth of marijuana.
Where does the use of marijuana sit in our culture? Today many are proposing that marijuana be legalized. Advocates for legal marijuana say that a regulated, taxed marijuana trade could help boost some state’s economy. Their goal is to reduce the abuse of cannabis, the elimination of marijuana related crimes, and set up a grading system for marijuana quality and would ban additives. I think that legalizing marijuana will not be something that will happen in my generation. People that are pro legalization of marijuana probably won’t stop until they get what they want. Until then, it is important for our youth especially to be educated in its risks and what it is because people are growing it, buying it, selling it, and using it, even though it is illegal.
Marijuana’s main mind-altering ingredient is THC. It gives you the feeling of being “high.” The amount determines the drug’s strength. The effects of smoking marijuana are generally felt within a few minutes and the short term effects wear off within two to three hours. Marijuana induces a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation and feeling mellow that encourages fantasies and distorts perception. Users often feel an increase of hunger, or the “munchies.” Long term effects are not yet known but the THC can play a role in causing problems in the respiratory and immune systems.
Knowing this, then why is it so popular? Most of you reading this probably know the answer. It is relatively cheap and easy to obtain. According to the 1998 National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, half of all 13-year-olds said that they can find and purchase marijuana. Of teens surveyed, 49 percent said that they had first tried marijuana at age 13 or younger. The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found adolescents who smoke marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than their peers that do not smoke marijuana. Many high school students sell marijuana to one another. Teens say that it is easier to get than beer or cigarettes.
Average Street Prices / Amount / Quality
$17.50 / 3.5grams / low
$88.75 / 28grams / low
Marijuana Prices, Chicago, 2000
KEY: [ Commercial Grades = CG Higher Grades = HG ]
Gram
$3-$5 CG
$7–$10 HG
Ounce
$50–$75 CG
$200–$500 HG
Pound
$900–$1,200 CG
$2,500–$4,000 HG
These charts are good examples of just how cheap you can get this drug. The use of hydroponic techniques, which is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil, in growing marijuana, is likely to have enhanced productivity, with a result of lower prices for consumers. The rural areas of Illinois provide an environment for the domestic growth of marijuana.
Where does the use of marijuana sit in our culture? Today many are proposing that marijuana be legalized. Advocates for legal marijuana say that a regulated, taxed marijuana trade could help boost some state’s economy. Their goal is to reduce the abuse of cannabis, the elimination of marijuana related crimes, and set up a grading system for marijuana quality and would ban additives. I think that legalizing marijuana will not be something that will happen in my generation. People that are pro legalization of marijuana probably won’t stop until they get what they want. Until then, it is important for our youth especially to be educated in its risks and what it is because people are growing it, buying it, selling it, and using it, even though it is illegal.
I like this post. I wasn't aware that marijuana was so cheap.
ReplyDeleteGood post. I think people should know the risks of marijuana before using it and before saying it should be legalized. I think marijuana would hurt our country if it was legalized.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very informative post. It opened my eyes to some debatable issues reguarding marijuana
ReplyDeleteWow, thats super cheap. I had no idea how easy it was to get the stuff. As far as legalization, i think thats one road we dont need to go down.
ReplyDeleteI just learned a lot about marijuana.
ReplyDeleteThis post was very informative, and I don't think marijuana should be legalized because I think it would have an overall negative effect on our country.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. I believe it should be legalized though so it would drop a lot of problems in today's time with people ruining their life's. If they want to ruin their life than let them.
ReplyDeleteUh oh...I'm going to say it again... I LIKE THIS POST haha but I really like the research put into this post.
ReplyDeleteFor everyone who is against the idea of keeping marijuana illegal I highly suggest you reconsider. Marijuana prohibition is based on lies and discrimination. First of all marijuana is not a lethal drug and is safer than alcohol. Second the price it is costing this country to fight this drug war is out of this world! The government is fighting a war they will never win! This war on marijuana prohibition has lasted over 75 years, and to this day there are around 30 million users in the United States alone! ...this is a good webiste to learn more>>> http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/60959/
ReplyDeleteThe legalization of marijuana may help or hurt this country. We won't know until it happens though. Hopefully if it does happen then it would have a similar effect to the end of Prohibition. I think that would be a good way to lessen the power of gangs.
ReplyDeleteI thought this post was very informative and felt the author did good research. I wish the author would have gone into greater deatail of his or her views on the legalization of marijuana.
ReplyDeletejust for future reference, marajuana isn't only like because it gets you high, its also liked because it works faster than some other drugs.
ReplyDeleteDang if I would have known how cheep weed is.... HAHA just kidding. Seriously though, nice job. I really enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDeleteI thought this post was very well done, I had no idea how little money you needed to get marajuana.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that Marjiuana is a bad thing. The thing is though Stevenson, the money that goes into the drug war will be in equal amounts trying to regulate "legal weed" and control people who abuse it. No system will be perfect sadly.
ReplyDeleteAs always, I love to see the cold hard statistics - I'm a numbers kind of guy. On the other hand, it is disappointing to see that this post, while very informative about the illegal marijuana trade, had little to say about its special relationship with American Culture, because there is so much to say.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to spawning an entire genre of movies and featuring widely in the themes of the music, film, and clothing industries, the consumption of weed in order to obtain happiness indicates (I think) a trend in our culture - a growing belief that physical things which can be bought, such as drugs, are the path to happiness.
Even if the drug is legalized, the problem is ultimately that people will be "buying" their good feelings. Do we really want our emotions to be sold to us by corporations? Then again, what is the point of caffeine and alcohol?