Abuse of Marijuana

I need a 500-700 word rebutal for each of these papers below. It does not have to be done in essay form. Just a plain ol rebutal that is due by 11 pm Arizona time.

Paper # 1  Against marijuana—Marijuana has become increasingly popular, especially among adolescents and college age individuals. The average age for a first time marijuana user is 17 (Price, McQueeny, Shollenbarger, Browning, Wieser, & Lisdahl. 2015). When surveying a sample of adolescents, most perceived marijuana as having more benefits than risks and they endorse it as a no risk substance (Burnett. 2016). However, there are risks and negative effects that are associated with acute and chronic marijuana use. The acute effects include conjunctival injection, increased appetite, dry mouth, tachycardia, and a sense of euphoria. These effects can take place within two hours after use. Chronic effects of marijuana use target the brain. The respiratory system is also a target of effects if marijuana is inhaled through smoking. Long-term use can cause short-term memory impairment, decreased concentration and attention span, and altered problem solving capabilities. Smoking marijuana for a long period of time can cause irritation, swelling, and secretions in the respiratory airways that can, in turn, cause infections, asthma, coughing, and chronic bronchitis. Further, users can also develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease later in life from prolonged marijuana use (Burnett. 2016). Even though marijuana is endorsed for those with anxiety and depression, about 20% to 30% of users experience increased panic attacks and anxiety after use. Additionally, marijuana can increase psychosis in those with schizophrenia and cause an imbalance of sex hormones, which can lead to reproductive issues (Burnett. 2016).

As stated, one of the major concerns with marijuana use is its effect on brain development, especially since most users are adolescents or young adults. During adolescence and early adulthood, the brain is still maturing and some areas are not fully developed. Chronic use of marijuana can affect this development and cause deficits in attention, processing speed, executive abilities, and learning and memory (Price, McQueeny, Shollenbarger, et al. 2015). These effects on the development on the brain can be quite alarming since, as shown previously, most adolescents do not perceive any risks from marijuana use. Since the effects on the brain seem to be subtle, most users may not even notice the cognitive deficits occuring until it is too late.

In one study, it was shown that there may be a social development theory explanation to identify who is most at risk to use marijuana. The results showed that those who experienced child maltreatment, and had lower levels of parental attachment, were more likely to have involvement with peers who use marijuana. This, in turn, resulted in that individual using marijuana as well (Mason, Russo, Chmelka, Herrenkohl, & Herrenkohl. 2017). In this sense, marijuana use could be associated with depression, traumatic past experiences, and even low self-esteem as a result of troubled childhoods. This could make marijuana dependence develop as the user perceives themselves as “fitting in” and “feeling good” during their use, and they are able to forget about the traumatic experiences while they are on the marijuana high. Association with that sense of euphoria could keep the user coming back for more “hits”. On that same note, the three common substances used by adolescents are alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana due to their accessibility. So alcohol and marijuana use can be combined, with sometimes deadly results such as driving under the influence. While only 20% to 30% of traffic crashes are caused by just marijuana use alone, this percentage dramatically increases with the introduction of alcohol in the system (Rogeberg & Elvik. 2016). However, the ability to test for marijuana in the system of a driver is not as easy as testing for alcohol use. With the legalization of marijuana, measures to test levels of THC in the system will need to be developed, as well as laws surrounding driving while under the influence of marijuana.

Recreational and medical marijuana use is becoming increasingly popular and some states have even legalized marijuana use. However, there are very few guidelines on how to safely use marijuana that are based on scientific evidence (Pearson, Liese, & Dvorak. 2017). Before legalization continues further, it is important that more studies be conducted to create guidelines, educational material, and treatment programs for the use, and possible abuse, of marijuana. Even studies conducted on the medical uses of marijuana are few. It seems that most of the endorsement for marijuana use may be on the limited studies that have been conducted and the increasing perception that there is no risk in using marijuana. More research and education on the effects of marijuana and the pros and cons of use need to be addressed before the legalization of marijuana becomes national.

References: 

Burnett, A. L. (2016). The adverse effects of cannabis use in adolescents. Journal Of Pain Management, 9(4), 423-425. Retrieved from: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2017-07234-008&site=eds-live&scope=site

Mason, W. A., Russo, M. J., Chmelka, M. B., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Herrenkohl, T. I. (2017). Parent and peer pathways linking childhood experiences of abuse with marijuana use in adolescence and adulthood. Addictive Behaviors, 6670-75. Retrieved from: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2016-61760-013&site=eds-live&scope=site

Pearson, M. R., Liese, B. S., & Dvorak, R. D. (2017). College student marijuana involvement: Perceptions, use, and consequences across 11 college campuses. Addictive Behaviors, 6683-89. Recived from: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2016-61760-015&site=eds-live&scope=site

Price, J. S., McQueeny, T., Shollenbarger, S., Browning, E. L., Wieser, J., & Lisdahl, K. M. (2015). Effects of marijuana use on prefrontal and parietal volumes and cognition in emerging adults. Psychopharmacology, 232(16), 2939-2950. Retrieved from: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2015-19476-001&site=eds-live&scope=site

Rogeberg, O., & Elvik, R. (2016). The effects of cannabis intoxication on motor vehicle collision revisited and revised. Addiction, 111(8), 1348-1359. Retrieved from: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

Paper #2- For recreational legalization