Many people raise their voices claiming that they are forced to drink alcohol and become addicted as they are not allowed to use marijuana which is less addictive and has fewer negative health outcomes. The debate concerning the legalization of marijuana is still ongoing (Caulkins et al. 56). Moreover, it seems to intensify as many states make the medical and recreational use of this drug legal. Many Americans are prone to becoming active users of this substance as the number of people using and abusing marijuana is steadily growing since approximately six million Americans over 12 years old use this drug (Caulkins et al. 27). The entire nation (and especially adult American citizens) has the right and responsibility to address the problem to understand the reasons for marijuana’s recent popularity. This paper examines the popularity of the substance in question with the focus on such major causes as availability and media publicity as well as the primary negative social effects.
The primary cause of marijuana’s popularity is its availability due to legalization and advancements in production. For instance, over half of the states (29) and the District of Columbia legalized this drug in different forms (Caulkins et al. 152). The legalization also boosted the development of new strategies and tools regarding the production of the substance. People have managed to increase the number of active ingredients to make marijuana of higher quality, so-to-speak, and cheaper (Caulkins et al. 7). There is no secrecy, and there are no associated risks when distributing marijuana, which makes the drug more affordable.
The distribution of the substance is also profitable, so an increasing number of stores sell marijuana. Therefore, more and more people try this substance due to its affordability and availability. Another important cause of its popularity is marijuana’s publicity through the media. In many Hollywood movies, people use the drug and receive pleasure as no side effects are usually displayed. Moreover, such superstars and even role models for many as Jonny Depp, Oprah Winfrey, as well as Barack Obama, admitted that they used or even were proud of using this drug at some point in their lives. Besides, the supporters of the use of Cannabis are very active in social networks and other types of media, which contributes significantly to the growing popularity of marijuana.
At that, the negative effects of its use are also apparent, and the social sphere suffers most. One of the central adverse outcomes of marijuana use is distorted social life (Caulkins et al. 62). For example, people using this substance have failed relationships, financial, and professional life problems. Students’ academic performance is significantly poorer as compared to the achievements of those who do not use marijuana. Of course, such effects can have a major impact on the development of the entire nation whose future can be jeopardized. The use of marijuana can lead to the development of a nation where individuals do not care about social ties and do not try hard to achieve something in their lives, which makes the social effects of marijuana use worth considering in the first place.
In conclusion, marijuana has become rather popular in American society due to its availability, publicity in the media, which is associated with the increase in the number of people whose social life suffers considerably. This paper includes a description of some of the primary causes and effects of the use of this substance. Although the causes and effects are quite clear, it is still unclear whether American society will successfully handle the issue. The promotion and popularization of healthy lifestyles as well as the discussion of numerous adverse effects of marijuana in the media can help Americans prioritize and focus on what is most important in their lives.
Work Cited
Caulkins, Jonathan P., et al. Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press, 2016.