--Original published at Site Title

Should Marijuana be legalized or not ? Many people in the United states and around the world love Marijuana and love the effects that it gives you. In fact there are some places in the united states and around the world that it is legal to smoke and buy marijuana like places in Amsterdam, or California where weed is decriminalized and almost legal. People say that in 10 years from now Marijuana will be legal every where. But will it be ? There will always be problems with marijuana no matter what. For example driving high. People do this and participate in this all the time. Is it dangerous ? well it does slow down your reaction time a little bit but yes it is not good too drive under the influence of Marijuana because it is illegal. And it will always be illegal because it is not safe for other drivers on the road. Yes marijuana can help people who actually “need” it, but people are trying to get medical cards all over the place who don’t actually need it for Medical use they just like to get high. I think that it will be a major problem if weed is Legal everywhere because there will be more car accidents and more people will be in danger of others that are under the influence. I think that Marijuana is an amazing plant and i have nothing against it, but if it becomes legal all hell will break loose. I think the idea of having it decriminalized is a good idea because people get in trouble and have to pay huge fines for having buds of an actual plant on them. In my opinion i think that is very ridiculous. I think that weed should stay illegal but decriminalized in more areas around the world and in the United States.

--Original published at Kyle's Gen Psych Blog

With the rise in popularity of marijuana, both in recreational use & in the medical field, so has the question of whether or not to legalize the controversial plant. Each individual may have a difference in opinions, of which would be built on their own personal experiences.

On that note: My personal opinion is that medicinally, marijuana should be absolutely legal across the united states. Although for recreational use marijuana should at least be somewhat of a restricted substance.

Marijuana has proven to have many positive physical and psychological benefits to those who need it most (i.e. Cancer patients or those with severe anxiety). If assigned by prescription it could at least be somewhat restricted in who uses the substance. Although if is not impossible for someone to pass on or sell their prescription to others, but this should not prevent the legalization of marijuana, because on that logic medicine like Adderall should be banned.

Yet in my opinion, regardless of if the substance is harmful or not, it should have an age limit. Such as alcohol does, i feel that marijuana should have a similar age gate ranging from twenty to twenty four. By legalizing marijuana we can profit from it not only economically but socially. Think back to the prohibition, a rising in crime was directly correlated to keeping a substance from the public. It would not be completely wrong to correlate this back to marijuana. Regardless it is important to note that marijuana is not alcohol, nor is it cigarettes, we cannot handle marijuana the same way we do those substances.

The thing about people is that “If there is a will” they “will find a way”, it is impossible to completely control people. If the public wants something, you can only hinder them, not stop them. Just like with alcohol it can and will be bought for those who cannot buy it themselves, but at least the money spend can be circulated within our economy instead of changing hands between customers and dealers. It is an untapped market with insanely high demand (Have you ever tried to find a dealer? Its not that hard to find one and its easy to make money selling too).  Overall i feel it is in America’s best interest to legalize marijuana.

--Original published at Site Title

Addiction affects many homes and families as well as the individual involved in the problem. It is hard to decide what is best for a love one and there well being, but all anyone can want is for them to get better. The two methods treating addiction are very different. Abstinence cuts off all ties from the substance, it is a very hard road to take and one that requires immense support.  The harm reduction process may be an easier adjustment for someone then just going cold turkey, as it rules out the negative effects.

I believe it strongly depends on the individual as to which method will work best or be most effective.  I have some stubborn loved ones that I know no convincing would keep them from doing what they wanted.  If alcohol or substance abuse was a problem for them then the harm reduction program would be the best route.  Making sure to rule out the negatives when using drugs would ensure they were safer.  For example having a designated driver, providing clean needles, drug replacement therapy, and so on. However, this method does seem to bring some problems.  The family may still be affected by the individual who for say, when he drinks abuses his wife and children.  In this case an abstinence method would be best.  The addiction to the drug on this method still doesn’t change one may even begin to crave it more, the negative effects are just reduced.

Abstinence seems like for most cases, but not all, the better way to head down.  It completely cuts off the user from the drug and with support of AA meetings and family can be possible. The long term affect of drugs on the brain and the body is very detrimental and unlike the harm reduce program this one will rid an individual of the substance.  It will help ones body and mind recover although one might experience withdraw willpower can help them push forward.  One who has an addiction may have no control over the drug instead it has control over them.  Abstinence may be a way to hold on and grasp ones life again.

--Original published at Site Title

The abstinence model and harm reduction model are both effective options for treating addiction. The methods used in these models can overlap. Arguments can be posed regarding the benefits of both models, but the harm reduction model is the better choice. This option is more logical and seems to be built for success.

The harm reduction model focuses on reducing the risk of using addictive substances. While the abstinence model requires addicts to completely stop using the addictive substance, harm reduction utilizes several methods of decreasing substance use. This model replaces harmful substances with less dangerous ones. Needle exchange programs and other such strategies are also part of the harm reduction model. Harm reduction does not enforce immediate sobriety. This is likely easier for addicts to adapt to. While harm reduction can lead into abstinence, which forces addicts to admit that they rely on the substance and are unable to control it, harm reduction methods are less intense and  cause less damage to the self-esteem of addicts. For this reason, I would recommend the harm reduction model to a loved one with an addiction.

--Original published at Sarah's Insight

Many states in our country have legalized the use of both recreational and medicinal marijuana, and many more are considering if they should too. While this topic has seen many arguments as to whether or not marijuana should be legal, and in what context it would be legal in, I would like to give my opinion on the matter. I believe that marijuana should be legal in every state for medicinal purposes. Marijuana has been tested and has given positive results that it can aid in the treatment of illnesses like epilepsy, and can decrease nausea, muscle pains, and inflammation. There was a study done on a young boy whose epilepsy caused him to have nearly 100 seizures every day.  This boy was given a dosage of CBD (cannabidiol), which would ensure he wouldn’t get high off of the drug. After a lot of trial and error, the family finally found the right dosage for the boy and got him down to zero to three seizures a day. This is only one of the many ways medical marijuana have helped people of all different walks of life overcome health obstacles.  Click here to read more about this study.

As far as my opinion on recreational use of marijuana, I think that the states should be in charge of whether they want to legalize it or not. I think that sooner or later (sooner rather than later) marijuana will be legalized in all 50 states both legally and recreationally.

--Original published at Kevin Psych Blog

Recreational legalization of marijuana has so many positives that I really struggle to think of cons. As for recreational legalization, it would help so many thing, such as giving less of a market to drug dealers and organized criminals. In doing that we would not only get rid of dangerous people but we would be taking the money they earn, and giving it to our government instead in the way of tax money. Tax money that can be used to fund schools, the construction of roads, strengthening our military, and a plethora of other useful things. Colorado alone made millions, if not over a billion dollars, in 2016 just off of taxing marijuana. Legalizing marijuana would even help our states save money that they would otherwise be putting into the prisons to help hold people convicted of drug related crimes. It also creates jobs, allowing an entire untapped market to be taken advantage of, and open new positions for people to work. Medically, marijuana is a big help in cancer treatment, helping to relieve some of the side effects from chemotherapy like nausea, and the form THC is given to people in those cases doesn’t even give the same high that you would get from smoking for fun. There really just isn’t a good reason to keep marijuana illegal that I can think of. The only arguments that I could even somewhat understand is how it would effect the same corporations who lobby against it, like private prisons. Any other arguments I’ve heard are often very flimsy, like “it’s dangerous” or “addictive”, both of which have been shown to be false time and time again. Alcohol and cigarettes are both far more dangerous and addictive than marijuana. I think that the idea that we still have this fairly harmless drug illegal in most of our states is ridiculous and completely unnecessary and it should, and likely will, be changed soon.

--Original published at Site Title

The legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational uses seems to be on the brink of being a popular movement. I think it’s the right time to start legalizing it for both means.  Research shows that marijuana has medical benefits. It reduces pain without the addictive qualities of the painkillers that people usually get prescribed, like Percocet. Over the summer, I watched this series of short videos by Vice Sports on Youtube. They interviewed all of these ex-NFL players about their experiences with painkillers while playing and after their career was over. The responses were the same, football had left them with a destroyed body and an addiction to painkillers. A few of them spoke about how they started using marijuana instead of painkillers to deal with their deteriorating bodies and the stories were impressive. Every single one of them said that their lifestyle had improved significantly once they traded the painkillers for marijuana. Kyle Turley was one of those players interviewed. He has been making efforts to legalize the use of marijuana and has also been encouraging other ex-NFL players to use it in place of painkillers. Obviously, not everyone is an NFL player but there are a lot of people in a lot of pain for one reason or another. Instead of giving them addictive painkillers that may only add to their problems, let them use medical marijuana. There is plenty of evidence that it works.

Recreational use of Marijuana should be legal too. It isn’t as harmful as other drugs. Really, it isn’t harmful at all besides making people kind of lazy while they’re high. You don’t see people advocating for the medical use of cocaine or heroin. I feel that the reason marijuana is not legal yet is because of the stigma it carries among some, mainly older, people. That stigma still puts it in the same class as drugs like cocaine and heroin but in reality it is not. Marijuana is not addictive like those drugs and it is safer to use. Marijuana has a lot of positive uses and should be legalized. It’s just a matter of convincing the public of those positive uses.

--Original published at Em

I chose option two on addiction counseling styles. Addiction counseling is an interesting topic. Before this post I had not thought much on the topic. I was aware of programs such as alcoholics anonymous but unaware of alternatives. I also was aware of the abstinence program. For example in hard drugs this is almost impossible to simply stop or else this wouldn’t be addiction. In the New Hope article address the differences in counseling styles. New hope does explain the steps to have the patient cognitively understand the addiction. It is a disease. Yet I feel the the process is black and white and very cut and dry. If a person is addicted telling them to stop and never be around it or think about it ever is a lifestyle and  neuro-chemical change. They  know where and who to get these substances from. They may be friends or family with people who partake in these activities. The AA model does allow for  relapses.  The harm reduction model gradually encourages addicts to go towards healthier decisions as this process isn’t all at once. When addicts go to prison and then are forced to quit what psychologically changes prisoners to not want to do drugs besides the chemical reason. There is no program  but gradually weening along with counseling would enable them to do that. When the removing addict gets out of prison there needs to be knowledge in place. In contrast if a loved one was addicted I think the AA approach would be more appealing as the emotional response would scare me to knowingly allow them to continue substance abuse even if it was in a weening fashion.

New Hope Recovery Center . “Addiction Counseling: Abstinence Versus Harm Reduction.” New Hope Recovery Center, 24 July 2014,  Accessed 2 Oct. 2017.

--Original published at Site Title

Seeing how others attempt to take back their lives after years of drug use is a torturous experience. Most users go back to their drug of choice within a couple months of “quitting.” We see this most when it comes to the common smoker, here, a person can see with ease the challenges one faces when it’s time to remove a substance from their lives. Some, like my dad, state that it is the hardest thing he’s ever tried to do. With constant stress in someone’s life, it is an undeniable struggle to take their stress relief away. I do not want to sound like I’m overlooking drug use, but for some it would be a whole lot simpler to have a healthier option than to struggle with quitting. I think for people who are too busy or do not have the mental control to quit their drug of choice altogether, it is nice to provide a healthier alternative. Control is something that millions of Americans struggle with, whether it’s an eating or heroin addiction. It would be such a positive change to reduce the harm in their drug use rather than expect them to just stop using altogether. It should be about the health of the person and less about expectations. Everyone makes all types of mistakes in their lives, and some are easier to fix than others. Assisting those who have a tough time quitting and making it an easier process, or giving them a chance to at least reduce the consequences the drug has on their health could mean all the difference to a person who physically and mentally can not quit.

--Original published at Site Title

I always find it very entertaining to talk about this topic because there’s so many different opinions and reasoning’s behind them. I believe that there’s no question about it when it comes to medical use of marijuana. It benefits so many people who are ill when no other medicine can help them. Its understandable that people believe that the concept of people getting high to make themselves feel better is against moral standards. Making medical use of marijuana illegal is basically denying people treatment and medicine that they need. There’s still the negative effects that it has on your body but I feel like if it’s helping someone with a larger problem than it’s worth it. When it comes to recreational use though, it’s a little tougher to pick a side. People claim that marijuana is a drug that negatively affects your body and impairs your judgement and that if you were to get behind the wheel while under the influence, you put others people at risk. These people are not wrong but if we’re looking at it from this perspective, then alcohol could be classified as a drug as well. They both have the same effects so it doesn’t make sense to have one legal and one illegal. So because of all of this I believe that recreational marijuana should be made legal but there still has to be rules against it like they have for alcohol such as an age limit and laws against being publicly under the influence of it. Quite honestly, there are harder drugs that people could be getting into making marijuana the safest to consume and if it’s easier to get then people might not attempt to try the more dangerous drugs.