Blog #7- Addiction: The Body's Response to Marijuana
It is known that the dependence on alcohol and drugs is really the most serious national public health problem (Alcohol and Drug Happens in the Best of Families, 2012). A lot of Americans really misuse or are dependent on alcohol or drugs. Addiction is something that many children or even adults may not realize or be in-denial to. Overtime, addiction becomes worse and worse which not only damages themselves but also their families as well. Having an addiction can cause harm and also a lot of stress and confusion to their loved ones. It is important for individuals who have an addiction to seek the proper help and be willing to receive the treatment they may need. In the video "Vaping in Schools" it stated that students using electronic cigarettes has increased. Teens mistakenly believe that vaping has no serious harms. I do believe that a lot of students do it because of peer pressure and just to follow others.
NIDA. 2021, August 6. Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Marijuana. Retrieved from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/lessonplans/mind-matters-bodys-response-marijuana on 2022, April 6
The lesson plan that I chose provided an immense amount of useful information. Marijuana is made of dried flowers, leaves, and seeds from the cannabis plant. I know that many people use marijuana just for the sensation of getting high but others use it as medical marijuana. It can change brain messages that alter sensory perception and coordination. This can affect individuals see, hear, and feel stimuli and also can delay reflexes. It stated the short and long term effects of marijuana as well. People believe that because marijuana is a plant it is not bad for them, which is something I have heard people say before. The important question was really "Can you become addicted to marijuana". This question really ties in what this blog is all about which is addiction. It is important for individuals to realize that when one uses marijuana overtime your body can get used to it, so your body does not feel good if you do not take it, which is where addiction begins. "You might take it all the time just to feel normal and keep taking it even if it gets in the way of school, work, or friendships" (The National Institute on Drug Abuse). This is why this lesson is extremely important because it provides all the reasons that marijuana can cause harm.
https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/lessonplans/mind-matters-bodys-response-marijuana
This lesson really broke down questions for students that they may have and even questions I was curious about. Since this lesson is for grades fifth through ninth, I thought it was clever to break down questions for students. The lesson also stated a phone number to call if you or someone else you may know struggles with addiction. I like how this lesson provided a video for students to watch as well about marijuana and how it can affect users negatively. I also really liked how the lesson booklet provided statistics of the increase of marijuana from grades eight through twelve. Since this lesson was directed towards grade fifth through ninth I think there should have also been statistics on those age groups as well for the use of marijuana. Something I really liked was how this lesson kept simple use of words for students to really grasp the meaning of the lesson and how it provided great questions that students are really thinking, including myself! Although the lesson booklet did provide short and long term effects of marijuana, I would have provided more information of the negative effects of marijuana, like how it can affect the brain, etc. If I was to use this lesson in my classroom, I would definitely include more statistics on the use of marijuana and statistics on how it has harmed individuals, just to provide more of an eye opener for students to see the reality of the effects of marijuana.
Lesson booklet: https://teens.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/2020-08/FINAL_NIDA_MindMatters_Marijuana_2020_508.pdf
References
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Happens in the Best of Families (2012). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
NIDA. 2021, August 6. Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Marijuana. Retrieved from https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/lessonplans/mind-matters-bodys-response-marijuana on 2022, April 6
Vaping in Schools: 'Juuling' is Popular Among Teens Despite Health Risks. (2018). PBS News Hour. Retrieved on October 29, 2020
Hello Erin! I thoroughly enjoyed reading through your blog post on addiction and the use of marijuana. Firstly, I have to make the connection between your post and my blog post on addiction/prescription stimulants. You mentioned that sometimes marijuana is used medicinally and can help with certain issues, just as prescription stimulants are, but at the same time it can be used recreationally and do harm to an individual. Prescription stimulants and marijuana are similar in the way that they can do good when put in the hands of an individual that needs them, but they can also be seen to do harm when used improperly. Moreover, I thought you did a great job explaining how people become addicted to marijuana by saying that people’s bodies can become “...used to it, so your body does not feel good if you do not take it…” In my opinion, your advocacy of the inclusion of more statistics on how marijuana affects the brain and the overall effects it can have on an individual was a good critique of the lesson plan you researched for this blog post. I think statistics, like the ones you suggested, can really convince students to not smoke marijuana because then they are left with a detailed account of what the drug can do to them and how it has been known to harm others. Finally, I think you had a very thought out and informative blog, and I am glad I was able to learn about another type of drug/addiction. Great work!
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