Addictions

Explores the life and death of musician and former Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain. Discusses Cobain’s musical career and the events leading up to his suicide.

Murders and suicides are investigated throughout the world everyday, but few compare to the unsolved case of Kurt Cobain’s death. Kurt Cobain was born on February 20th, 1967 (Ronson 1). Kurt led a rough childhood and was shuffled between relatives much of his life (Ronson 1). He formed a series of bands while in high school and throughout his teenage life. He formed Nirvana in 1986 and was on his way to rock and roll stardom (Ronson 1). The band went through many changes as did Kurt. In the early nineties, Kurt fell into a serious drug addiction and was soon a hardcore heroin addict (Ronson 2). Growing up in a small town, with divorced parents and a rough childhood, Kurt Cobain led a life of drug addictions and rock stardom, which eventually lead to his still questionable death.

Few rock stars will ever lead a life that compare to the stories and controversies of Kurt Cobain’s. Kurt was born in the small town of Hoquiam, just outside of Seattle, on February 20th, 1967 (Ronson 1). He was a very shy, sickly child (Ronson 1). His life changed dramatically many times during his childhood. Kurt’s parents divorced when he was seven years old and he stated that he never felt loved or secure for the rest of his life (Ronson 1). As with any divorce, there was a massive effect on the child. Kurt became anti-social and distraught after witnessing his parents divorce (Ronson 1). Many artists work is fueled by their life’s events. Kurt said that his parents divorce gave inspiration for many of his songs (Ronson 1). Kurt was shuffled between relatives, and at one instance was homeless, living under a bridge (Ronson 1). Kurt had much talent when it came to art and music. He found this out when he moved to the nearby town of Aberdeen, and formed a series of bands in his life there (Ronson 1). His attempts in music were unsuccessful until he met the right two people. Kurt formed Nirvana in 1986 (Ronson 1). HE used his singing talent to his advantage. Kurt was the lead singer of the soon to be mainstream rock band, Nirvana (Ronson 1). The band played many local shows before entering the studio. Nirvana released the “Blew EP” in the summer of 1989 at a small local studio that specialized in advertisement jingles (Azerrad 123). The EP did minimal despite it’s talented musicians. In late 1989 Nirvana recorded their first full length album titled “Bleach” (Ronson 1). Nirvana was on it’s way to mainstream stardom, but a few kinks still needed worked out. It was clear to Kurt that their current drummer did not fit the needs of the band, so Danny Peters was replaced with Dave Grohl, just before their tour of England (Azerrad 155). Just two and a half years after their first album was released, Nirvana released the album “Nevermind” (Ronson 1). The record was filled with hit songs. “Smells like Teen Spirit” was an instant hit for Nirvana (Ronson 1). Many of their songs contributed to the whole success of “Nevermind.” It went on to sell ten million copies sending Nirvana into the category of overnight millionaires (Ronson 1). With the newly found success, Nirvana was starting tour after tour, but Kurt’s mind was elsewhere. In February of 1992, Kurt married Courtney Love (Ronson 1). They fed off each others success and were deeply in love. In late 1992, Frances Bean Cobain was born and a new chapter was opened in Kurt’s life (Ronson 2). With the stresses of marriage and a child, Kurt needed relief. He fell into a heroin addiction, using it as a stress reliever from the hardships of touring (Ronson 2). Shortly after his daughter was born, Kurt was hospitalized for heroin abuse (Ronson 2). The drug addictions furthered, and was a threat to the success of Nirvana. Kurt was later rushed to the hospital after downing fifty prescription pain killers (Ronson 2). After all this Kurt started to become disappointed with the music business. Many of his songs were misinterpreted. One of his songs, “Polly”, was used as background music for an actual gang rape, Kurt was disgusted (Ronson 2). Kurt became unhappy with his music career;, and discovered the life of a professional musician is nothing of what he imagined (Azerrad 299). The passion Kurt once had for music had died and his life was on its way downhill.

Kurt’s drug addiction was not the only problem in his life, his marriage was also in danger. Kurt and Courtney were having numerous problems. A fight took place over a new car on March 22nd (Investigation 1). Many other fights took place. Courtney was furious, and fought with Kurt about not doing Lollapalooza and how much money he was losing (Investigation 3). Kurt planned on leaving Courtney and the music business. He called his attorney, and wanted Courtney taken out of his will (Investigation 1). For week there was much tension between Kurt and Courtney. Courtney called her attorney, and told her to find the most vicious divorce lawyer and also asked about voiding their prenuptial agreement (Investigation 1). Kurt became in fear for his life. On March 30th, Kurt and his close friend went to buy a shotgun, he told Dylan that he was afraid of intruders in the house (Investigation 1). Some thought that Kurt might be suicidal. His best friend was asked if he thought Kurt might be capable of committing suicide, he replied that Kurt was just under a lot of stress and he was completely fine (Investigation 5). Cobain soon entered rehab in hopes of curing his drug addictions. Cobain left the rehab center on April 1, 1994 and went missing soon after, only a few of his close friends saw him (Investigation 2). Courtney told police Kurt was suicidal, but Kurt had specifically told them many times before he was not (Investigation 1). She was very concerned about the situation. She planted a story that she had overdosed in hopes of getting Kurt’s attention, but her intentions were not fulfilled (Investigation 2). She started to get scared and wanted a security system installed on the house. She had contractors go to the house and start on it (Investigation 4). The contractors started as usual and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. While finishing the system, an employee of Veca Electric discovered Kurt’s body in the greenhouse (Investigation 6). News spread quickly and it was soon on radio and television. Kurt’s body was found sprawled on the floor with a shotgun pointed at his chin (Ronson 3). Police soon began an investigation. The Police spokeswoman said a note was found with the body, and Kurt’s death was immediately classified as a suicide (Investigation 7). Millions of fans were devastated at the news. Two days after his body was found, five thousand people gathered in Seattle for a candlelight vigil (Ronson 3). Kurt’s death shocked the masses, but many were not satisfied with the case being closed so quickly.

There are many theories from highly acclaimed investigators as to if Kurt Cobain actually committed suicide or there was foul play involved. There is evidence and many unanswered questions pertaining to this case. There is evidence that circumstances were manipulated so that Kurt would not be able to drive his own car, or even spend his own money (Barnett 2). Also, someone had been using Kurt’s credit card in the days leading up to his death (Grant 2). Why would someone not want Kurt to drive his own car or gain access to his own money? Many clues support that the fact that Kurt did not want shotgun he bought for suicide. A cab driver reported that he took Kurt to buy bullets because Kurt told him there had been a burglary at his home (Barnett 2). The shotgun Kurt had was fully loaded for protection (Grant 2). Why would Kurt fully load the gun when only one bullet was needed for suicide? Also, no legible fingerprints were found on the gun (Grant 2). Why were Kurt’s fingerprints not found on the gun he used to commit suicide? Kurt’s behavior and the people that saw him last support he was not suicidal (Barnett 2). A non suicidal person, does not commit suicide. When Kurt’s body was found he had been injected with three times the lethal does of heroin (Grant 2). Many of Kurt’s closest friends say that he was completely clean in the days leading up to his death, so why was there a lethal does of heroin found in his blood (Barnett 2)? With three times the lethal amount of heroin in his body, could he have been able to pick up a gun and still pull the trigger (Barnett 3)? Even a severe heroin addict could not have been able to inject that much heroin, and still hold a gun and pull the trigger. Even if Kurt did shoot himself, why would he deliberately inject himself with a lethal amount of heroin (Grant 3)? This evidence supports that there was foul play involved in Kurt’s death. Some believe that Courtney and the nanny of the house, were involved in a conspiracy to murder Kurt (Grant 1). Courtney had a million dollars worth or reasons to kill Kurt, he was changing his will to leave our Courtney and preventing her from getting any of his money (Barnett 3). With this evidence, Courtney’s involvement was obvious. She withheld information on Kurt’s whereabouts when he was missing, making her an obvious suspect (Barnett 3). After reading the note, it was very clear that it was not a suicide note. It was only telling fans he was quitting the music business, Courtney, and Seattle (Grant 2). The note was immediately labeled as a suicide note without any thorough investigation (Grant 2). With all of this evidence combined, it is clear that something was strange about the death of Kurt Cobain.

Kurt Cobain was a gifted and talented musician and artist. His life began in a small town with nothing more than the clothes on his back. His talents were soon obvious as he made his way into the music business. The talented trio known as Nirvana was formed in 1986 (Ronson 1). Kurt knew success and fame for only a short time. By April 1994 Kurt’s drug addictions and problems with his life had caught up with him (Investigation 4). Kurt’s rough childhood and life contributed to his fame and fortune later, but it was only short lived. Only a few people know the truth behind Kurt’s death, and until they confess to their actions, his death will remain a mystery.

“We, the depressed, in our darkest hours have no energy to move, no reason to live, no will to survive, no hope in a cure, no reason to try. We roam the earth as the living dead wanting only to extinguish that persistent heart that beats, that ceaseless breath that enters, that pain that never relents. Every cell of our being wants to die, yet do we live.” (Melody Clark.)

A sustained period of time when one experiences melancholy feelings and negative moods is known as clinical depression. Depression is a mysterious disease. It creeps into people’s minds of all ages and race, turning one’s hopes and thoughts bleak and gray. When a happy future seems unattainable and life feels as if it is beyond enjoyment, far too many depressed people choose to carry out the unthinkable; take their own lives.

People who feel sad for extended periods of time often expect to “snap out of it.” Life’s stresses often bring depressive states upon people. However, most people are able to get over their “blues” in a week or two. If feelings prolonged more than that, one should visit a physician to see if they are affected by mild or severe depression.

It used to be thought that only adults were affected by depression. However, depression is present in every age, race, and sex–although it seems to be predominant in females. In a population of 100,000, one hundred and forty men and 4,000 women are affected (Britannica, 847.) Lack of control over one’s emotions is often viewed as a weakness, especially in men. The figure above may be distorted because it is estimated that more women than men seek help.

Young children who are depressed may perform poorly in school and complain of constant headaches and poor appetites. Depression in teenagers is on the rise, as is the teen suicide rate. Teenagers who rebel, threat, and constantly argue (to an extent beyond what is normal for this age group) may show evidence of having underlying depression. Depression is more common in middle-age people who see that their youth is fading and sometimes begin to feel worthless. Elderly people are possibly the most susceptible to the disease. Unfortunately, a common consensus seems to be that the elderly are depressed because they are old and senile.

A number of aspects are blamed for the onset of depression. Environmental factors, such as the loss of a loved one or a job, may initiate the depressive state. Some people are merely more prone to the disease because of the way they think. People who are pessimists with low self-esteem are more at risk than those with a positive self-image. It has also been shown that depression may be passed on genetically. Identical twins have a 50-90% chance of developing the disorder if their twin sibling is affected by it. Biochemical factors may be another cause of depression. Evidence shows that brain chemistry significantly affects mood extremes. Lack of or excessive amounts of certain chemicals can alter our behavior, take away our happiness, or even create a different personality.

Although experts have linked all of the above factors with depression, the illness tends to result from a combination of them. The disease can also be brought on by events such as a loss of a parent or a number of other childhood traumas. Children who were well nurtured in their first years of life seem to have less chance of getting depressed.

Depression also seems to have links with people’s personalities. For example, creative people such as poets, artists, or musicians have a higher tendency of developing the disorder. Also, people who are overly conscientious or self-sacrificing are more apt of developing the disorder. These people are afraid to express anger because they are afraid of making others angry or getting rejected. Hoarded up feelings of anger may be contributing factors to depression.

The list of symptoms of depression is quite lengthy; it varies from person to person. Depressed people seem to awaken rather early, and the gloomy feelings are most intense during the morning. The depressed carry with them a sad, hopeless mood. They feel pessimistic and lose interest in activities they use to enjoy. Victims may feel lethargic and lack liveliness. They cannot think positively or respond to motivation. Minimal energy, slow thought processes, and sluggish actions are also discouraging symptoms of depression. Appetite and sleep patterns are affected as well.

Depression brings sensitive, miserable, upset, negative, tired, angry and suicidal feelings. The most deadly symptoms of depression are the suicidal thoughts that often accompany the illness. Many depressed people begin to wonder what reasons they have to live. They feel that others would be better off if they were dead. Depression is a disease like cancer or heart disease; it kills people.

Suicide is the most severe outcome of depression. An estimated fifteen percent of depressed people eventually commit suicide. (Olshan, 73.) Suicide is currently the ninth leading cause of death in the United States according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Sadly, a suicide is completed every twenty-six minutes. (Olshan, 76.)

Fifty years ago, adolescents were dying from natural causes. Now, youth are choosing more and more to take their own lives. Adolescent suicide rates have risen worldwide and are still on the rise. Since 1950, the suicide rate among American teenagers has tripled. Not all, but a vast majority of these deaths appear to be due to the depression the individual was undergoing. Adolescents have reported that depression accompanied by alcohol abuse or conduct problems was more likely to result in suicide than depression alone. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15-24. Adolescent suicides affect the victim’s family, community, and peers.

Adults with a depressive disorder are thirty times more likely to commit suicide than healthy individuals. Hopelessness and despair overwhelm people, leaving them feeling alone and vulnerable. Drug or alcohol addictions along with other mental illnesses add to the risk of suicide.

Older Americans (65+) comprise only 13% of the population yet they accounted for 19% of all suicide deaths in 1997. (nimh 1) Approximately 6% of this age group is said to have diagnosable depression. Depression in the elderly is even more drastically under treated than other age categories. Attitudes have seemed to emerge that depression in the elderly is common.

Physicians have difficulty diagnosing and treating depressed patients. Depression often goes unrecognized. Of depressed older adults, 20% visited their doctor the day they committed suicide, 40% within a week of the suicide, and 70% within the month. (Nimh 1.) Symptoms are difficult to pinpoint because most people experience them at some point or another: unhappiness, low self-esteem, over sensitivity, and difficulty getting along with others seem hardly adequate grounds to diagnose someone with depression. Most depressed people don’t think they are ill, making the process even more difficult. In addition, depressed people simply may not have the energy or willingness to get help.

People with suicidal tendencies require immediate attention. Hospitalization is usually called for to save a life. Extreme caution must be taken when treating suicidal individuals. Some individuals may expect immediate results and become frustrated when they do not experience any difference for approximately fourteen days. Others may acquire the energy they need from the drugs to carry out their suicidal plans. Still others go off the drugs as soon as they feel better and go soaring into a deep relapse of the illness; relapses of the disease are known for hosting the highest suicide rates. People are most prone to suicide after a week or two of antidepressant treatment. Doctors use antidepressant drugs, psychotherapy, and electro convulsive therapy to treat sufferers.

Depression is traumatic for any individual to experience. People need to realize that nowadays there is plenty of help available; they just have to be willing to seek it. Peers and relatives must aptly report any noticeable suicidal behaviors in friends or family members.

“..But you just don’t see anything helping so why bother? Why can’t this pain just go away? Why can’t you just die, cease, end, just disappear, into your sorrow, your tears? But there is no end to the pain, no matter which way you think, think of living, think of dying, pain each side, pain each way. I understand now that the pain was preventing my life yet stopping my death…It was only at my worst that the pain stopped me and made me choose for that moment: do something to live or do something to die. Finding no escape I was forced to find a treatment or die; both equally difficult tasks. I realized it takes just as much or more energy and pain to do what it really takes to commit suicide as it does to start on treatment. Each one of us will have to find some kind of speck of will to make some kind of movement toward a cure. Yes, let’s call it that, a cure.” (Adapted from Till There Was You by Depressionandsuicide.com.)

Why Prozac is used and what it does.

One in nine people will suffer depression at some point in their lives. Doctors help these people fight depression the best they can. Many times doctors feel it is necessary for a person to take medication to help fight their depression. More than 40 million people were being treated with Prozac 4 years after it was introduced. Thus, Prozac became the most prescribed and popular method of treating depression.
After immigrating to the United States in 1951, Klaus K. Schmiegel earned a degree in chemistry and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. He joined Eli Lilly, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in America, in 1968. While at Eli Lilly, he and Bryan Molloy co-invented Prozac under the supervision of Ray Fuller. Ray Fuller received most of the credit for Prozac. Prozac was originally introduced in Belgium in 1986, where it received approval as an anti-depressant medication. Eventually, it was introduced to the U.S. in 1987 where it was granted a patent. The drug became the first of a new class of medications to treat depression, called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI). By 1990, Prozac was the ‘most prescribed’ anti-depressant medication in the world.

Prozac was the first medication to fight depression by correcting the chemical imbalances between nerve endings in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which affects people’s moods, appetite, sleep, and aggression. In a normal brain cell serotonin, acting as a messenger, is secreted by one nerve cell into a space between the two cells. Here, some of it is collected on the receptor proteins of the receiving cell and the rest is reabsorbed into the cell that sent it through a process known as re-uptake. The process of re-uptake is important in assuring the right message was sent properly. In a depressed person there is a chemical imbalance of serotonin because less is secreted by the sending cell while re-uptake continues to take place. This causes a weaker signal to be sent throughout the body. Prozac helps to create a stronger message between the cells. It does so by blocking serotonin from re-entering the sending cell during re-uptake, causing all of the serotonin to be absorbed by the receptors. This creates a stronger message between the cells and allows a person to function properly.

Prozac is used to treat clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, and premenstrual dysphonic disorder. It is an anti-depressant, anti-obsessive agent, and anti-bulimic agent. The medication usually does not begin to work on a patient for at least four weeks after initial dosage and usually doesn’t correct the chemical imbalances for at least six months. The speed at which the drug works depends on the severity of the depression and the dosage prescribed. Even though it is a prescribed drug, Prozac is sometimes used without a prescription. When Prozac is misused it is usually due to a misdiagnosis by a doctor. The medication should be prescribed by a doctor and used as directed. Using the medication improperly can be a cause of chemical imbalances in the brain.

As with any drug, there are dangers and side effects associated with taking Prozac. The most common side effects are a decrease in sexual drive, restlessness, skin rash, hives and/or itching. Other side effects which are less common are chills and pain. In addition to these common side effects, there are some rare symptoms which range from vomiting and weight loss to seizures. Using Prozac while pregnant can result in premature birth. Overdosing on Prozac is not common, but statistics show one out of nineteen overdoses result in death. The symptoms of an overdose include: restlessness, convulsions, nausea, over excitement, trembling, and shaking.

Prozac has not proven to be addictive. However, many people build an emotional dependence on the drug. Some people see the positive effects of Prozac and believe that without it they will return to the way they were before they began the medication. Due to this assumption, some patients are afraid of not having Prozac, thus building an emotional dependence on the drug. Despite what doctors say, many people think that Prozac is addictive because of its withdrawal affects.

There can be withdrawal effects when a person stops taking Prozac. If a person stops the medication too soon they can return to the depressive state they were in before being prescribed the medication. If a person takes the anti-depressant long enough, they have a greater chance of returning to a normal state without the use of the drug. However, before a person returns to normal, they go through stages of readjustment in the body. The body may show some minor effects such as stomachache, nausea, headaches, and tremors while adjusting to the change. This process may take at least two weeks depending on how much and how long the drug was taken.

Pure Prozac is a white to off-white crystal. It is commonly available in capsules, liquid drops, and tablets. The tablets are light brown in color. The liquid is a thick, colorless solution with a mint scent. The capsule comes in two different types. The 20 milligram capsule is a Green and white capsule with ‘Lilly 3105′ printed on it. The 10 milligram capsule is green and grey with ‘Lilly 3104′ printed on it.

Prozac has a few different names. Its scientific name is Aryloxyphenophenylpropylamines Prozac. The different names for Prozac are Sarafem, Prozac weekly and Fluoxetine Hydrochloride. Fluoxetine hydrochloride is often mistaken for the medication’s scientific name, but it is actually the name of Prozac’s active ingredient. Prozac might also be known by the U.S. patent number 4,314,081.

After introduction into the United States, Prozac became the most popular prescription for depression. The medication is very reliable in treating symptoms of depression. After four years on the market, Prozac had been prescribed to more than 40 million patients and its inventors have since comfortably retired. Prozac is the world’s first medication to aid in treating depression.

As soon as most people hear the word drug, the immediate thought is to not pay attention and be close minded about the whole topic. In today’s world, any substance can be turned into a drug, anything from glue all the way to a can of Lysol. The abuse of drugs by teens is astounding and seems almost impossible to stop. How can teens not do drugs when they are put explicitly in their faces by the news, media, sports and entertainment? When heroes such as Barry Bonds have accusations made against them and on a weekly basis a new movie star is sitting in a court room it is almost as if a drug phenomenon has swept the nation. Drug usage in teens is an extremely important topic with many unanswered questions, but how to stop drug usage in teens is an even more crucial subject. I propose that the government legalize all illegal drugs and combine them into a category with drugs that are already legal, but being abused. With this, drugs can have a high tax put on them so that teens will not be able to purchase these such drugs. On top of that, the worries of having drugs spiked with other substances that might be more harmful to teens would diminish if the government was patrolling the drug.
It seems that drug use is increasing each and every year and teens are being more accustomed to going to parties and smoking pot or snorting coke. In 2003, the University of Wisconsin held a survey of sixth graders up through seniors in high school. The survey was about illegal drug use and cigarette smoking. It compared the year 2003 with the year 2002 and stated, “Illegal drug use and cigarette smoking among sixth through twelfth graders increased slightly during the last school year compared with the year before, says a survey released Wednesday”(Wisconsin State Journal). This is evidence of drug usage in teens steadily increasing with each and every year. According to the private study by Pride Surveys, “Nearly one-fourth, or 24 percent, of these teenagers reported using illegal drugs- marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and others- at least once in the 2002-2003 school year, compared with 22 percent the year before”(Wisconsin State Journal). Society seems as if it is in a downward spiral when nearly a quarter of teens between sixth and twelfth grade have done a hardcore drug at least once within the past year. This is very surprising that one in every four teens abuse drugs.

With my proposal, teens would have a much more difficult task of possessing drugs. The tax could be three to four times more than the cigarette tax and would make it seem pointless to use these drugs anymore. This proposal would also help boost our economy, with extra revenue from taxes paid on these drugs, many major benefits can be obtained. With extra tax money, government can focus on putting more money in to our lacking educational system by building more schools and putting teachers through a more rigorous testing phase that would ensure that only the best teachers would be allowed to teach the youth of tomorrow. More importantly, with this proposal, deaths via drugs would drastically decrease as no foreign substances would be allowed to enter the drug.

With all these reasons you may ask why American people have not insisted on the legalization of drugs?The reasons are pretty basic for why the American people have not come in a flurry to put my proposal into effect. First, because the government would be legalizing drugs, it would make it okay for teens to do drugs. My answer to this is that teens are going to abuse drugs anyways, no matter what kind of slogan the government shows them or what they are taught in school, so why not make it safe for them to do it and control the amount issued and received. Teens are abusing legal drugs as well as illegal drugs. A heavy drug that has just come about in the past few years goes by the name OxyContin. This pill is mainly issued to cancer patients with extreme pain. In an article printed in The Charlotte Observer, Detective Chad Moose talks about the range of people who abuse this drug by saying, “Dealers are usually selling out of a house. We’ve gotten dealers selling to anyone from elderly people to kids in school”(Wootson). Legal drugs are not only being put to use by teens but also by the elderly and any person who wants a quick fix. Also, dealers are making thousands of dollars in profits on the black market and doing so tax free. Why not come to reality and start taxing these drugs so the government can be ma make some money off of the use of drugs?

Obviously another reason why the legalization of drugs has not had many people jumping on the bandwagon is simply out of moral issues. It is not right to take drugs and I do not think any parent would want their teen to feel otherwise. Legalization would show teens and Americans that drugs are promoted by the government and that it is alright to consume and use these drugs. It is not possible to change one person’s beliefs but maybe if they thought about it hard enough it would be possible to argue that with the legalization of drugs crime in our nation today would decline. With people no longer being shorted out of money and addicts not having to go to the nearest crack house to bash the windows in and steal drugs, a lot of violence in the world today would be cut out.

Government has tried many solutions to stop drug use and with each one it has failed. With moral issues at stake, the only way to keep drugs away from teens is to drastically tax and legalize them. Under this new proposal, violence and crime will decrease, drugs will be made by medical experts which will make them much more safe and the tax profits will benefit this nation greatly. What else could one ask for ?

Should Marijuana be legalized or not ?

One of the most controversial issues facing our generation is if we should legalize marijuana. In the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, marijuana is considered as a narcotic therefore making marijuana illegal in Canada. Canada is mo re tolerant of marijuana than the United States and it shows by the statistics. The Canadian Center on Substance Abuse said about 25,000 people was arrested in Canada for simple possession of marijuana in 1999, whereas in the United States it exceeded 600,000 because of their “zero tolerance” policy. In Canada it is estimated that over two million people have smoked marijuana within the last year, and over one hundred thousand people use it daily, yet marijuana is still considered an illegal substance.

Recent years Canada passed a law allowing people with serious illnesses to use marijuana for medical purposes, only if they obtained a government exemption. On September 05, 2002, a Canadian Senate Committee had proposed that Canada should legalize marijuana, that marijuana should be licensed by dealers and to adults 16 or older. Therefore to “legalize marijuana is to eliminate the black market associated with the drug, and to separate it from harder drugs that people are often likely to encounter when buying marijuana from the black market” (Windsor Star September 20, 2002). If this policy did go through Canada would be considered as a country that is very much tolerant toward the drug.

Facts:

What is Marijuana? Marijuana is a plant. There are three species of marijuana; Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. The most active ingredient in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinal (THC), this creates the “high”, the euphoric feeling that one may receive while taken marijuana.

In 1937 a Marijuana Stamp Tax Act was passed. This act prohibited the possession, use, sale, and the cultivating of marijuana. During this time little was known about the plant Marijuana, plus they couldn’t understand why smoking marijuana gave them this “high .” Mainly because marijuana was closely associated with the Indians and they were seen as to be “immoral people.” But the reason why marijuana is illegal today is mainly because of research that had shown some intoxicating effects; such as hallucination, anxiety, depression, extreme variability of mood, paranoia and schizophrenia that could last up to approx. six hours. Marijuana had not been proven to be physically addictive but, it can be psychologically addictive.

Addictive Potential:

A drug is addicting if it causes compulsive, often uncontrollable drug craving, seeking, and use, even in the face of negative health and social consequences. Marijuana meets this criterion. More than 120,000 people seek treatment per year for their primary marijuana addiction. In addition, animal studies suggest marijuana causes physical dependence, and some people report withdrawal symptoms. But isn’t alcohol and cigarettes addictive too.

Physical Effects:

reddening of the eyesdryness of the mouth and throat

increase heart ratetightness of chest

drowsinesstar in lungs

unsteadinesscentral nervous system

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE MATTERS OF LEGALIZING MARIJUANA”

Against:

If we legalize marijuana, it will create a “gateway to drugs” harsher more dangerous drug use, like cocaine and heroin.
Legalizing marijuana will only make it more available for younger children, more marijuana use which will lead to more addiction and more problems.
Pot reduces thinking.
Crime rates will increase.
Allow younger kids to get a hold of.
Dangerous and causes lung cancer.
Psychological addiction
For:
Marijuana is a stress reliever.
Will decrease the crime rate if the herb is readily available. It will eliminate the need of an underground subculture.
Has medicinal values.
No one has ever died from smoking marijuana (overdose).
Waste of money on resources to find marijuana, where as the taxpayers money can go back into the community.
Law enforcement can spend more time and resources tracking down terrorists, murderers, rapists and other violent criminals.
Senate report stated marijuana is less harmful than alcohol or tobacco.
Marijuana can be taxed like cigarettes.
We Are Not The Only One
July 10 2002 Britain’s Home Secretary David Blunkett in the House of Commons, stated that they’re legalizing the use of marijuana, keeping the practice theoretically illegal but allowing private use in small amounts. With legalizing marijuana they will “raise the punishment for marijuana dealing and step up drug education and treatment for the abusers.”(David Blunkett).

Many other European countries have already legalized the use of marijuana. Netherlands has legalized marijuana, as for Luxembourg has ended jail sentences for marijuana possession. Spain and Italy do not jail people caught with drugs meant for personal use. And last year Portugal eliminated jail time for possession of small amounts of any illegal drug.

Conclusion:

My opinion on the matter of legalizing marijuana is that, even if you don’t legalize marijuana people will still use marijuana. Plus every single year our government throws away millions of dollars on its war against drug (marijuana). It costs taxpayers, let’s say, a few thousand dollars a year to keep one, non-violent drug offender in jail. So it’s only the matter of wasting taxpayers money for arresting people, marijuana has a medicinal value to human kind, acting as a stress reliever. Plus the Senate committee concludes there is no convincing evidence that smoking marijuana leads to using harder drugs.

So if we do legalize marijuana, we could create this “gateway” for more and more harmful drugs to be legalized. But isn’t that the same reacting when alcohol was legalized? Not to mention the cultivation of marijuana. How can we say it’s okay to use marijuana but not cultivating? We can always use harsher punishments and hefty fines to discourage people to grow.

Marijuana could be used for recreational purposes but mainly for the medicinal value. Marijuana needs to be regulated. A lot of European countries that have been faced with this similar issue have found very effective way of dealing with it from full legalization to only giving hefty fines. These solutions would not only help the country’s prisons as they would be less crowded, also it can boost our economy since marijuana is a billion or millions industry. There are many people that could use marijuana as a medicine to help ease pain. Many individuals with glaucoma, arthritis, AIDS and countless cancer treatment patients would no longer be denied a substance that can reduce their suffering. These things cannot be changed unless we all stand up and express our beliefs. So I believe that marijuana needs to be legalized.

The harm of drinking alcohol

The consumption of alcohol at any age can lead to life long dependencies andhealth problems. Drinking is more common among men than women, however the gap isclosing very steadily. Drinking is more common among persons under 40 and due to the changes in society we drink more at home, get together, restaurants and clubs. Althoughmany drinkers will say they do not have a problem, researchers into the short and longterm effects can prove them wrong. There are several levels of alcohol abuse, you haveyour strict social drinker, your binge drinker and your alcoholic, as well as drinkers all inbetween.
The legal age to purchase alcohol is 21. An alcoholic beverage is any liquidcontaining grain alcohol. Beer, wine, wine coolers,champagne, whiskey, brandy andliqueur are the basic types of drinking alcohol.

Unlike many addictive drugs, alcohol is legal. The drinking of alcohol has beenintegrated into our society as a form of celebration. We toast weddings, banquet socialoccasions with alcohol. We serve alcohol at holidays as well as any time we feel a drinkis in order. We use alcohol as an ice breaker and a means to get acquainted with “have adrinker “can I buy you a drink” invitations. Alcohol tends to make people morecomfortable in social settings and around strangers under age drinking is a huge problemthat cannot be controlled by law enforcement alone because of parents, friends andstrangers willing to purchase and condone the abuse.

Alcoholism is defined by ones overwhelming need or desire to consume alcoholon a regular basis. Someone who drinks regularly with no regard for themselves or peoplearound them is by all rights an alcoholic. These persons will hide their drinking lie aboutit and deny any problems. Eventually most alcoholics are confronted by their friends orfamily members. Most alcoholics can not admit when sober that there is a huge problem. Any will put through blame on many family members who they saw drinking as a sourceof their problem. However I believe drinking is a choice not a given. There are thousandsof treatment centers designed just for alcohol related dependencies. Also there are supportgroups for the alcoholic and family members to try to help them recognize there problemand fight their desire daily. As with any addictions once the addict has admitted to the problem then they need constant support from all of those close to them.

Contrary to what many people believe alcohol is a depressant. Alcohol slowsdown your body functions, impairs your speech and coordination, lowers your inhibitionsand can cause your judgment to be off. You are more likely to “Act a fool” or put yourselfand others in danger while under the influence. Many health problems can arise even withmoderate use of alcohol. Do to the decrease of your reflections even a social drinker canhave an accident plus every drinker runs the risk of liver and kidney problems as well asbrain damage. The ultimate problem with alcohol abuse is the risk of death.

Because it is socially accepted drinking is considered the “in thing to do.” Youshould make yourself aware of the risk and always have a designated driver.

Every cigarette shortens the life by 14 minutes. A person, who smokes, is ten times more likely to die from lung cancer compared to a non-smoker. On average, smoking removes 15 years from a smoker’s expected life span.

Smoking is a slow process of eventually killing yourself. Smoking has a lot of malicious effects. The smoke produced by a cigarette, not only induces the smoker but also the person standing next to the deadly smoker. The number of people addicted to smoking tobacco has increased highly over the last 5 years. Social problems and media are major reasons for this increase. Smoking, especially teenagers, has become a big problem now days in the developed countries like United States of America. Attempts are being made by trusted organizations, to prohibit teenagers from this deadly addiction, but the conclusion remains the same, FAILURE.
Smokers are every where with their foggy sphere of cigarette smoke. Tobacco smoke contributes to a number of cancers, especially lung cancer. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, including 43 known cancer-causing compounds. With the smoke, the tar also enters the lungs and the bloodstream. The tar is sticky and settles into the lungs (Smokers lungs are black in color) as well as the bloodstream. The tar becomes an obstacle in the bloodstream for the free flowing blood and blocks it. Blood is a great necessity for the heart to function. As the supply of blood is minimized, the smoker can get a heart attack or a stroke. A smoker’s heart beats three times faster than a normal heart which can cause a lot of pressure or stress for the sensitive internal organs. Smoking can reduce the lung function and the lung growth in teenagers. Smoking can be extremely perilous at the time of pregnancy. Smoking raises the level of carbon monoxide in mother’s blood providing less oxygen to the baby. The blood is also mixed with deadly chemicals which greatly affect the delicate baby. In detail, cigarette causes lung cancer, mouth cancer, kidney cancer, asthma, restlessness, fatigue, headache and many other physical as well as mental problems.

Every cigarette shortens the life by 14 minutes. A person, who smokes, is ten times more likely to die from lung cancer compared to a non-smoker. On average, smoking removes 15 years from a smoker’s expected life span. Smoking causes around one in five deaths from heart diseases. One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle ages. Smoking is a true addiction of nicotine and is more powerful than the addiction of alcohol and cocaine. Everyday, 3000 teenagers get addicted to cigarettes. Smoking can be an initiation towards drugs. Teenagers who smoke are three times more likely than non-smokers to use alcohol, eight times more likely to use marijuana, and twenty-two times more likely to use cocaine. Alcohol and cigarettes are a deadly duo. Smoking can be also associated with other risky behaviors, such as fighting. In younger people, three out of four deaths from heart diseases are due to smoking.

Smokers tend to incur more medical costs than non-smokers. A smoker takes more time to recover from his illness compared to a non-smoker. Teenage smokers are more likely to see a doctor due to emotional problems. A major problem, which is being faced by several countries, is the banning of tobacco advertising which greatly influences the customers, especially the teenagers. As I told you, 3000 children start smoking everyday. These kids, who start smoking, are generally between the ages of 10 and 18. The kids account 90 percent of all new smokers. These 90 percent of the kids are inspired by the commercial (Advertising) shown on the television, which consist of cartoon characters. These statistics clearly show the target of the tobacco companies. When the kids were asked why they started smoking, they gave two reasons: They wanted to be a part of the crowd. Children don’t want to be left out, they want to be wanted. The second reason was that they feel smoking is the sign of independence. Now days, governments in developed countries are banning the use of cigarettes in commercial or public places, such as airports or train stations.

The malicious effect can be easily figured out. If, the life moves the same way, soon there will be no teenagers left to carry on the further generations. Later, the babies can also be borne deformed or handicap in some way. If you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease can reduce by half within a year of quitting, and get back to normal after fifteen years of giving up cigarettes. You can also greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer.

Fast Food is bad for your health by potentially causing unwanted conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure.

Fast food is obviously bad for your health. Just ask yourself, how many times do you have fast food a week? Fast food contains oils, fats and sugars that can affect your health, no proteins, minerals or vitamins to balance a healthy diet, and in United States, obesity is becoming a problem.
Ordering Fish and Chips means ordering wrapped up grease and fat. The oils and fats put into fast food are unbelievable. Used to attract taste buds, sugars and oils are used in fast foods to increase the taste quality, but the amount used is relatively large and this does not help a healthy diet. The fats, oils and sugars can harm a person’s diet if they are not careful. For example the addiction to fast foods can cause obesity and high blood pressure which can then go onto bigger problems. Fats, oils, and sugars used in fast foods need to be lowered to ensure everyone’s health and to lower the damage caused by addiction to these foods full of fat.

Lack of proteins, vitamins and minerals in fast foods can affect a healthy diet. Mostly containing substances that are of no use to your digestive system, fast foods do not contain many of the necessary substances for your body. For example, the lack of protein in a McDonalds hamburger leaves you feeling good, but deep inside, it is not good for your body. True, the lettuce, and tomato may be fruit and vegetables but the amount of fat and oils, cover the proteins, minerals and vitamins in these sources. More proteins, minerals, and vitamins needs to be noticed in fast foods to secure a healthy diet.

The definition of obesity is ‘very fat’ or ‘overweight’. The reason people get overweight is because of too much ‘fatty foods’ or fast foods. In United States, the number of people, especially children, being obese is increasing. This is happening because there are too much people not taking care of their diet and health and instead they are taking down fast foods everyday or week. This is becoming a problem for United States as there will be more and more obese children and adults if this continues. The government has tried to decrease the population of obesity but it has not worked. For example a ‘fat tax’ is being talked about and this may be the next option. It is where customers will have to pay more for eating fast foods. Whether this idea will go ahead or will work will depend on how addicted some people are to fast foods.

Overall, fast foods are bad for your health. It can cause high blood pressure, obesity, and leave you with an unhealthy diet. Fast foods need to cut down on the amount of fat and oils but need to put in more proteins and substances, and this way it might result in a decrease in the number of obese people in Unites States. Fast foods are destroying people’s health and it needs to stop.

Explores the hazards on young children of playing computer games.

According to the famous philosopher Heraclitus, in this world nothing is permanent, except change. Every second, millions of changes occur. Although most of these changes are insignificant some of them are too important to be left unnoticed by anyone.
The Twentieth Century saw a lot of changes for everyone. This period fostered the emergence of countless discoveries and inventions. But the most important of all these inventions is the computer. Feats which seemed to be impossible to achieve decades before its invention were achieved with great ease and precision, altering every person’s life. Life achieved a new definition. Even recreation underwent a great upheaval with the arrival of televisions, radios, movies and computer games.

If it is the wild spirit and unlimited imagination, which characterizes yesterday’s children, I believe computer games would be the trademark of today’s children. But how safe is playing computer games”

According to Dr. Philip Chua, playing computer games like any other human activity is safe, unless abused. But people must be cautioned that extreme addiction to computer games could lead to severe physical, social, and psychological problems.

Today, computers are already a necessity. In modernized countries, it is found in almost every household. However, there are strong evidences showing that computers, specifically computer games are very addictive, especially if one is expose to it at a very young age. Psychologists say that if children are exposed to computer games at a young age, they will tend to be attracted for more graphical and motional intensive games which eventually leads to violent computer games. There was even an incidence, which reported of a student missing from his class for days, only to be found in a room engaged in an uninterrupted playing of computer games. If a 16 year old, who is already mature enough to think of his own well-being gets addicted to computer games and forgets about his responsibilities, what is the probability that a 7 year old child won’t”

Studies have shown that excessive playing of computer games could lead to serious health problems. Although it is an enjoyable activity, too much playing computer is still considered to be very stressful. Listening to the loud sound effects of computer games and looking at the bright monitor screen for a prolonged period of time could even lead to hearing and visual impairment. It is also interesting to note that many computer addicts have bad posture, this is because most computer players gets carried away with the excitement that they forget to maintain a good posture.

Nowadays, we could notice more and more children are becoming obese. This is not only brought by fatty foods but also by lack of exercise. In the past, children receive their share of exercise through playing. Now, children would rather seat in the comforts of their home in front of their computers and television sets. Together with the intake of fatty foods, this could form into a time bomb waiting to explode in the form of a high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, etc. when the child gets older. However, a totally different thing happens to those who are overly addicted to computers. Instead of getting fat, they become thinner and suffer from malnutrition. They are too addicted to computers that they barely touch their food. [Dr. Philip Chua (online)]

It is a common fact that the computer screen emits a certain amount of radiation. Although scientists claimed that the amount of radiation emitted is too minimal to cause cancer. Yet, they could not discredit its possible long term effects. There are even possibilities that prolonged exposure to such kinds of radiation could cause genetic mutations, and other problems of the like. Studies also show that too much playing of computer games halts brain development, which eventually leads to brain damage.

Lately, psychologists have related children’s addiction to computers to a decrease in their social activities. In the past, children finds it easy to socialize with other children and meet new friends. This is a very important natural process in their growth. Unfortunately, the emergence of computer gaming makes children of today prefer to be alone than to be with friends. This encourage within them the feeling of shyness and the development of aggressiveness and an anti-social behavior.

It is important to note that most of our knowledge comes from everyday experiences. However, if a child is deprived of these experiences, just by seating in front of a computer. It would be very hard to predict how that child would grow up and survive in our society. That is why some experts said that computer games could lead to the dehumanization of its player. We all know that humans are considered to be the highest form of all animals, or also known as the social animal. Yet, if man no longer socializes, how could one be called a human at all”

Lastly, playing computer games leads to psychological problems. Since everything in computers is just a click of a mouse away, one who is used to this kind of speed may develop abnormal intolerance to the “normal” human pace. Very young children begin to expect “instant” responses to “everything they demand,” like the computer responds to their every finger click. In short children become too impatient. For them, life is empty without computers. This impression about could lead to a terrible bout of depression and eventually leads to psychological imbalance. [Dr. Philip Chua (online)]

Another danger of too much computer is that children might put themselves in the shoes of their heroes. Although there is nothing quite wrong about it, the real danger starts when children get too carried away. This might lead to extreme daydreaming hampering their abilities to think clearly, learn and perform well in school.

Unlike movies and television shows, which are regulated by a regulatory board and parental guidance, computer games are open even to the very young children. And most of the time, parents don’t even know the contents of their children’s favorite computer games. There are some games, which are too violent and are not appropriate for a child at a very young age. Unregulated and without the proper guidance, this would eventually lead to violence in children.

A good example of which occurred in our own country two to three years ago. I could no longer remember clearly my source nor the specific details of the news, all that I could remember was that a boy killed his friend using his father’s gun. It didn’t came as a surprise to me to learn that he was an addict of the popular computer game counterstrike.

Indeed, extreme addiction to playing computer games causes a lot of problems. That is why parents should supervise their children from time to time, preventing them from falling into a complete addiction. Yet, let us also remember that too much of water is also bad for our health. As the saying goes, anything in excess is bad. Computer games is never bad, it depends on its players. It depends if we allow computer games to rule our lives or allow ourselves simply to enjoy computer games as it is.

A new drug on the market, Oxycontin, is being very badly abused by teenagers today - even though it is a prescription drug. Oxycontin serves as a painkiller that is usually used on cancer patients. This heroin-like drug is supposed to only be used for severe cases such as chronic injuries.

She fights daily with addiction going to her friends’ houses and consuming “oxycotton” by any means necessary. After this consuming of about 6 tablets she hits a major high that puts her in a coma and slowly deprives her of her breathing. The person that I am talking about is my cousin she has been battling this addiction for a couple of months now. I would like to speak to you all today to inform you of her problems, what you can do to prevent this, and also help after you are addicted.
Oxycontin is one of the newest drugs out on the market now. Oxycontin serves as a painkiller that is usually used on cancer patients. This heroin-like drug is supposed to only be used for severe cases such as chronic injuries. If used without a doctor prescribing it than it can be fatal. This drug is only meant to be swallowed whole. If melted or chewed or crunched up than it increases the instant affect and can cause major problems like respiratory depression and euphoria. The people that are abusing this drug start out by just “popping” the pill then that leads to snorting then to smoking and lastly to injecting.

Oxycontin is finding its way into the mouths of many young people. The most prominent age for abuse is from ages 18-25. Oxycontin is the number one selling brand-name prescription drug that is rapidly being abused. There are many different names for Oxycontin such as “oxy,” “OC,” “oxycotton,” “killer,” or “hillbilly heroin.” Many people are confused on how these young kids obtain this drug. It’s much easier than most people would think. They make up fake symptoms and travel to various doctors getting prescriptions. Some use other methods like stealing or forging prescriptions. There is still one question where does all this money come from? One 10-mg tablet costs between $5-10 and one 80-mg tablet costs between $65-80. The average abuser consumes at least 6-10 tablets a day, when the prescribed amount is one twice a day. The scariest thing about Oxycontin is you may not know you are addicted. If you have any ill feelings about the drug speak to a specialist immediately.

Oxycontin is very difficult to get off of. The most recommended treatment is Methadone. Methadone is used on many people trying to get off of heroin or many other prescription drugs. The only problem with methadone is that it is more addictive than Oxycontin. The most important thing is for the patient to realize he/she has a problem and should be placed into a detox center. If you try and deal with the withdrawals outside a hospital you have an increasing chance of death or long-term physical effects. Addicts may never fully recover many stay on low doses of methadone or repeatedly relapse throughout their lifetime.

Prescription drugs should only be used if prescribed by a doctor and you should only take the dosage specified. Oxycontin should never be abused. It can and will ruin your life whether or not you realize it. If you think you might be addicted see a specialist immediately, the earlier you realize you have a problem the easier it can be fixed. I hope all the information I have provided you with is helpful and to me it will be worth it even if I just help one of you.