Neurological Effects of Marijuana Free Essays

The recreational use of marijuana has become an almost mainstream part of our society today, so mainstream in fact that 16. 8% of Canadians older than 15 use it. In government, the debate to legalize marijuana has long gone back and forth yet never coming to a conclusion. We will write a custom essay sample on Neurological Effects of Marijuana or any similar topic only for you Order Now But in this debate is the government really examining the psychological effects of the drug, or are they just concerned with the money aspect. In one study of the neuropsychological effects of marijuana it was concluded that â€Å"The low dose produced generalized impairment of all mental processes (concept formation, memory, tactile form discrimination and motor function). † The research question of this essay is â€Å"Are the short and long term neuropsychological effects of marijuana severe enough to leave lasting impressions on our society? † Purpose The thesis of this essay is â€Å"the neuropsychological effects of marijuana are ery apparent through experimental research and the deficits caused by marijuana could become visible in our society and create problems down the road. † The essay will proceed in the order of first examining a case of neuropsychological effects on heavy marijuana users, then we will examine some of these effects and they way they impact teenage marijuana users. It will also be examined how marijuana may be seen as a cause of psychotic disorders, and also the way marijuana affects aggression. Argument The use of marijuana affects the brain and our neuropsychological functions such as memory. But how memory is affected; is it long term or short term memory and is this a lasting effect or not. In a study performed by Kanayama, Rogowska, Pope , Gruber , and Yurgelun-Todd (2003), 12 heavy cannabis smokers, and a control group of 10 others were to completed a spatial working memory paradigm that included two tasks: a perception task and a short-delay working memory task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. The results showed that the recent cannabis users displayed greater and more widespread brain activation than normal subjects when attempting to perform the aforementioned task. This suggests that the recent cannabis users may experience some neuropsychological deficits and they compensate for these deficits by calling upon different regions of the brain to help out in completing the task. This study shows that for a heavy cannabis user, simple tasks require extra effort from different regions of the brain in order to accomplish said task. This experimental study was well conducted and provided significant findings regarding the neuropsychological functions of a heavy cannabis user. These findings show that the heavy cannabis users had to work harder to accomplish the task at hand, and even though they still managed to accomplish the task, the neurological deficits shown through this study could leave them crippled or handicapped later in life with continued use of the drug. The debate continues in that people are unsure whether neurological deficits associated with cannabis last only as long as the drug does or if the continue afterwards and are more permanent. For example, Fried (2005; cited in Murray, Morrison, Henquet, Di Forti 2007) et al. found no evidence of cognitive deficits in cannabis users after three months of abstention66, whereas Bolla (2005; cited in Murray, Morrison, Henquet, Di Forti 2007) et al. found persisting deficits in decision-making and brain activity among heavy cannabis users who had been abstinent for 25 days. This inconsistency could be due to the age of participants or any number of other variables, which is why this sort of experiments can be unclear and inconclusive at times. One aspect of the age variable is that most experiments of this type are performed on adult participants and so does not show how the neurological effects of cannabis might affect the growing mind of a teenager. In a study performed by Harvey, Sellman, Porter, and Frampton (2007), 70 adolescents aged 13-18 were recruited, and after a 12 hour abstinence from marijuana performed several test. These tests included a demographics questionnaire, a Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB) questionnaire for drug use in the past 28 days. Intelligence was measured using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery was used and the tests administered were: Motor screening (visual and movement problems), Rapid visual information processing (attention and memory), Spatial working memory (memory and strategy), Intradimensional extradimentional shift (attention), and Paired Associates learning (visuo-spatial and spatial span). The pen and paper cognitive tests used were Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Psychiatric functioning measures used were: Visual Analogue Scale for Mood (present mood), Beck Depression Inventory II, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Conduct Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The Timeline Follow-Back showed that 68. 5% of participants had used marijuana in the last 28 days. The results found from this well conducted study show that adolescents who were regular cannabis users showed a significantly worse performance on four measures of cognitive functions; attention, spatial working, memory, and learning. These results suggest that the young mind could be more susceptible to the neuropsychological deficits experienced through frequent use of marijuana. This is very negative considering 68. 5% of participants use marijuana frequently and thus has neurological deficits when it comes to attention, spatial working, memory and learning. If this sample is a close representation of the teenage population then our society could have problems down the road. If these teenagers continue to consume cannabis regularly through to adulthood then we could see these neurological deficits etting worse and worse as these teens earn more responsibility as they progress through life. Another possibility of problems that could come from this is the possibility that cannabis use could lead to psychosis or schizophrenia. It is unclear whether this is true or not but, but in some cases cannabis has been deemed a causal risk factor for schizophrenia. Richard Reading (2004) examined the evidence behind these claims and identified five studies that included a well-defined sample drawn from population-based registers or cohorts and used prospective measures of cannabis use and adult psychosis. After examining these cases thoroughly he concluded that cannabis is a component cause to psychosis. It is part of a complex mix of different factors which lead to psychosis down the road. Through these findings Reading deemed that cases of psychotic disorder could be minimized by discouraging cannabis use to vulnerable youth. Considering how 16. 8% of Canadians use marijuana on a regular basis, this is a very negative finding. Even if marijuana is only one little factor which contributes with many other factors to the chance of a psychotic disorder, then having this many people partaking could increase the number of psychotic disorders in Canada by quite a bit. We also know that a very large part of teenagers use cannabis as a social activity, and when used frequently for long periods of time these teenagers could develop psychotic disorders early on in life, making it difficult for them to contribute to our society to their full potential. On the other hand however marijuana could possibly give some positive to our society as well. In an earlier study conducted by Myerscough and Taylor (1985), the aggression levels of thirty male college students were examined while under the influence of either a light, medium, or heavy dose of marijuana. Since the U. S. government released â€Å"Reefer Madness† in 1936, it has been in question whether marijuana really does drive people crazy and amps up their aggression. The subjects were given either a low, medium, or high dose of marijuana then were sat in booth which corresponded with the booth of another participant. They were told that by pressing on one of eleven buttons they could choose the intensity of an electric shock that would be administered to their corresponding subject and vice versa. The person who completed this task faster would not be administered the shock but would find out what level of shock the other had picked for him. When the participants would see the aggressiveness of the other’s choices and receive shocks they would perhaps become more aggressive themselves. In concluding the data they had gathered showed that people in the low dose group tended to respond more aggressively than those in the mid to high level groups. Those participants in the high dose group were for the most part non-aggressive throughout the entire experiment. These findings indicate that when people are on marijuana they tend to be more calm and relaxed, and less easily aggravated. This could benefit many people by helping to ease stress. It could also help to lessen the aggravation behind many acts of crime, and violence in our society. Unfortunately we could not really use these findings to our advantage because we are unable to control who does what, and when. This does help shed some light on the benefits marijuana could have for our society. Conclusion The mainstream use of marijuana as a â€Å"party drug† or social tool in our society has started to get out of hand. Adults and teenagers alike take part in this illegal habit, but what are the consequences. As we see throughout this paper marijuana causes deficits in the neurological processes of adults by making the brain work harder to accomplish certain tasks. Also in teenagers the mental processes of memory, spatial working, attention, and learning were slowed by the frequent use of marijuana and showed deficits that could be worsened with time. It has also been shown here that marijuana could be a causal factor in the development of psychotic disorders. Though all of these experiments and research show how marijuana negatively influences people in our society there are many discrepancies in the research done on marijuana, and some do show no negativities whatsoever. Though the limited and controversial data we have on marijuana’s effect on psychological processes is incomplete, it is hard to say if it will have a lasting negative impression, however we know that marijuana is not having any useful positive effects on our society. How to cite Neurological Effects of Marijuana, Essay examples

David Beckham free essay sample

This is an essay will be about David Beckham the English soccer player. David is one of the best players in the world. There are several aspects about Beckham`s life. His soccer career, he became more than a usual football player and his personal life. That was the introduction. Now let’s move to the main part. David played in many clubs around the world. However, his most crucial stage of development and reputation happened when he was playing for two of the best Five soccer clubs in the world which are Manchester United from 1993 to 2003 and Real Madrid from 2003 to 2007. Therefore, he won many of championships and individual awards. For instance, he won the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions league with Manchester United, La Liga with Real Madrid and England player of the year in 2003. Also, he played as a loan player in Ac Milan that is one of the top clubs around the world too. We will write a custom essay sample on David Beckham or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In addition, in 2007 Beckham had the highest transfer price in his career life when he transferred from Real Madrid to Los Angeles Galaxy by $ 32. 5 million in five years. Beckham became more than an average player. He did not stop just as a famous player, he was smart to use his fame well using. For example, he opened a football academy in London and Los Angeles. Likewise, he became one of the most wanted famous people in the advertising world. He did a large number of advertising for a lot of famous companies such as Pepsi and adidas. Furthermore, Beckham became a model in many famous clothing companies around the world. In 1997, Beckham start dating with the famous singer Victoria, who was one of the spice girls music group. The result for this successful relationship they get married in 1999, at Luttrellstown Castle in Ireland. Now David and Victoria have four children(three sons and a daughter). In conclusion, this essay was about David Beckham the English footballer. It has showed, his football career, Beckham did not stop only as a normal soccer player and his personal life.

The Elements Of Haiku Poetry Essays - Japanese Poetry, Haiku, Renga

The Elements Of Haiku Poetry Haiku poetry has been around for many years. It started in Japan and has gone worldwide since. Its simple form makes it interesting to the people who write and read it. Even though haiku poetry is one of, if not the smallest form of poetry, there is a long history behind it and many elements, such as structure, topic, ?haiku moment,? season word, imagery, and suggestiveness, that have to be considered when writing haiku. Haiku poetry appeared in the sixteenth century. It was mostly centered in Japan. There were two main reasons that people wrote haiku. It was a way for people to express their thoughts, and to rise above the limitations imposed by the usual language and thought that treats everything as machines. Most haiku is written in plain, everyday, language. (Lewis) Haiku developed from a different form of poetry called tanka, which dates all the way back to early Japanese history. Tanka is a five-lined verse. After haiku was created, it was usually seen as the hokku of a renga. A hokku is the first line in a renga and a renga is a long series of poems. The development of haiku was never influenced at all by the west or China. The word haiku actually means game verse. This form of poetry is sometimes called hokku of kaikai, but these names are considered to be incorrect. Most haiku poets begin to write haiku when they are very young. They start early because children are less likely to worry about doing things right from the start. Since grammar and vocabulary are not necessarily important in haiku, the children who write them don't have to know every word in the world to make them sound good. The most famous of all haiku poets is Matsuo Basho. Basho lived from 1644 to 1944. He lived during the time of the English writers John Milton and John Bunyan. In the world of haiku poetry, there are many elements that are important and need to be considered. Of the many elements, there are six very important ones: structure, topic, ?haiku moment,? season word, imagery, and suggestiveness. The first element, and the easiest element to see in the poem, is the structure of the haiku. A haiku is a three-line stanza. It is composed of seventeen syllables and does not rhyme. The basic pattern of haiku poetry is five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables. The form of tanka, the poetry from which haiku actually developed, is in a pattern of five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables. The second of six elements is the topic that haiku discusses. Although the poem is very short and concise, the topic is generally not all that difficult to understand. The topic usually discusses nature, color, sensation, impression, or the drama of a specific fact of native. The third element of haiku poetry is the ?haiku moment.? The ?haiku moment? is the part of the poem that makes it seem like a photograph of whatever it is describing. A simple photo describes a setting or a scene. The description causes an emotional response in its viewer. There is not a caption on the picture that tells us what the emotional response is that we are supposed to get from looking at it. Instead it is a simple moment in time left to be interpreted however the viewer sees it. (Source #7,pp1) ?the primary purpose of reading and writing haiku is sharing moments of our lives that have moved us, pieces of perception that we offer or receive as gifts. At the deepest level, this is one great purpose of all art, and especially literature.? This quote by Bill Higginson says that haiku is meant to share individual moments of our lives with other people, and that the haiku moment is one way of doing this. The fourth element of haiku is the season word. A season word exists in every haiku. The word is meant to help the reader to interpret the haiku and its meaning. The word is also used to help describe the setting of the scene and also invokes the season in which the writer is trying to express in his or her

201603 ASSESSMENT A Essays - Education, Writing, Bibliography

201603 ASSESSMENT A Essays - Education, Writing, Bibliography ILSC Mac100 Assessment A : Research and Referencing (10%) For this assessment you are required to demonstrate your ability to: Undertake some research Write a short essay Paraphrase, summarise and quote correctly Use in-text citations Write a reference list TASK: Write a short essay, of between 1000 and 1 3 00 words COMPARING TWO WELL-KNOWN PEOPLE or TWO WELL-KNOWN ORGANISATIONS which you are interested in (sport, politics, business, fashion) Examples: Mourinho Guardiola Federer Nadal Clinton Trump Conservative Labour Zara and HM Oxfam Unicef Etc etc Your essay should be well-organised, so you should PLAN how you will compare them throughout the essay. e.g You might divide the essay into similarities and differences Or different paragraphs could focus on different aspects ( e.g childhood, major achievements , wealth / profit, future plans etc ) In your final statement, you should indicate what we can learn from these people You must use between 4 and 8 sources . Try and use a variety of sources (e.g. 1 youtube video , 1 online newspaper, 2 websites). Your sources should be appropriate for the task (critical reading: relevant, reliable, up-to-date etc - NOT Wikipedia!!) All the information should be PARAPHRASED (unless it is appropriate to use direct quotes). BE CAREFUL - WITH THIS TASK IT IS TEMPTING TO JUST COPY-PASTE!! Remember: when you are researching, use the reading techniques (skim, scan, intensive) APPROPRIATELY Your essay should be structured appropriately and must include in-text citations and a reference list. Your main ideas should be supported with specific examples and/or statistics as appropriate You must submit your essay onto TURNITIN The deadline for submission is: Late submission will be penalised (the maximum mark for late submissions will be the pass mark, 60%) Marks will be awarded as follows: Referencing Accuracy of the reference list (using the Harvard System as appears in the ARU guide to referencing) Accuracy of in-text referencing and direct quote(s) 10 Content There must be a COMPARISON throughout the essay. You must support the main ideas with EVIDENCE 10 Structure Intro/ main body/ conclusion Cohesion between paragraphs 5 Use of English (vocab, grammar, punctuation) *you will only be graded on your own words!! 5

Why the tuition fee is almost triple for international students Research Paper

Why the tuition fee is almost triple for international students - Research Paper Example Bizarrely, these students study in the same schools and are legible for the same treatment and facilities. This has a dire effect on the education of international schools, especially when they do not have sufficient funds for their schooling. To begin with, the management of schools state that there is limited funding for international students. It is noted that sponsorship programs are limited for international students. Therefore, there is a limited number of international students sponsored by organisations. As such, students that would wish to study in international schools will have to cater for their costs while studying. This is a burden that is directly linked to the international students, which increases the amount of tuition fees. Similarly, international students have to incur costs in payment for each unit (OECD 2). This is to provide the students with enough materials for successful learning. However, many institutions have their various directives on payment per each unit. While the non-international students have their stated amounts to pay, international students will have a different amount. In some schools, the payment per each unit could be exorbitant, as they have to pay up to four times more. This is a hindrance to some international students as they have to limit the number of units they will study. Consequentially, reducing the amount of fees paid per unit would be a disadvantage to the schools.

MIH512-Demography and Health (Module 4-SLP) Essay

MIH512-Demography and Health (Module 4-SLP) - Essay Example Morbidity refers to a measure that helps in determining factors that affect the individual's health such as abnormal conditions and illnesses; this section analysis aids prevalence in the UK and the US using year 2000 estimates. In 2000 it was estimated that 885 thousand individuals in the UK were living with Aids, and over 126 thousands individuals living with aids in the US, the total population in the UK was estimated at 58,886 thousands and 281421.906 thousand in the US. Therefore using the formula it is evident that aids prevalence rate of Aids in the UK was 150 per 10,000 individuals while the value was 447.8 per 10,000 in the US, this shows that there are relatively higher prevalence rate in the US than the UK. Disability is also an important health statistic, data show that 5.9% of the total population in the UK was disabled while 6.1% of the total population in the US was disabled in the year 2000, this means that we have more cases of disability in the US than in the UK according to the 2000 estimates. Fertility is also an important measure that indicates the trend in population, fertility can be indicated by the crude birth rate which is determined by dividing total births by the tot

Careers in health care industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Careers in health care industry - Essay Example Health Information and Medical Records TechnicianThey are concerned with keeping patients health information records. The Department of labor in the US estimates 20% growth in this career before 2018. To be in this field, a degree in an associate’s degree is required (Parker 1).Medical AssistantThey work directly with patients. They work on the patient’s medical history and also take their vital signs. An Associate’s degree or a certificate program are the requirements.Pharmacy TechnicianThey provide customer service and also prescribe medication to patients. Only an Associate’s degree or certificate are needed.Environmental health directorTraining environmental regulations as well as offering education concerning the government in public operations and also in private. Degree in Bachelor’s and also Master’s is needed.Offers quality of services agrees with government regulations, and they are also consulted by them, medical professionals.Dire ctor of EpidemiologyHave the responsibility to determine the cause of a disease as well as health problems providing protection against further recurrence.Industrial waste directorThey focus on keeping the society clean to public health is safe. They ensure that the public employees do their work of collecting the garbage to keep the community cleanRadiation safety specialistThey offer facilities related to public health in dealing with environmental laws. This individual ensures that hazardous materials are kept safe to prevent accidents (Tommy 1).