Opioids and marijuana

The subject I chose for Writing Project Three, while studying, is the use of opioids and marijuana. I primarily discussed the factors that make opioids such a dangerous drug. In addition, I examined how people have a stereotypical view of marijuana and why such views are restricting marijuana's medicinal use. In addition, I called for the use of less dangerous drugs such as marijuana to replace opioids in the United States. After conducting extensive studies, I discovered that many patients prefer marijuana (cannabis), which is both less addictive and medically beneficial. I chose this topic due to several factors, the primary reason being my personal experience based on my health condition. I have been suffering from scoliosis, Lyme disease, and weak immune system. My experience has equally enabled me to observe the dangers and negative impacts of opioids on people. Starting from my freshman year in high school, I depended on several drugs to control the symptoms I encounter thereby using several types of opioids in the process. Unfortunately, the drugs caused numerous side effects thus generating, even more, problems than before. Nevertheless, I had to continue using them due to lack of an alternative. Even though opioids helped me by temporarily relieving the pain I was undergoing; they ended up causing long-term effects given I had a chronic condition that required a prolonged use. Fortunately, even though my body was physically addicted towards the drugs, I never experienced mental addiction.

As I observed other patients, I realized that opioids and marijuana had considerable levels of effects on them. I witnessed painkillers being prescribed to patients with diverse medical conditions. However, their health conditions worsened as they became addicted to the drugs. On the other hand, I observed the positive effects that marijuana had on people. Whereas the mention of marijuana makes people regard it as a "stoner," that people only smoke to get "high," its real medicinal value has been unknown for long. Patients who chose marijuana over opioids experience better health improvements. Hence, the patients I observed managed to reverse their poor health conditions using marijuana. Furthermore, the patients never developed side effects compared to opioids users. Therefore, while developing the most appropriate topic for Writing Project 3, marijuana became the most relevant because I could conduct a comprehensive research on it.

Indeed, I have always longed to assist opioids users regading the consequences they encounter. The knowledge of marijuana, therefore, encouraged me to carry out an evaluation aimed at obtaining a useful answer that would assist patients. While I may not disregard any possibility of marijuana having side effects; it is certain any negative impact it may present to patients do not compare to opioids' devastating side effects. Therefore, it is highly likely that marijuana might be the best alternative to opioids.

I gained sufficient knowledge before writing this project. In particular, I managed to learn gene awareness, narrative, and how to frame an argument in the Writing 2.Therefore, before I embarked on writing this paper, I organized my ideas in the CLAS. The resulting experience enabled me to consolidate all my thoughts regarding opioids and marijuana. Thereafter, I narrowed down the wide range of views I had to obtain specific concepts. While in the CLAS, the tutor helped me in the development of my research questions, which I refined to conform to the required research objectives. Professor Warkentin also assisted me in the development of my topic of the study thus enabling me to develop a clear focus regarding the research.

I notably spent more time with Professor Warkentin as I sought his advice regarding marijuana. At first, I was more concerned about the reasons making opioids widely acceptable even by medical specialists whereas marijuana is attracting minimal consideration. Professor Warkentin offered me a substantial amount of support and advice concerning these uncertainties thus enabling me to handle my research from an informed perspective. In fact, the professor informed me that since marijuana may not be considered a perfect alternative to opioids, I had to face the research with cautiousness and that I had to indicate that fact in my research explicitly. Fortunately, the professor approved my topic, thus enabling me to proceed with the study. He further helped by advising me on the most appropriate way of organizing my ideas, consequently facilitating further idea generation from me.

Having organized my research questions, I undertook the oral presentation exercise. For presentation, I conducted further research on opioids and marijuana. Notably, I researched on the benefits as well as on the adverse effects of both drugs. Surprisingly, I was amazed given a significant amount of relevant information I obtained concerning the opioids crisis and marijuana. Even though I had previously envisaged the negative impacts of opioids, I had not expansively realized the extent of devastation it has caused, especially given the rapid rate of its usage and the resulting implications to the society.

After my oral presentation, Professor Warkentin advised that I research widely on the idea that drugs have become part of the consumer culture. Mainly, the professor gave me an example concerning modern advertisement media through which the public is always reminded to "ask your doctor for …" Denoting the widespread public acceptance of the drugs as the primary solution to all the health problems. Professor Warkentin also advised the necessity of including an ad in my research, if possible.

After I had accomplished the oral presentation, I decided to start writing my paper given I had already acquired practical writing skills in the Writing Project 1 (WP1) and Writing Project 2 (WP2). Therefore, I had the adequate competency to hand WP3 including the previously acquired knowledge concerning sensationalism and crime. In the writing process, I considered the stigma that underlines the use of marijuana. Certainly, stigmatization must have led to inadequate public information regarding marijuana. I, therefore, decided to investigate and establish the reality. Having written the rough draft, my partner Jessica Anguiano peer-reviewed my research work. Similarly, Lauren Johnson, another friend of mine, also peer-reviewed the work. Both the reviews pointed out the mistakes which I then corrected. Both the reviewers equally guided me on how to make my thesis statement clear, succinct and relevant to the paper. After the reviews, I incorporated all the pieces of advice I had received thus taking several days within which I fine-tuned the whole paper. Regular revisions and editing of the paper enabled me to obtain an excellent result at the end. Consequently, the utilization of CLAS, Professor Warkentin's contributions, oral presentations and the peer-reviews were of great value towards the development of Writing Project 3.