Velasquez 1

Andrew Velasquez
Prof. Noh
English 114A
06 October, 2015
Drug abuse: Mind over Body
In Everyday by David Levithan, A embodies a 16 year old pothead who
smokes marijuana. In this chapter of Everyday, A finds himself having trouble
thinking straight and is constantly battling the thoughts in his head. We see drug
abuse in todays society, its become such a huge controversy, many people are for
marijuana legalization and many others are against. So this raises the issue, should
marijuana be legalized? Recently this has sparked debates in our presidential
Elections. Bernie Sander, a democratic presidential candidate who is for marijuana
legalization believes legalizing marijuana may actually keep people out of jail and
benefit those with disabilities. Levithan and Sanders seem to have opposite views
on this issue, is marijuana actually beneficial or is it a harm to our society?
Levithan, describes marijuana as being an addictive drug that harms your
body and slowly takes over your mind. Giving marijuana a dark and twisting
background but is marijuana really all that addictive, according to the National
institute of Drug Abuse it is proven that long term marijuana usage does reduce
your ability to learn and retain info and causes brain lesion, cancer, growth
disorders etc. Marijuana is proven to be a strong addictive drug with harmful effect
and this is how people like leviathan who are against marijuana usage see it as. First

Velasquez 2
lets start off with how addiction works, in an article by NIH they state overtime,
overstimulation of the endocannabinoid system by marijuana use

can cause changes in the brain that lead to addiction, yes addiction is bad, it
disrupts the persons daily life and interferes to the point where its an everyday
thing, thats the general definition of it, yet addictions vary from shopping,
gambling, eating to drugs. Eating Food something humans do daily is addictive,
WebMD states that food triggers the same reward and pleasure given to the brain
that drugs do. Too much of anything is bad it takes a responsible person to manage
himself and control the amount of substance he uses to make marijuana safe to
use.
Bernie Sanders is for marijuana legalization, Sanders brings up important
points and states in an interview with Washington post that marijuana may help
lower crime rates, it is also recognized by doctors to be good for medical purposes
and is currently legal for medical use only in some states such as Colorado. In 1920s
a bill was passed making beer illegal, an era known as the prohibition, during this
period crime rate when up significantly, due to the large number of people
smuggling beer. It was later repealed in 1933, because it was too expensive to
enforce. Berny sanders statement is logical due to our past experience with
legalization of beer, although marijuana remains a problem in underage smoking
and the addictions it causes, it also solves health issues or may help boost the
economy.

Velasquez 3
Marijuana is a delicate topic in which people are either for or against, its
given a bad image in todays society by showing that typical low-life stoner on
movies or T.V. shows, but whos to say that low life stoner wont become our next
president.

Works Cited Page

Sherfinski, David Bernie sanders: I worker marijuana oncefor me June 2, 2015
Food addiction WEBMD Goldberg, Joseph www.m.webmd.com August 21, 2014
NIH, Marijuana www.drugabuse.gov june 2015
Levithan, David, Everyday, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Print.