The+Spliff+Decision

Rebekah Reich n7043295 Tutor: Steve Badman




 * My artefact **

This particular artefact is featured at the very top of the HEMP Party of Australia homepage. Recently, this Party became a fully Federal Party with a Branch in every State of Australia and ran in the 2013 election (HEMP Party, 2013). This picture along with the words stated below, “Help End Marijuana Prohibition,” represents this party’s policy: To re-legalise and regulate cannabis (or for another name, Spliff) for personal, medical and industrial use (HEMP Party, 2013). They want to take it one step further than the Untied States and Canada, and free cannabis for **ALL** Australians. This is clearly depicted by the marijuana leaf escaping what looks to be a jail cell, symbolic of the justice system.


 * Public Health Issue **

The public health issue surrounding this picture is the legalisation of cannabis (not just Marijuana) for medicinal and personal use, with no restrictions. Legalising cannabis will give rise to the familiarity and popularity of this drug due to the newfound ease of attainment, driving younger and younger individuals to try this drug. The use of cannabis poses an array of health issues such as lung damage, psychoses, sperm cell deformation, and hereditary defects in pregnant women. (Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2013). Unfortunately, it is known that the younger a user starts, the higher prevalence of psychoses they will encounter (The Guardian, 2004). It is also well documented that cannabis is a “gateway” drug to many other addictive drugs, presenting further public health issues (Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2013).


 * Literature review **

Cannabis refers to any of the different drugs that come from Indian hemp, including marijuana and hashish (which is usually six times stronger than marijuana). The 2010 national drug survey in Australia found that recent illicit drug use by those aged 14 years and over rose from 13.4% of the population in 2007 to 14.7% in 2010. Specifically, the use of cannabis, cocaine and hallucinogens has increased since previous years. The age group most likely to have used drugs within the last 12 months were 20-29 (27.5%) and 18-19 (25.1%) (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2011). In relation to cannabis, it is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world. Cannabis is usually smoked as a cigarette but can also be smoked in a pipe. Mixing it with food and eaten or brewed as tea are also other ways to use this drug. Almost immediately the user will sense an increased heart rate, impaired coordination and balance, and an unreal state of mind. After a few hours the affects usually wear off and go into a depressive or sleepiness state depending on how much the individual takes, the presence of other drugs added, as well as the potency of the TCH (the substance which distorts how the mind perceives the world or for a better word, the hallucinogen).

With many Australians using this drug, the health issues surrounding its use are very well known. Generally, when the user inhales cannabis he/she would inhale more smoke while also holding it longer in the lungs compared to smoking a cigarette. Also, cannabis smoke has over 50% more cancer-causing substances than the cigarette. This gives rise to the increased exposure to cancer-producing chemicals equal to that of five cigarettes. Long-time users often suffer from bronchitis, inflammation of the respiratory tract (Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2013). Mentally, cannabis is linked to abnormalities of the brain and also psychosis. The risk of psychosis increases from 60% to about 450% if you start using from the age of 18 compared to 15 years (The Guardian, 2004). Cannabis can also deform sperm cells, suppress the immune system and cause hereditary defects in pregnant women (Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2013). Stepping away from these factors, the issue surrounding this drug and its potential to be a “gateway” drug further enhances the harm of this drug. Once a cannabis user no longer gets that same stimulating feeling as they once did before, they then move on, usually from the pressure of a friend or a dealer, to try other “harder” and more addictive drugs (Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2013).

So the question is, why would the HEMP Party want to leagalise this harmful drug in Australia? The HEMP Party believes that legalizing cannabis use is an appropriate means to protect the public health and welfare. They believe that it will decrease the trade of cannabis on the black-market and also free up the justice system for more “criminal” matters. Their policy is to re-legalise and regulate cannabis for personal, medical and industrial use. They state that there is no restriction on the regulation for the growing of cannabis at home and for personal consumption. Legalisation of cannabis has been successful in a handful of countries such as the United States and Canada (Fink, 2013; Porche, 2013). Although they have paved the way for legalising cannabis, it is for medicinal purposes only and they have placed strict regulations on the growing and selling of the drug (Moffat, 2002). It is therefore harder to predict the successfulness of legalisation in Australia as the HEMP Party has no specific regulations in place.




 * Cultural analysis **

So why do these individuals start using? And why do some continue to use? There are a vast number of reasons why individuals make the decision to take cannabis which include: familial risk factors, physical or sexual abuse, peer pressure and popularity, bullying and depression. If leglisation were to happen than ease of attainment would also have a sizable influence on cannabis use. Not only would it be easier for young adolescents to obtain but it would also be more common for parents to use and have around the house. As mentioned earlier, the younger an individual starts using cannabis, the more likely they are to become psychotic. This drug will become more “normal” and as a result of heightened peer pressure among young people. A documentary created by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World (2013) followed the lives of individuals who had taken cannabis at a relatively young age. When some of them were asked why they first tried cannabis, their response was, “ weed was everywhere so it made it ok.” So the more common and normal it becomes, the easier it becomes to try it and potentially be dependent on. The HEMP Party has listed guidelines on their website in an effort to reduce these types of issues. These guidelines include: moderation of use, a reduced usage for those with previous unstable mental health, and the encouragement to young people to delay using until their body and mind have matured ( HEMP Party, 2013). However, guidelines are only guidelines and are not legally set in place. The HEMP Party explicitly state that the consumption of cannabis is mainly a health issue and these guidelines are put in place so people can still behave how they choose but can do it (hopefully) in an educated and informed manner (HEMP Party, 2013).

Therefore, awareness of this issue is obviously crucial in ensuring the health and safety of future generations. Becoming a cannabis user poses enough health risks as it is. However, this “gateway” drug could potentially lead to other drugs, worsening the health risks of the user.


 * Reflection **

This artifact represents the increased direction in our society to deal with drug dependency/addiction by legalising this harmful substance, instead of dealing with the primary issues as to why these individuals took drugs in the first place. These primary issues cannot successfully improve by continuously accommodating the consequential or secondary issues. The root causes or primary issues need to be uncovered and dealt with head on to ensure this public health issue improves.

By completing this wiki, I have learnt that there are always two sides to every story and looking at both sides in a non-bias way is essential in determining the best solution to a public health issue. When I first started this assignment I found myself completely against freeing cannabis for personal, industrial and medicinal use. I could not see any positive reason as to why the HEMP Party’s policies should be passed in my country. After I conducted my research, where I looked at both for and against arguments, I realised that there are some legitimate arguments towards legalising cannabis. In saying that, I still believe that legalising cannabis is not the way forward because the root or primary issue behind the public health issue of illicit drug use is not being dealt with.

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 * Reflection of Two Peers **


 * References **

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2011). 2010 National drug strategy household survey report. Retrieved from http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737421314.

Fink, J. L. (2013). Legalization of marijuana use. //Pharmacy Times, 79(//3). P.63. Retrieved from, http://go.galegroup.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE%7CA326505348&v=2.1&u=qut&it=r&p=HRCA&sw=w&authCount=1.

Foundation for a Drug-Free World. (2013). The truth about marijuana. Retrieved from, http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana.html.

HEMP Party. (2013). HEMP Party Australia. Retrieved from, http://australianhempparty.com/.

Moffat, A. D. (2002). The legalization of cannabis for medical use. //Science and Justice, 42//(1). P. 55-57. Retrieved from, http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/science/article/pii/S135503060271798X.

Porche, D. J. (2013). Legalization of medical marijuana (cannabis). //American Journal of Men’s Health, 7//(6). P. 449. doi: 10.1177/1557988313504104

The Guardian. (2004). Is cannabis addictive. Retrieved from, http://www.theguardian.com/science/2004/jun/17/thisweekssciencequestions.