Psychology Essay: Impact of Drugs from a Biopsychosocial Standpoint

This essay explores the impact of drugs, specifically marijuana, from a biopsychosocial standpoint, examining its historical context, cultural perceptions, and societal implications. The author discusses the origins of the term "marijuana," its association with racism, and the evolving attitudes towards its use, including the debate on legalization for medical and lifestyle purposes. The essay analyzes the influence of media, celebrity endorsements, and governmental regulations on public opinion and highlights the importance of informed citizen participation in shaping drug policies. The author reflects on their personal understanding of the issue, referencing the historical roots of the drug and the evolving societal viewpoints. The essay also addresses the impact of marijuana on various aspects of life, including the treatment of chronic pain, and the need to mitigate negative stigmas.

Running head: IMPACT OF DRUGS FROM A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL STANDPOINT
IMPACT OF DRUGS FROM A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL STANDPOINT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1IMPACT OF DRUGS FROM A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL STANDPOINT
Marijuana, the commonly known form of drug are made from dried leaves, seeds, flowers and
stems from Cannabis sativa or the plant Cannabis Sativa. The plant, source of marijuana includes chemicals
THC and other chemical compounds of similar properties (Fong, 2016). The usage of the term Marijuana
varies in cultures and legal application in all across the globe. The origin of Marijuana was marked by the
migrants, mainly Mexicans and African Americans, and later the term was used as a tool or weapon to
divide the migrants from the population on the grounds of racism. The constant attempt of projecting
marijuana as a medium of corrupting the country and world through media coverage and leader advocacy
has lessened with the changing cultural beliefs and recognition of historical events (Hsiao, 2019). I believe
the term should be used in pop culture to dissociate the stigma attached to the term. Moreover, the
participation of Hollywood celebrities in advocating the positive usage of the drug has projected a step
towards dissociating the association of marijuana with negative messages and ideas by just pronouncing the
drug like marijuana.
The decision of using the term of marijuana should be taken by the states with the participation of
the majority of the informed citizens. The question of legalization of the drug for medical and lifestyle
benefits are dependent on states' decision and local governmental participation. The laws and regulations
around the usage of the term marijuana or actual usage of the drug are either being handled at the federal
level or by local and state governments. Before taking any action, the citizens need to be involved in the
system, which is designed for supporting the usage of the term (Larkin Jr, 2018). The term, in its original
form, should be able to mitigate the false stigma associated with it due to the practice of racism and
dividing minorities (Braswell, McCarthy & McCarthy, 2017). Decision-making at the state level would
help in understanding the seriousness of the issues and debates prevalent in each region amongst the
citizens. The use of the actual term, ‘marijuana’ needs to be decided by each state by educating the citizens
for informed participation and advocacy.
Yes, I have thought about this context before through the debate on the legalization of marijuana. I
have witnessed the black and white, or two extreme ends of discussion around the usage of the drug,
marijuana. This has been a topic of debate for a very long time, which intrigued my understanding of its

2IMPACT OF DRUGS FROM A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL STANDPOINT
history. I started researching the topic and learned various applications of the drug in my course. All the
learnings and knowledge projected back to the origin of the drug, which according to NowThis was
introduced by the migrants, Mexicans and African Americans in the 1900s (Nowthisnews.com, 2018).
Although, the restriction and the controversies around the term marijuana were formed for suppressing the
immigrants and for exploiting racism. After understanding the origin of the controversy, I started educating
myself on the positive and negative effects of the term and usage, which led to the opinion that the media
coverage (which may be forced or not) and the strict governmental practices projected against the
falsification of the term's influence over the population has evoked my thought about pronouncing
‘marijuana’.
Yes, marijuana carries a broader influence and stereotypes surrounding societies and cannabis. The
findings encircling marijuana are usually being associated with negative consequences and have been used
as a symbol of addiction. However, with the evolving belief and discovery of evidence from the 1900s,
people are becoming aware of benefits and negative stereotypes connected with the term and usage of
marijuana (Nowthisnews.com, 2018). In regards to the broader picture, the history of the drug and the
current legalized usage of marijuana have evidently indicated the influence inflience of the drug and the
actual term 'marijuana under controlled policies and supervision. The current usage of marijuana can be
associated with the treatment of chronic pain. Around 20 to 25 states have legalized the usage of the drug
for medical conditions. The societal impact of marijuana has been transforming by the increasing
awareness of the origin and the aspects of racism. People are slowly realizing the connection of dominant
practices of restricting the term 'marijuana' for categorizing the practices and beliefs of migrants with crime
and addiction. I believe that the usage of the term should be restricted just to disguise the culture of racism
and diminishing the actual properties of the drug. Although, I believe it is a fact that the term has also
negatively influenced the culture witnessed amongst the youngsters and pop culture but with the efforts of
educating the population and making them aware regarding the different perspectives, which has led to the
lessening of the negative stigma can improve the use of synonyms and the promotion of social racism.

3IMPACT OF DRUGS FROM A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL STANDPOINT
References:
Braswell, M. C., McCarthy, B. R., & McCarthy, B. J. (2017). Crime and Justice Myths. In Justice,
Crime, and Ethics (pp. 353-382). Routledge.
Fong, T. (2016). Marijuana: The Unbiased Truth About the World’s Most Popular Weed.
Hsiao, T. (2019). The Case for Marijuana Prohibition. Ethics & Medicine, 35(1), 17-3.
Larkin Jr, P. J. (2018). The Proper Way to Reconsider Federal Marijuana Policy. Issue Brief, (4806).
Nowthisnews.com (2018). The Term 'Marijuana' Is Rooted In Racism. Retrieved from
https://nowthisnews.com/videos/weed/the-term-marijuana-is-rooted-in-racism