Reid 1

Kelly Reid

Professor Dean Leonard

English 1201

24 May 2019

Research Proposal: Should recreational marijuana be legalized?

I chose to base my research topic on the largely debated controversy over whether or

not recreational marijuana should be legalized. For the past few years, this has been a heated

argument and I have consistently been hearing people share their very passionate opinions for

legalization or against. I was most interested in writing this paper because I hear so much

information used in debates that contradict each other. Some people say marijuana is not

addictive, while others argue the opposite. People also say there are physical withdrawal

symptoms from marijuana when others claim this to be impossible. I realized many people did

not have all of the facts. Therefore, I am writing this paper not only to further educate myself, but

to set the facts straights for people who do not have all the information regarding the effects of

marijuana.

This topic is very controversial right now, so I am a little nervous to share my stance

after my research. Right now, I would say I am leaning towards the legalization of medical

marijuana, but not recreational marijuana. But again, I do not know a lot about this topic which is

why I am very excited to learn more via this research paper. I have heard a lot of information,

but I am not sure all of it is true. I have heard there are many benefits of using marijuana for

medical practice and I do know a lot of people who use marijuana for recreational use. Many

people strongly believe the benefits of marijuana outweigh the risks. For example, it can help a

lot with anxiety and has the ability to relax your body if you struggle with an anxiety disorder.

Again, I do not know a lot about this topic, but on top of learning more information I

would like to clarify many misconceptions regarding the effects of marijuana. I would like to

know if marijuana can be considered addictive. I would like to know if there is any basis for
 Reid 2

labeling marijuana as a gateway drug. I would like to know if there is a correlation between

using recreational marijuana and the inability for the brain to fully develop. I am very excited to

learn more about this topic and become much more informed during this widely argument

debate.