Running head: LEGALIZATION OF

Legalization of Marijuana: A hot topic
Tonie J. Moutra
GEN 499
Dr. Curt Sobolewski
November 26, 2012

The legalization of marijuana for recreational usage could may be a new trend in America but the Federal government will likely oppose usage through the end of time. The Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) stance is that marijuana is an illegal drug and that using this drug whether for medicinal or recreational purposes is illegal. I chose this topic to research because of awareness bright to light prior to the recent elections. Until researching this topic, I was unaware that marijuana usage is legal in some states and that other states were pushing legislation to get
Even the DEA is perceived as bias in their stance to continue to rule marijuana as an illegal and illicit substance when there appears to be reliable medical research to shows marijuana usage not to be as harmful as once thought. (Medical marijuana advocates seek reclassification of drug, 2012) Academic knowledge impacts social elements and institutions for both local and global communities because truths and facts are from that knowledge. In order for information to be true and for things to be facts, research, studies, trial and errors must be done to prove or disprove what is real and what is not. Information, whether attained within the U.S. or globally is not always true and correct. In today's world, anyone can post anything on the web, write books about or produce multimedia about information that is nor correct or perhaps partially true. Information provided through academic knowledge is considered to be more credible that blogs, articles, books, journals or video made by persons who do not use academic knowledge to support their information. Many people are not aware of how to differentiate credible information from potentially false. However, the difference is being taught in colleges and higher learning platforms throughout the world. This is a long-term process but as more students learn the difference, those students can in turn teach other the difference. Prior to writing this paper I was unaware