Anxiety is a mental health disorder that affects everyday life for many people. For my research essay, I will be examining if smoking weed that provides a high, will allow those who suffer from anxiety to better cope with their mental health. Along with the option of getting rid of pharmaceuticals for anxiety. Although marijuana is not legal in every state many people smoke it to get high. The THC in the drug interacts with the brain and causes the feeling of being at ease and relaxed. The feeling of being relaxed is why most people smoke weed. Since this is one of the effects of smoking it could allow those with anxiety to feel less anxious.
Cannabinoid-related Agents in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
The essential content of this article- This article discusses the breakdown of the plant itself and cannabis products. It goes on to talk about cannabis products and anxiety response as a whole.
What it proves- This article will help support my hypothesis because it discusses how cannabis products can help those with anxiety has scientific evidence to back it up.
What You Need to Know About Anxiety Medication: Pros and Cons
The essential content of this article- This article discusses the pharmaceutical medication used to treat anxiety. The article talks about how the medications work, however the author discusses the negative sides of the medications.
What it proves- The article can help prove why pharmaceuticals would not be needed anymore due to side effects that come along with taking medicine that is supposed to help cope with anxiety.
Trying Cannabis for Anxiety? Here’s Why Less is More
The essential content of this article- The article discusses the use of weed and how it works with the brain and body. It talks about smoking it for anxiety and the amount you should be smoking.
What it proves- It proves that smoking a certain amount of weed helps to cope with anxiety.
Scientific Guidelines for using Cannabis to Treat Stress, Anxiety and Depression
The essential content of this article- The article discusses the effect of smoking different strains and amount of cannabis in relation to helping with anxiety.
What it proves- It proves that the outcome of smoking marijuana for anxiety has its benefits and can be as helpful as pharmaceuticals.
Effects of Marijuana on Mental Health: Anxiety Disorders
The essential content of this article- The article discusses the relationship between the endocannabinoid system and anxiety. The author continues to talk about cannabis and how it reacts with the body. It discusses the use of marijuana for anxiety.
What it proves- The article proves that there are effects that come along with smoking marijuana for anxiety and also proves how certain amounts can help depending on what form of anxiety one has.
Counterintuitive 
Your hypothesis sounds clear at first reading, but unravels under examination, Flowers.
Here are the claims:
3. Marijuana is illegal in some states (and under federal law)
1. Weed produces a high
4. Weed is smoked illegally for its high
5. THC in weed interacts with the brain to reduce anxiety
2. Weed will help anxiety sufferers cope with their mental health
The numbers indicate the order in which the claims appear in your hypothesis. I have re-ordered them to show the logical flow.
Several claims you don’t need to prove. Weed is illegal in some states and is smoked for its high.
All that’s left to show is that THC reduces anxiety. If it does, it will help anxiety sufferers reduce their anxiety (you call it coping with their mental health).
Now THAT might be the basis for an argument, but I’m not sure it’s the one you want to have. Does temporarily eliminating anxiety qualify as COPING with “mental health.”
Or does it mean periodically escaping from a recurring or persistent problem.
If smoking has the same benefit as pharmaceuticals for relieving anxiety, we shouldn’t hold it to a higher standard of effectiveness. Nobody claims that legal drugs to relieve anxiety “cure” anything. They just relieve the suffering, presumably without the high.
So fare there doesn’t seem to be a lot to argue except the ethical angle. Do we have a right to deny sufferers any remedy?
For a Definition/Categorical essay, you could attempt to delineate the differences/similarities between several terms you’ve raised: cure, treatment, coping, relief from suffering. If two remedies meet the same criteria, we’d have to look to other considerations to recommend one over the other. (Is one addictive? Is one 5 times as expensive? Is the addictive one also the expensive one? Can both be ethically made?) Etc.
Is that helpful?
If you’d like feedback or reactions to your sources, put this back into Feedback please, Flowers, and leave me a Reply with a question in return.
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