Self-Evaluation for Essay 3 – Researched Argument

Ethos: I tried to use the best trust worthy resources I could find to build my ethos. I probably did not cite everything appropriately but I tried to cite what I could where it was needed in the appropriate areas. Most of the sources seem to be credible such as Dr.OZ for being a well known doctor, Bernie Sanders as a popular politician, and most organization websites. I did not put my personal connection in the research paper in fear of making it an opinionated on with facts. I hope my research is enough to persuade my audience especially with the interviews I conducted for my presentation. I know my subject is one talked about constantly as for appealing to my hostile audience I’m not sure there was one because most people I talked to were very neutral or did not know much about the subject. I respect everyones opinion to my topic because everyone has a right to their own opinion. I believe my solution is ethical because everyone can benefit from it not just one single group of people. My essay is in MLA format and I tried to use the best vocabulary to my knowledge. I tried to be more factual but there are some hints of favoritism to my subject.

Logos: I provided wi sources as evidence and factual data found on my topic within my essay. I hope with the data I found it is enough to persuade my audience to agree with my subject seeing as I have added statistics shown from my sources. I tried to use facts studied and shown to that my subject would be a benefit to any and not just one group. I tried avoiding fallacies and contradiction by showing what a great benefit my subject could be. I gave as much logical studio that was found to educate others on my subject as well.

Pathos: I tried to show how it can benefit others by giving many positives and how so many others have already been sympathetic to my topic. I used facts for people who see things in a more governmental way by showing how the government officials favor my subject as well as citizens. I gave facts given by a popular doctor to support my evidence. Dr.OZ has a big following and is trusted by many Americans that know of him and listen or watch him. Although I did not include many personal references in my essay I tried to educate people more on my subject for those who do not know a lot about my subject so they would understand the benefits. My goal of my paper was not just to favor my subject but to inform those who did not understand my subject.

Final Essay 12/10/19

Ashley Ramirez

Writing 101S

Janel Spencer

December 10, 2019

Marijuana: Friend or Foe

100 Million Americans suffer from chronic pain, 250 prescriptions of opioids are given as treatment, 12 million abuse these drugs and 50 people per day lose their lives to these drugs. But there is a safer way to treat thistles pain that won’t cause harm to a person in need of pain relief that solution being marijuana use. (Dr. Oz Explains How Marijuana May Relieve Chronic Pain)

The subject of Marijuana and legalizing it have become very hard topics to get past when it comes to federal and state laws. Marijuana has been linked to many good uses that could benefit many people and communities, but because of its “checkered past” it has been a battle of the ages for marijuana to just be a normality. It is something that cannot be rid of since it is a plant. The war on drugs has been a constant battle between borders and people all over it and has also been something the government has been fighting against. Before, smoking or eating marijuana was an everyday norm. In 2700 B.C. it was found to have healing properties by Emperor Shen Nung who became known as the father of Chinese Medicine. In 1213 B.C. Egyptians used it to treat glaucoma, inflammation, and to cool the uterus. No one bugged each other, or fought, or harmed one another over it until the government got involved. Marijuana is considered contraband, more so, a Schedule I Narcotic substance in the Controlled Substance Act. Many people end up spending years of their life in jail or prison for the possession of marijuana and the majority of those inmates are four times more likely to be African American. 608,775 people were arrested and charged for possession alone, but 663,367 were arrested for law violations.

With Bernie Sanders running for presidency again, he plans to put many of the problems with the war on drugs to a stop. Bernie has come up with a 100 day plan to legalize marijuana in his first 100 days if he wins presidency. He plans to direct the Attorney General to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act and declassify it as a controlled substance. After removing it from the act he plans to expunge past marijuana offenses and any connections for inmates in jail and have them re-sentenced to only serve time for offenses that are non-marijuana related. He also wants to have both federal and state offenses reviewed during re-sentencing. With him making marijuana legal he plans to use the revenue to reinvest in the communities affected by the war on drugs. (“Legalizing Marijuana.” BernieSanders.com)

More than half the U.S. population is in favor of legalization of marijuana which comes as a surprise with so many thinking ill of it. The Drug Policy Alliance wants to regulate marijuana use as they do alcohol and tobacco. They are still campaigning in New York, New Jersey, and New Mexico to legalize marijuana in these states and end marijuana prohibition in New York. They see this as an opportunity to reduce crime rates, create jobs, save the state’s economy, and promote better consumer safety. Colorado and Washington were the first two states to legalize marijuana usenand 66% of all Americans support marijuana use. The government parties were surveyed and the results were: Democrats-76%, Republicans-51%, and Independents-68%. It seems unusual for all the government parties to be in favor of marijuana legalization but for the government to still not regulate it federally.

There are more components to marijuana than are just plant-based. There are two types of chemicals that come from the plant: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). CBD has become more popular for its pain-relieving property, has become more accepted by the public, and is more available in many forms, most recently seen in topical forms. CBD has little to no hallucinogenic properties. THC is the chemical with a strong hallucinogenic affect and gives the feeling of being “high.”  CBD gives a more relaxed feeling and helps relieve pain associated with epilepsy, and relieves insomnia and anxiety. One type of children’s epilepsy is Dravet syndrome which can be very hard, even almost impossible to control, but has a dramatically positive response to a strain of marijuana called Charlotte’s Web (a CBD dominant strain). Medical marijuana can be a healthier and non-addictive way to help with chronic pain that affects millions of Americans in their day-to-day life. The use of medical marijuana could help take the place of NSAIDs (Advil, Tylenol, and Ibuprofen) and opioids and be a safer alternative for people that have kidney problems, ulcers, or GERD. However it may not be as useful for severe pain, i.e. a broken bone or post-op pain. With limited research done, marijuana has been found to help many medical conditions such as: multiple sclerosis, generally any nerve pain, Parkinson’s diseases, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, nausea, weight loss, glaucoma, PTSD, and Crohn’s disease. 

Marijuana can come in many forms; it can be used in its natural form for smoking, and it can also be used in topical forms such as lotions and creams. It can be eaten in different forms most popularly as edibles infused in brownies, gummy candies, cookies, cakes, and chocolate sweets. It can be infused into butter and oils and has made its way into drinks such as sodas, teas, and some energy drinks. But with every edible, a dosage can be measured and each one acting to each person differently. The dosage for an edible is most concentrated for THC levels. If you want a more relaxed feeling you want an edible with a low THC dose, but if you want the feeling of “being high” you would go for an edible with a higher THC level. Its most popular form as it has gained more public approval has been in CBD oil which can be ingested orally or some are meant for oral sublingual use as it has a faster effect. When first starting out as a person looking into using marijuana for medical or recreational use, you should always start out with small portions to learn how marijuana affects you and your body. New users should keep in mind of the difference of THC and CBD, THC giving you a “high” feeling and CBD giving you a “relaxed” feeling.The way a plant is grown can also affect you after using it. It can be grown indoors, under artificial lighting, outdoors, or in a greenhouse. Tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCA) is similar to THC but without the psychoactive effects and reduces inflammation due to autoimmune diseases and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and ALS

There are 3 different strains of marijuana Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid with different characteristics. Indica is short in stature but have wider leaves and dense buds with a high level of CBD and low level of THC. Indica is more so used for body relaxants and recommended for night time use due to lack of mobility after use. Sativa is tall in stature with thin leaves and a less dense bud; it has a low dose of CBD and high dose of THC. Sativa is recommended for day-time use because of the upbeat and euphoric feeling it gives to the brain. Hybrids as you can imagine are just that: hybrids are a mix of sativa and indica. They are known to help best with anxiety and stress reduction and can help ease symptoms of chemotherapy and radiation. Most strains are hybrids but can be sativa- or indica- dominant and some can be an even split.

Works Cited

 “Legalizing Marijuana.” BernieSanders.com, Accessed 12/10/2019, https://berniesanders.com/issues/legalizing-marijuana/.

“Marijuana Legalization and Regulation.” Drugpolicy.org, Accessed 12/10/2019 http://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/marijuana-legalization-and-regulation

“Senate Hearing To Focus On Marijuana And Health This Week” marijuanamoment.net, By Kyle Jaeger, Oct. 21,2019 https://www.marijuanamoment.net/senate-hearing-to-focus-on-marijuana-and-health-this-week/

“66 percent of Americans support marijuana legalization — times are changing” TheHills.com, BY  JUSTIN STREKAL, 10/30/19 04:30 PM EDT https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/468162-60-percent-of-americans-support-marijuana-legalization-times-are

“Dr. Oz Explains How Marijuana May Relieve Chronic Pain” DoctorOZ.com, Originally aired on 3/19/2015 https://www.doctoroz.com/episode/trading-opiates-marijuana-treat-pain

Essay 3 Draft 1

Ashley Ramirez

Writing 101s

Janel Spencer

November 21, 2019

The subject of Marijuana and legalizing it have become very hard topics to get past when it comes to federal and state laws. Marijuana has been linked to many good uses that could benefit many people and communities but because of it’s “checkered past” it has been a battle of the ages for marijuana to just be a normality, because it is something that can not be rid of since it is a plant. The war on drugs has been a constant battle between boarders and people all over it has also been something the government has been fighting against. Before smoking or eating marijuana was an everyday norm. No one bugged each other, or fought, or harmed one another over it until the government got involved. Marijuana is considered contraband more so a Schedule I Narcotic substance in the Controlled Substance Act. Many people end up spending years of their life in jail or prison for the possession of marijuana and the majority of those inmates are four times more likely to be African American. With Bernie Sanders running for presidency again he plans to put many of the problems with the war on drugs to a stop. Bernie has come up with a 100 day plan to legalize marijuana in his first 100 days if he wins presidency. He plans to direct the Attorney General to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act and declassify it as a controlled substance. After removing it from the act he plans to expunge past marijuana offenses and any connections for inmates in jail and have them re-sentenced to only serve time for offenses that are non-marijuana related. He also wants to have both federal and state offenses reviewed during re-sentencing. With him making marijuana legal he plans to use the revenue to reinvest in the communities affected by the war on drugs.

More than half the U.S. population is in favor of legalization of marijuana which comes as a surprise with so many thinking ill of it. The  Drug Policy Alliance wants to regulate marijuana use as they do alcohol and tobacco.

Works Cited

 “Legalizing Marijuana.” BernieSanders.com, Date published, https://berniesanders.com/issues/legalizing-marijuana/.

  1. http://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/marijuana-legalization-and-regulation
  2. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/senate-hearing-to-focus-on-marijuana-and-health-this-week/
  3. https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/468162-60-percent-of-americans-support-marijuana-legalization-times-are

In Class 11/13

Marijuana should be legalized recreationally because it as a lot of medical benefits. Though the benefits of marijuana can help many the FDA refuses to approve the use of it in any medical setting. If the FDA approves its use “BIG PHARMA” will lose millions to the prescription pills they give out every year. Prescription pills are the silent killer to many people that use them killing them from the inside slowly that no one take into account.

Essay 3 Topic and Sources

Topic: Marijuana

  1. https://berniesanders.com/issues/legalizing-marijuana/
  2. http://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/marijuana-legalization-and-regulation
  3. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/senate-hearing-to-focus-on-marijuana-and-health-this-week/
  4. https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/468162-60-percent-of-americans-support-marijuana-legalization-times-are

Solutions: To be determind 

Essay 2 Final

Ashley Ramirez

Janel Spencer

Writing 101S

5 November 2019

Life with Anxiety and Moving

Crying, shaking, and freezing on the spot. These are just a few of the symptoms related to having a anxiety. These are my symptoms when anxiety hits me like a train I have learned to control as years have passed. According to the World Health Organization 1 in every 13 people suffer from anxiety worldwide. Most develop symptoms before 21 years of age and are made up of an estimated 8% of children and teens. Which makes sense when I think about it considering the earliest memory I have of my first anxiety “episode” was in third grade. I was starting my first day at a new school, my third school and I wasn’t very thrilled. But what could I do I was just a kid and it wasn’t the first time I moved schools but it was a different feeling being there. I switched schools in the middle of my third grade year I don’t remember much other than being in the office waiting for the bell to ring signaling the beginning of the school day. I was waiting to be walked to my new class not knowing what to expect other than not knowing anyone there. As I was being walked to my classroom my eyes started to string tears beginning to form but I rubbed them away as I was being walked to my new class. I didn’t know why I was crying other then maybe being upset my parents didn’t walk with me to my class or maybe because I was upset I knew I wouldn’t see my old friends again. I didn’t enjoys the rest of my years there as much as I led on to be, my mom wanted me to go to one of the best schools as any parent would so I never showed how miserable I was being there year after dreadful year. I remember being fine after that first day but every year was the same. The first days of school were always the hardest for me through out elementary school, my dad would wait with me for the bell to ring so I could find my class to line up. Every time he left he would give me a hug and a kiss and as he left I would start crying but wipe away my tears so no one noticed. I didn’t know why I did this even though I knew every one in my class (though I didn’t take much of a liking to them), but it never failed to happen every year until high school. In middle school I was stuck with the majority of my old class mates from elementary school so my anxiety never really hit hard like before. It also helped I took the summer school courses for middle school academy before my first year of sixth grade so I already had a few friends. The only times I ever got anxiety was during first day introduction or giving a presentation but I manage to hide it.

During my first year of high school I had anxiety on both my first days. You might be thinking, “Both her first days? What does that mean?” Well let me explain I always moved schools for one reason or another I went to three different elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools. During my freshman year in high school in my first school my dad didn’t get off with me like he used to because he had to take my little sister to school as well. My eyes watered a little as I explored my new school almost getting lost in the basement and kept my head down not knowing how to interact with people being in my new environment. When I got to my first class of the day we were given a paper with questions to get to know our classmates which was hard for me because it was hard for me to talk to people I didn’t know and to make conversations with others. Luckily I didn’t have to make much conversation and others engaged with me first making it easier for me although I still had a slight anxiety attack but it wasn’t as hard as usual. I had switched schools halfway through the year. My dad didn’t get off with me at this time again but he still gave me a hug and a kiss goodbye so he could drop my sister off and head to work. I still managed to cry somewhat but kept my head low to avoid anyone seeing me or interacting with me. My anxiety wasn’t as bad because I knew a lot of people that went there already and looked forward to seeing familiar faces again. My only troubles during my first days there was meeting the people I didn’t know but I managed to make it through and make new friends somewhat fast.

According to “Anxiety and Depression Association of America” Social Anxiety Disorder typically begins at around the age of 13. But when I thought about it I think I had mine a little sooner. My social anxiety began when I was in third grade at that school and has affected my life ever since. I have a hard time making conversation with new people or a group of people causing me to hold back tears and trying to find anyway out of the situation. It even affects my professional life sometimes because my anxiety tends to rise and I have to hold back tears and calm myself down to talk without my voice cracking. When I was interviewed for my position at the University of Arizona I was put in a small but decent sized room with a long conference table like the ones you see in the movies. It was like a mini library with one wall being taken up by a bookshelf full of medical veterinary book and other health science book. Being interviewed by not one but two managers and one trainer my anxiety rose during the interview and I had to fight myself internally to stay calm and not break down crying. After being hired my trainer had me join her and the other girls that worked there for lunch (most of the employees consisted of females). As we sat there and after my trainer introducing me everyone went about their business and payed attention to there phones or computer and there was complete silence. But as you have guessed my anxiety still kicked in, there were just too many unfamiliar people in the room for me to enjoy my lunch. I did the only logical thing I could think of, I spent my lunch break in the locker room and spent my lunches in there for a good few months. This came to the attention of the other workers and was brought up to my manager who then asked if I was ok and showed concern as to why I was not interacting with the other employees. As time went on I did start to spend some time in the break room around the others but had minimal interaction with them. To this day I still have a hard time with my social anxiety and my only outlets to stay calm are music, drawing, or having a familiar face with me so I don’t feel alone. I may not be professionally diagnosed with anxiety but I know after some research and learning more about mental health with anxiety I know its there. I may never get rid of it but as time goes on I am learning to better control it and hope that I can help others with there anxiety if they need it.

Cites Sorted

  1. https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started