Drug use is becoming more common today than in recent years. Almost anywhere we look, we can find some relation to drugs or drug paraphernalia. In fact, 63% of you stated in my survey that you had smoked marijuana in the past. That number is scary, since 81% of you are under 25 years of age and have your whole lives ahead of you. Some of you may be thinking "So What" Bill Clinton has admitted smoking marijuana, and he is President. Well, that surely is not a good attitude to have considering the damage that marijuana may cause to your body. Sure, many of you may not change your lifestyle after today, but I hope to make you think of what you may be getting yourself in to. This afternoon I will give you both sides of the issue. I will try to persuade you to stay away from marijuana in turning you against this dangerous drug. Many supporters of marijuana claim that hemp can be a very resourceful plant. Hemp is considered to contain less than one percent tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) (Pluff 1). THC is the psychoactive chemical found in marijuana. Hemp can be confused with marijuana and considered the same, but do not let this fool you. Marijuana comes from the flowers or "buds" of the hemp plant. These buds are what contains the THC and gives the user the high effect (Pluff 1). Other nations such as Europe have registered varieties of hemp seeds that contain less than .03 percent of THC including the buds (Pluff 1). Now that you know what hemp is, lets look at its uses. Hemp fiber can be turned in to rope, canvas, and paper, and this is only a few of the uses. The rope that is made with hemp is said to be resistant to both fresh water and salt water. It is also considered better than most conventional rope by its strength and holding power. Another product that can be made from hemp is canvas. This canvas is very useful in making tents, sails, and even the covers on early settlers' wagons. Like the rope, the canvas also stands up w...
