Annotated bibliography - Essay Example

Their hypothesis is that closer peer groups directly influence marijuana consumption. They used the results of the Spanish Survey on Drug Use in the School Population in 2004 that included 24,561 informants. They created a probit model, where two alternative peer variables are used in their formula. They discovered that when factors of peer pressure are controlled, peer group effects on marijuana consumption are significant, and that closer peers can affect marijuana usage more than other peer variables.

Education Economics is a valid source, because it aims to study educational issues using economics as a framework. Duarte, Escario, and Molina are credible authors, because they instruct in the field of economics. The article is a secondary source that uses information from a comprehensive survey. The findings can be applied to students 12 to 18 years old, although cultural and contextual factors have to be considered. This article is linked to my research question, because the introduction part provides the negative effects of marijuana in the health and academic conditions of students.

It suggests that legalizing marijuana will be bad for students in general, because of negative impacts on mental health and academic achievement. . “Prevalence and Intensity of Basic Symptoms among Cannabis Users: An Observational Study.” American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse 37.2 (2011): 111-116. Martinotti et al. wanted to know if cannabis use results to psychosis, or if psychosis draws people to cannabis consumption. They also studied the relationship between family history of psychosis and experience of subjective experiences.

They examined a sample of 502 healthy university students by studying the presence and level of subjective experiences (SEs) and their connection to cannabis use. Subjective experiences pertain to psychotic-like experiences, such as changes in perceptions and having magical skills or seeing magic. Findings showed that 114 subjects smoked cannabis, and that 20.5 percent smoked one joint every week, while 71.9 percent used it sporadically for a year. The authors learned that cannabis use did not result to greater SEs, whether it is smoked daily or protracted within one year.

Furthermore, they discovered that SEs are higher for users with a history of psychiatric problems in the family. American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse is a valid source, because it is a peer-reviewed journal, and it uses clinical and other empirical methods in studying drug and alcohol abuse issues. The authors are also reliable, because they are part of different public and educational institutions and they have knowledge in studying and teaching this topic. The article is related to my research question, since it provides evidence that marijuana does not always lead to psychosis, although it can increase psychotic risks for people who come from families that have psychiatric illnesses.

Like Duarte, Escario, and Molina, this article suggests that legalizing marijuana