Medical Marijuana Argumentative Essay free essay sample

Prior to the enactment of the Marijuana Tax Act, there were at least twenty-seven legal medicines that contained marijuana available in the U. S. In 1970, The Controlled Substances Act placed marijuana into a Schedule I status defining it as having a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the U. S. and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Currently it remains illegal under federal law in the United States other than the four Americans that were grandfathered under the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program. Contradictory to federal law, at present, medical marijuana is legalized in sixteen states and Washington, DC. There have been multiple studies and research done by advocates for and against medical marijuana legalization. Although there are strong arguments by both sides, federally legalizing the use of medical marijuana is the better choice because it has beneficial effects to patients suffering from various ailments; it will cause a decrease in recreational use nationwide; and it is less harmful to the user than many other prescription medications. We will write a custom essay sample on Medical Marijuana Argumentative Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At present, the pros outweigh the cons when considering the positive benefits to medical marijuana. On September 6, 1988, the Drug Enforcement Administrations Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young, ruled: Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  [Docket #86-22]. The principal constituent of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is effective in treating nausea, vomiting, appetite loss, and acute or chronic pain. Specifically, marijuana has been proven to give relief from nausea and appetite loss caused by AIDS. It reduces intraocular pressure caused by glaucoma. Additionally; it has positive effects on persons suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and other conditions with chronic pain. Beside the medical evidence that marijuana is helpful in treating certain ailments, there are numerous organizations that support some type of physician supervised access to medical marijuana including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Nurses Association, American Health Association and the New England Journal of Medicine. Millions of patients in the U. S. ould be helped by medical marijuana. On April 20, 2006, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted the following â€Å"Inter-Agency Advisory† on its website, www. fda. gov, â€Å"†¦ A past evaluation by several Department of Health and Human Services agencies†¦ concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human d ata supported the safety of efficacy of marijuana for general medical use. † Medical marijuana is not the only source of pain relief that contains THC available to patients. Marinol, a pill with synthetic THC, is often prescribed to patients suffering from AIDS, or cancer patients that have gone through chemotherapy. Unlike medical marijuana, Marinol is FDA approved. It seems as though Marinol could substitute marijuana for treating symptoms related to AIDS and cancer chemotherapy; until you consider some other facts that prove otherwise. First, Marinol only provides limited relief to a select group of patients. It also does not have the same effect for the number of different ailments as marijuana. Marijuana or cannibas is made of multiple compounds, not solely THC. John M. McPartland from the Faculty of Health and Environmental Science and Ethan B. Russo from the Montana Neurobehavioral Specialists write: Good evidence shows that secondary compounds in cannabis may enhance beneficial effects of THC†¦ In essence, clinical cannabis demonstrates herbal synergy and is more than simply a vehicle for THC administration†. Simply stated, marijuana has many other benefits other than those given from THC alone. Secondly, Marinol is much more costly than marijuana. THC is a difficult compound to manufacture. The heightened cost for manufacturing is passed down to the patient consumer. In 2008, the estimated cost for one gram of marijuana was $17. 14 as compared to $1,810. 00 for one gram of Marinol. Lastly, patients ultimately prefer natural cannibas to Marinol. Several states conducted patient trials in the 1970’s and 1980’s. In TN, NM, CA, and NY each study showed that patients claimed a higher success rate coping with their symptoms using medical marijuana over orally ingested synthetic THC. The legalization of medical marijuana would cause a decrease in recreational use nationwide. The patients that use medical marijuana are not using it for recreational purposes. Instead, they are using it to alleviate their suffering, and to counteract the effects of their treatments. AK, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, HI, ME, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NM, OR, RI, VT, and WA all have legalized medical marijuana possession limits and requirements for registry ID cards. There are strict processes and protocol that must be followed in order to become a medical marijuana recipient in these states and DC. Public opinion also dictates the desire for the legalization of medical marijuana (not the legalization of recreational marijuana) nationally to come into effect. In March 2008, then Governor Barack Obama stated in an interview with Gary Nelson of the Oregon Mail Tribune, â€Å"When it comes to medical marijuana, I have more of a practical view than anything else. My attitude is that if its an issue of doctors prescribing medical marijuana as a treatment for glaucoma or as a cancer treatment, I think that should be appropriate because there really is no difference between that and a doctor prescribing morphine or anything else. † In a Harris Poll taken in February of 2011, 74 percent of Americans support the legalization of marijuana for medical treatment. Government organizations send the message that legalization of medical marijuana will result in increased recreational use, especially among adolescents. This claim is unfounded and sends the wrong message to the general public. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the U. S. By legalizing marijuana, even for medical reasons, the wrong message is being sent out to our nation’s youth. Currently there are more young people being treated for marijuana dependency than for all other illegal drugs, and alcohol combined. Marijuana is also a gateway drug. A study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that out of 300 sets of twins, the marijuana-using twins were four times more likely than their siblings to use cocaine and crack cocaine. Marijuana also increases the likelihood of depression, social withdrawal, panic attacks, and other mental health problems within teenagers. Cannibas also can lead to dependency and abuse. These are all valid concerns; although, they do not accurately depict the statistics on recreational marijuana usage among America’s youth post-legalization of medical marijuana. In the report, Marijuana Use by Young People: The Impact of State Medical Marijuana Laws by Karen O’Keefe and Mitch Earleywine, the decline in recreational use statewide and nationally after legalizing medical marijuana within the states is proven. California, the first state to legalize medical marijuana (California Proposition 215), and the state with the most detailed data available reported the number of ninth graders reporting marijuana usage in the last 30 days declined by 47 percent from 1996 (when the state’s medical marijuana law was enacted) to 2004. Likewise, a decline was reported in WA, HI, ME, NV, AK, and OR from the time their respective state’s medical marijuana laws were passed. Teenage marijuana use declined nationwide from 1996 to 2004. At the time of the study, there was no evidence that the passage of 10 state medical marijuana laws produced an increase in adolescent marijuana use within those states, or nationwide. In fact, just the opposite was shown. Across-the-board, a decrease in youth marijuana use in medical marijuana states marginally exceeded the national decline. Medical marijuana is less harmful than many other prescription drugs. Many drugs that are prescribed for the same ailments as medical marijuana are administered simultaneously. This increases the risk of multiple side effects. Nearly all drugs, including legal drugs, act as a bigger threat to individual health than marijuana does. Marijuana is non-toxic and cannot be used to overdose. To date, the annual death count of those dying from marijuana is zero. The Academy of Science’ Institute of Medicine in 1999 determined the following: â€Å"†¦ the adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range tolerated for other medications†¦ There is no conclusive evidence that marijuana causes cancer in humans including cancers usually related to tobacco use. † Smoking marijuana is more harmful than smoking tobacco. The damage done to lungs from smoking marijuana is three to five times greater than smoking tobacco. Respiratory problems which include daily coughing and phlegm, and symptoms of chronic bronchitis are displayed by regular marijuana smokers. They are also subject to having chest colds and damaging lung tissue. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University affirms that marijuana is a dangerous drug. It is true that smoking marijuana can be harmful to your lungs; however, there are different forms of benefitting from medical marijuana that do not include smoking it. Marijuana can be inhaled through a vaporizer. It can also be eaten in cakes, cookies, and other treats. The onset of the relief from medical marijuana is released sooner through smoking than by any other means. There are no definitive studies to date that substantiate the claim that marijuana smoking is worse than cigarette smoking. Concerning the danger of smoking marijuana as opposed to other medication, â€Å"Numerous studies and federally commissioned reports have endorsed marijuana’s relative safety compared to other drugs, and recommended its decriminalization or legalization. † (Van Tuyl 23). The ability to effectively research medical marijuana’s benefits is limited by the Federal Government. Currently there is only one legal source of marijuana for clinical research in the United States. The National Institute on Drug Abuse is that source, which makes it difficult (almost impossible) for researchers to acquire marijuana for their studies. In order to gain FDA approval, medical marijuana studies would have to be done a large-scale which would be exceedingly costly. With the added limitations of supply from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, it would be unachievable to complete that level of research. In June 2005, the U. S. Supreme Court’s decision in Gonzales v. Raich kept state medical marijuana laws in tact but allowed for continued federal attacks on patients, even in states with medical marijuana laws. In order for seriously ill people to use medical marijuana to relieve their chronic symptoms, the legalization of medical marijuana must occur through Congress. This would also result in a decrease in overall adolescent marijuana usage, and it would provide another viable, less detrimental source of pain relief for patients. Works Cited 16 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC. 13 May 2011. MedicalMarijuana. ProCon. org. Web. 13 Aug. 2011. 31 Random Facts About Marijuana. 2 Mar 10. Random History. com. Web. 14 August 2011. Barack Obama and Medical Marijuana (interview Qamp;A) 21 April 2008. Youtube. com. Video. 14 August 2011. Cannabis for Treatment of HIV-Related Peripheral Neuropathy. 2010. Center for MedicinalCannibas Research. Web. 15 August 2011. Cannabis is more than simply D9-tetrahydrocannabinolby Ethan B. Russo and John M. McPartland. 2003. Psychopharmacology (2003) 165:431-432. Web. 16 August 2011. Dexamethasone. 30 December 2010. Drugs. com. Web. 16 August 11. Dronabinal. Sep 2008. Pub Med Health. Web. 15 August 2011. Drug Nation CNN Takes A Look At Legalizing Marijuana . by ARTLOVERRR. 16 April 2009. Youtube. com. Video. 14 August 2011. How does the cost of marijuana compare to the cost of marinol? 16 June 08. ProCon. org. Web. 16 August 2011. Majorities of Americans Support Legalizing Medical Marijuana in Their State. 31 March 2011. Harris interactive. Web. 16 August 2011. Marijuana and the Human Body. Schaffer Library of Drug Policy. Web. 16 August 2011. Marinol Versus Natural Cannabis Pros, Cons, and Options for Patients. The NationalOrganization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. 11 August 05. www. NORML. com. Web. 16 August 11. Research Supports Medicinal Marijuana by Rick Weiss. 13 February 2007. The WashingtonPost. com. Web. 15 August 2011. Should marijuana be a medical option? 25 July 2011. MedicalMarijuana. ProCon. org. Web. 13 August 2011. Van Tuyl, Christine. Introducing Issues With Opposing Viewpoints Marijuana. United States:MI, 2007. Print. Who are the patients receiving medical marijuana through the federal governmentsCompassionate IND program? 9 Sep 10. Procon. org. Web. 14 August 2011.

Free Essays on O Pioneers

During the middle to late 1800’s, thousands upon thousands of Americans, as well as foreigners, flocked to the mid-western part of the United States. They flocked to this area hoping to gain free or cheap land promised to them by the United States Government. Most of the â€Å"pioneers† left cities and factory jobs to venture out into the American prairies and become farmers. They left their homes, not only because the land was either free or cheap, but also because they wanted to leave the hardships of city life. However, as most would find out, prairie life had its’ share of hardships, that far out-reached the hardships of city life. Among these hardships were the death of siblings and friends due to starvation and/or hard work. Pioneers also had to face the stresses and burdens of trying to make a living off of the land. Along with these stress’s, they had to worry about how to make money off of the land. All of these hardships, as well as others, were portrayed in Willa Cather’s â€Å"O’ Pioneers†. In the beginning of the novel, we meet the Bergson family. As one reads the beginning chapters of the novel, one learns that the Bergson family has dealt with an awful toll on the family. They lost two children in between the births of Lou and Oscar. Not only did they lose two children, who they surely loved dearly, they lost a herd of cattle to a blizzard. They lost a very important plowing horse to a broken leg. They lost their hogs due to cholera. They also lost an important breeding stallion. All of these hardships occurred within a relatively short time of eleven years. Then at the end of chapter two, the Bergson’s lost the head of their family in John. With the loss of the father, the family had to undertake the stresses and burdens of supporting themselves. As one reads the remainder of the novel, one learns that the Bergson’s lost their friends in Marie, their own family member in Emil, and an other friend in Amedee. Af... Free Essays on O Pioneers Free Essays on O Pioneers During the middle to late 1800’s, thousands upon thousands of Americans, as well as foreigners, flocked to the mid-western part of the United States. They flocked to this area hoping to gain free or cheap land promised to them by the United States Government. Most of the â€Å"pioneers† left cities and factory jobs to venture out into the American prairies and become farmers. They left their homes, not only because the land was either free or cheap, but also because they wanted to leave the hardships of city life. However, as most would find out, prairie life had its’ share of hardships, that far out-reached the hardships of city life. Among these hardships were the death of siblings and friends due to starvation and/or hard work. Pioneers also had to face the stresses and burdens of trying to make a living off of the land. Along with these stress’s, they had to worry about how to make money off of the land. All of these hardships, as well as others, were portrayed in Willa Cather’s â€Å"O’ Pioneers†. In the beginning of the novel, we meet the Bergson family. As one reads the beginning chapters of the novel, one learns that the Bergson family has dealt with an awful toll on the family. They lost two children in between the births of Lou and Oscar. Not only did they lose two children, who they surely loved dearly, they lost a herd of cattle to a blizzard. They lost a very important plowing horse to a broken leg. They lost their hogs due to cholera. They also lost an important breeding stallion. All of these hardships occurred within a relatively short time of eleven years. Then at the end of chapter two, the Bergson’s lost the head of their family in John. With the loss of the father, the family had to undertake the stresses and burdens of supporting themselves. As one reads the remainder of the novel, one learns that the Bergson’s lost their friends in Marie, their own family member in Emil, and an other friend in Amedee. Af...

China Social Relations and Public Life Under Mao Zedong and Deng Essay

China Social Relations and Public Life Under Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping - Essay Example Moreover, the strategy was to open China to the rest of the world through the adoption of various reconstruction policies. Moreover, Deng Xiaoping in the second half of 20th century put various policies that saw China become an economic hub and one of the main contributors in global economy. Consequently, China is now posing a great challenge to major economies of the world and the already existing superpowers. A China foreign relation has changed tremendously since 1949. This was to ensure the issue of national interest prevails and to safeguard its diplomacy status. Both Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping were part of these foreign changes and important symbols of Chinese history at this period. The history of republic of China can be divided into reign of Mao Zedong (1949-1976) and the reign of Deng Xiaoping (1978-1997) (Hephaestus Books 80-84). This paper seeks to compare and contrast China’s social relations and public life under Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Under the leadersh ip of Mao, China saw a change in foreign relations strategies. Mao foreign strategies were mostly to safeguard the security interest of the people republic of China. Moreover, Mao ensured that there was protection of China’s state sovereignty and its territory from countries surrounding it especially Japan. Mao foreign strategies can therefore, be summarized as a means of survival and security maintenance (Slavicek 28-35). However, in Deng Xiaoping’s era the strategies adopted by Mao changed significantly. In his reign, the priorities of foreign relations changed significantly. Consequently, Deng purpose was to ensure there was international sobriety so as modernization could be achieved in the republic of China. Moreover, Deng fought for the founding of the latest worldwide political and economic systems. Deng issues of modernization were aimed at overseeing China unification through the return of Taiwan, resistance of hegemonies and ensure sustenance of world peace. Furthermore, economic construction was the underlying factor of these set goals (Kau and Marsh 337-345). In addition, Mao foreign relations strategies were based on war and revolutions. In contrast, theme of peace and development strategies characterized Deng era. Mao was generally influenced by a protracted revolutionary war in establishing communism in China. Mao Zedong take on China was that it was a revolutionary country and therefore could support revolution in other parts of the world. Mao believed that world could only be shaped through revolution (Slavicek 56-60). However, there was a change in this policy during Deng’s era. Deng advocated for peace and had a notion that world war could be belated and avoided. Deng also believed that world status could only be achieved through peace and developments (Kau and Marsh 75). In addition, under the leadership of Mao, foreign relations were achieved through the perspective of an international united front. This was one of the three factors instituted under the communist revolution and regime of Mao Zedong. The unitary system was to ensure there was success in fighting a common enemy and therefore, involved forming allies with friendly nations (Slavicek 72). However, in the era of Deng Xiaoping, the issue of alliance was dropped from the policies and autonomy and non-alliance was part of this administration. Under Deng, China’s relation with two superpowers became minimal and fought to have an edge in the global arena. There was no formal recognition of any

Reading notes Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Reading notes - Article Example Theodore cites the railroad business and Hollywood as two examples of businesses that have suffered the effects of myopia, also referred to as shortsightedness (Theodore, 2004). The invention of airplanes and cars pushed railway transport out of business, and they lost customers because they focused on the railroad business, and not the transportation business. They concentrated more on the product, railroad, rather than on their customers in the transportation business. Similarly, Hollywood concentrated in the movie business, rather than the entertainment business, which resulted in their fizzling out after the invention of television (Theodore, 2004). The two examples show that narrowing down the scope of a business is detrimental to growth. In the end, it makes a business susceptible to future competition. As population growth continues, so is the consumer base (Theodore, 2004. Management should focus on strategies that produce followers, in terms of customers. Largely, customer-creating and customer-satisfying strategies are relevant in virtually all sectors of the economy, and are more important than production strategies. The most important part in the article is that customers are the most significant asset of an organization, and managers must ensure they retain them through establishment of strategies that apply to their demands and are responsive of future

Emergency Procedures in a Suspected Plant Assignment

Emergency Procedures in a Suspected Plant - Assignment Example This is just precautionary regardless of whether the spill has taken place or not. After this individual with the requisite knowledge of the chemicals involved in the plant can the go into the plant and perform chemical tests on the physical elements in the factory, this may be air and any fluids or solids in the area. These tests should then point out whether there has been a spill in the plant or not. It is seen clearly that in the event of a spill most definitely hazardous materials will be involved. In this connection, there have to be ways of safeguarding the individuals who will be responding to the spill. These are the first responders and the other subsequent responders. This will involve the use of spill kits which in most cases contain a variety of contents that will be used. Some of these include various kinds of chemical absorbents such as universal spill absorbent, bromine neutralizer among others. Others components include neoprene gloves, goggles, vinyl boots and corrosive aprons among others. There are various ways through which diseases can be transmitted. These are the infectious diseases which can be transmitted from one person to another or alternatively from an animal to a human being. The responders should recognize the various ways through which the diseases can be transmitted and come up with ways that they can protect themselves. Examples of such ways include secluding the affected areas, putting on protective gear and also putting the affected individuals on quarantine. These will go a long way in trying to curb the diseases from spreading or infecting them. In the handling of the diseases, there are a number of tools and equipment that the responders can use to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The most important among these is the respirator. This is especially used if the disease being handled is transmitted through the air. Diseases that are transmitted through fluids can best be prevented from  spreading if the liquid testing equipment is used.  

Analysis of Chinas Healthcare Systems

Analysis of Chinas Healthcare Systems China went through a drastic change in 1978 from communism to a better economic change by Deng Xiaoping. He ushered china into new era. Even though he made huge reforms economically, China was lacking any significant reforms in medical systems. China prior to 1978 had a centralized medical system. Now its split between private and public services. Chinas public healthcare is inconsistent. The developed and established cities have easy and direct access to hospitals and lot of advanced medical services but the rural areas and towns dont have even basic medical needs. The quality in some health care facilities is up to Western standards even though their methods are different. (Gao,chen,4). Health care system is divided into government and private sector. Government provided majority of healthcare infrastructure and private sector provided majority of health funding. China urban health care system implemented new Basic Medical Insurance system (BIS) for urban employees, co-funded by employer and employee. Also, launched pilot projects to cover urban residents even outside workforce. Rural Health care system was also started consists of new co-operative medical health insurance system co-funded by government and rural population. By the end of 2007, NCMS covered 86% or rural population and is target to cover 100% by 2010. China is one of the fastest ageing countries and has more people aged 65 years. Chinas health care system during 1948-1978. Centrally Planned. Health care for all. Reimbursement system. Urban Health Insurance Plans GIS and LIS. Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (CMS). Face of healthcare was barefoot doctor. No private clinics/hospitals. Another reform between 1978- 2000, decentralization Healthcare responsibility shifted to local bodies. Collapse of traditional healthcare system. Out-of-pocket expenditure increased drastically.   Permission granted for profit hospitals and clinics. Between 2000 -2005, merger of GIS and LIS into Basic Urban Employee Health Insurance plan à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Rural co-operative medical scheme launched. Commercial insurers allowed to enter market. And in 2005-2012, healthcare for all. The new health care reforms focused on expanding health insurance coverage and improve healthcare system. The reforms also focused improving the quality in delivery of health services. Chinas elderly population is around 200 million and is increasing but their health-care and facilities are decreasing. Due to lack of health-care 3/4th of their elderly population is suffering from non-communicable diseases. Their health care system is unfair and is not changed according to the meeting needs of new age. Only a small percentage of population is covered by proper health-care. The elderly population has only few nursing homes and rehabilitation services. (Hamed,3) Moreover, the elderly population have less knowledge about safeties and precautions. Health-care education and promotion of safety guidelines are necessary. Many diseases can be avoided with by properly educating and spreading the safety principles. Public health care funding decreased over the years and at the same time house hold expenditure raised. China tried to change and improve their health-care system over the years through fee for service plan to reimbursement affects even then the health-care system is under stress. Increasing in the number of aging population and decrease in younger generations will cripple the country in the future. Moreover, the ageing population is a burden on the economy. (Wang, Chen,1). Government Initiatives to Meet Elderly Society Challenge. Implementation of various chronic-disease prevention programs at national level. Local government agencies training laid-off workers in long-term care. New reforms enabled for special geriatric medical training at undergraduate level. The number of geriatric units also are increased. Government and private organization efforts has increased elderly home and gave raise to many new nursing homes. Community based elderly care services were also started in many urban areas. Government has understood the health issues and started to allocate more funds towards imp roving elderly care. Chinas government health expenditure spending is very low according to international standards per capita expenditure is also low. Between 1987-2007, China has increased its efforts in improving health status of its population. Chronic diseases, non-communicable diseases accounted for 80% deaths. People of china had a high exposure rate to risk factors. Since 2003, many safety precautions and awareness campaigns are lead to protect people from infectious diseases. Health organizations also have focused eradicating water borne illness. Later huge investments were carried out to stop water borne pollution. A new national environmental performance information disclosure program has also been started to improve health care. Chinas population relatively young by international standards à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢However, rapid aging will soon begin in China. Chinas one child policy and aging population are creating huge economic and social challenges for society from growing and developing. These are some of the issues that are causing stress on Chinas health care system. References 1) Gao, Chen, Xu, Fei, and Liu, Gordon G. Payment Reform and Changes in Health Care in China. Social Science Medicine 111 (2014): 10. Web. 2)  Hamed, Abdula. The Problems of Chinas Health Care System Reasons for This Development and Improvement Suggestions. Hamburg: Diplomica Verlag, 2010. Web. 3) Wang, and Chen. Population Ageing Challenges Health Care in China.The Lancet 383.9920 (2014): 870. Web. 4)  The Lancet. Ageing in China: A Ticking Bomb. The Lancet 388.10056 (2016): 2058. Web.

The Hippie Counterculture Essays -- Culture Hippies American History E

The Hippie Counterculture The Hippie Movement changed the politics and the culture in America in the 1960s. When the nineteen fifties turned into the nineteen sixties, not much had changed, people were still extremely patriotic, the society of America seemed to work together, and the youth of America did not have much to worry about, except for how fast their car went or what kind of outfit they should wear to the Prom. After 1963, things started to slowly change in how America viewed its politics, culture, and social beliefs, and the group that was in charge of this change seemed to be the youth of America. The Civil Rights Movement, President Kennedy’s death, new music, the birth control pill, the growing illegal drug market, and the Vietnam War seemed to blend together to form a new counterculture in America, the hippie. Unlike the society before this movement, the hippie did not try to change America through violence, the hippie tried to change things through peace and love. The Hippie Movement was a moment during the mid 1960s through the early 1070s where sex, drugs and Rock-n-Roll, was at the forefront of mainstream society. No one really knows the true definition of a Hippie, but a formal definition describes the hippie as one who does not conform to social standards, advocating a liberal attitude and lifestyle. Phoebe Thompson wrote, â€Å"Being a hippie is a choice of philosophy. Hippies are generally antithetical to structured hierarchies, such as church, government, and social castes. The ultimate goal of the hippie movement is peace, attainable only through love and toleration of the earth and each other. Finally, a hippie needs freedom, both physical freedom to experience life and mental freeness to remain open-minded† (Thompson12-13). Many questions are asked when trying to f igure out how this movement reached so many of America’s youth, and what qualities defined a hippie as a hippie? The nineteen fifties was a decade of prosperous times in America, but the average lifestyle of an American seemed extremely dull. The average American conformed to social norms, most Americans in the nineteen fifties dressed alike, talked the same way, and seemed to have the same types of personality. Music is what started to change the conformist lifestyle in America. Teenagers started to rebellion against their families by listening to Rock-n-Roll... ...them. The hippie counterculture was a fun time for everyone who experienced it, but they now had families to support and had to survive in the business world. The hippies tried to create a foundation of love and peace around the world, but essentially failed. They did contribute to black civil rights, the end of the Vietnam War, women’s and homosexual rights in America. Even though the Hippie Movement is over, it is still remembered through its music and stories that were passed down from parents to their children. A little peace of the Hippie Era still survives inside the spirit of America today, and will continue to live as long as the music is still played and people have a hope for peace and love throughout the world. Bibliography 1. Buchholz, Ted, ed. The National Experience: A History of the United States. New York, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers: 1993 2. Manning, Robert. The Vietnam Experience: A Nation Divided. Boston, Boston Publishing Company: 1984. 3. Thompson, Phoebe. The Flower Childern. New York, Prentice Hall: 1989 4. www.us.glamour.com .Michaels, Lisa. Making a fashion statement. Glamour Magazine (May 1998).Last visited 2-28-05