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1			Whether or not marijuana should be legal for medicinal purposes is currently a controversial topic in the United States. Explore the Web site of a group that advocates legalizing marijuana for such purposes—Americans for Safe Access (http://www.safeaccessnow.org)—and see whether you agree with their views. First, examine the photographs of people at the top of the page. In your view, are these photographs supposed to represent potential marijuana smokers? How would you characterize the people in these photographs? Do they look "deviant," "stoned," or "high" to you? How would a sociologist interpret the selection of these particular photographs, given the social perception of marijuana smoking as a deviant act? Link to "Our Mission" in the drop-down menu under "About Us." Do you see any informal terms associated with marijuana or hippie culture used here—such as pot, weed, pigs, or fuzz? How would a sociologist explain the lack of such lingo? Click on this link (http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/long%20term%20cannabis%20effects.pdf) and open the article "Long-Term Effects of Exposure to Cannabis." Legal substances such as alcohol can also have damaging health effects. From a sociological perspective, why are you more likely to read about the potential negative health effects of marijuana than about the negative health effects of beer or wine? This article concludes that most people will not suffer ill health effects from the occasional use of marijuana. Given this, why do you think this organization doesn't focus its efforts more broadly on making marijuana legal for recreational as well as medical use? How might this be related to the social and legal status of marijuana smokers?




2			Can ordinary Americans take action to prevent crime? The Neighborhood Watch Program of the National Sheriff's Association believes they can. Find out how by visiting their web site at http://www.usaonwatch.org. Click on "About USAonwatch" at the bottom of the page. Read through the information on this page, as well as the information in the "More About Neighborhood Watch" link. How would you describe the Neighborhood Watch Program? Based on what you see on this page, with which explanation(s) of crime is the concept of a neighborhood watch most consistent? Why? One passage notes that, in addition to using the Neighborhood Watch Program to prevent crime, in many neighborhoods it has become a way to "restore pride and unity to a neighborhood." By what mechanisms do you think this occurs? Could "restoring pride and unity" in a neighborhood have an impact on crime rates? Have you ever lived in a neighborhood where a neighborhood watch program was initiated? If so, did it appear to lead to a reduction in crime? Were there any difficulties in establishing and maintaining the program?

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