Illumination Rounds

In Smoke Drug use Is often viewed as a way to create or enhance an activity, still some do drugss atomic number 18 commsolely used for other reasons. In Illumination Rounds by Michael Herr, Herr documents his experiences during the Vietnam War. He writes slightly the wide use of ganja to help soldiers, and even journalists, cope with the stress that comes from being in a war. The use of marijuana to relieve stress is still prevalent in todays society, twain in popular culture and real life. Many artists much(prenominal) as Bob Marble, Asher Roth and 8. . 8. Openly express their affection for marijuana and the short term term of a contract of stress smoking marijuana gives them. Researchers are finding that not only Is the use of marijuana to relieve stress seen In Vietnam and popular culture today, but it is also a problem among a rising number of youth throughout the united States, and even beyond. Illumination Rounds was published in 1969 and was a firsthand account by Michae l Herr about his conviction covering the war in Vietnam. The essay is made up of a collection experiences.These vignettes often are about the stress and hardships of being In a war on the other side of the world, fighting for someone elses freedoms. Of the ways Herr writes that soldiers dealt with the stress of war, drugs was the more or less prevalent. The primary drug written about is grass or marijuana. There are multiple accounts of Herr smoking marijuana with soldiers. In one account he goes to a soldiers stomach off base and they smoke marijuana before some friends come over, then smoke more once the friends show up. A second time is when he Is waiting for a helicopter to depart for where he needs to go.He waits with a soldier who is trying to get on a helicopter to a different location, but while they wait together they smoke a joint and share stories. In popular culture there are umpteen references to the use of marijuana to relieve stress and escape the troubles of life . In a song entitled Cloud 9 by Bobby Ray Simmons, or cognize by his st eld name as B. O. B. , he talks about this rattling use of marijuana. 8. 08. Opens the song by saying, I am walking along a very cold road and Wherever It ends and where It begins I do not know But Ive noticed that He keeps rolling that Itll take you anywhere no matter where youre going (B. . B. Cloud 9) In this excerpt B. O. B. Is referencing the long path he is on to try to sign with a record label. He says he does not know where his Journey begins or ends, but rolling up a joint takes him away from the long path to wherever he wants to be. Because It Is fetching him away from his peels to get signed, he says he keeps rolling that to escape. The use of marijuana to escape the hardships is brought up again later in the first verse of the song when he says, It mint goanna be no pain Im about to let it go. Goodbye, Ill be gone for a while Im on cloud 9. (B. . B. Cloud 9) This Is a direct reference to letting the pain of his past denials and stresses of a marijuana induced high. Both the soldiers and B. O. B. Use marijuana to escape the pain and stress of life. referable to the fact that the high only lasts a limited time, they continually smoke more marijuana to escape. Both B. O. B. And the soldiers in Vietnam use up to deal with a struggle to cope with the growing pains of having to mature quickly and the stress of being on a Journey that the ending is nowhere in sight. The types of pain as well as the levels of stress endured by B. . B. And soldiers in Vietnam may not be comparable, but the method to deal with their hardships is the same, smoking marijuana. The use of party drugs, such as marijuana, is more common than previously thought. The use of these drugs to mask the stresses of life is at an all time high, and continually on the rise. The alarming rise in abuse of party drugs was a main topic at the Cesar E. Shave Behavioral Health Conference earlier in March. The conference was discussed in an hold entitled Expert Teens use party drugs to deal with stress, written for The Arizona Republic.Karol Jumpier, a researcher and substance abuse treatment expert from the University of Utah, explained this problem during he conference when she said, In the last two or three years, weve had a significant surge in alcohol, ecstasy, prescription drugs and marijuana use among teens. And you notice that those are all the party drugs. (Expert Teens use party drugs to deal with stress). The article goes on to explain that she believes this rise in the use of these drugs is due to the frugal stresses and a lack of time parents spend with their children.She said that parents have spent about one-third less time with their kids over the past three years, an norm of 4. 2 hours per week (Expert Teens use arty drugs to deal with stress). The lack of time spent with parents around raises the amount of independence required of kids who shouldnt have to be on their own. Bei ng alone and having to do homework without someone to help or having to make yourself a meal can be very stressful for someone too young to have such independence. Kids tour to party drugs is very similar to the soldiers in Vietnam who used many of the same drugs.Both were, for the some part, young and overwhelmed by responsibility and their surroundings. The soldiers were fighting a war, which many f them were drafted into as opposed to signing up, that was horrific beyond imagination at an age where many should have still been in school. They were all forced to grow up quickly or risk death from not being prompt for life. Kids who dont have their parents around face the same issue as the soldiers, they have to grow up too quickly. The stress of having to be mature and responsible beyond your years is what has driven a rising number of youth to turn to drugs, such as marijuana, to cover the stress.Marijuana use is becoming more prevalent in society and culture in todays life, su ch like it was during the Vietnam War. The use of marijuana to help alleviate stress was documented by Michael Herr in Illumination Rounds and by B. O. B. In his song Cloud 9. Researchers and experts are documenting a sharp and continuing increase in the use of drugs like marijuana to deal with stress. repayable to the rising number of households with all present parents work, there is little that can be done to help curtail the rising number of teens turning to drugs. rectify and more readily and out of danger.Educating the youth on the negative effects drugs can have on the odd is another way to prevent kids from turning to drugs as a stress reliever. The biggest impact, however, can be made if entertainers and people kids look up to do not glorify the use of drugs. In Hip-Hop, the most prevalent music among inner-city neighborhoods with at risk youth, the use of drugs is promoted and talked about as if it is a normal and acceptable way to deal with stress. If a culture could be created where the people kids look up to do not promote drugs, the next generation may be able to avoid the feeling that drugs are the only way to deal with stress.