INQ-110 | Marijuana: Science & Culture

Full Title: Marijuana: Science, Politics, and Culture

Topic Description:

Marijuana is a drug that has a new focus and attention, but it is far from a new drug. Marijuana and laws regarding it have been part of our history for at least 100 years. In this course we will ask: What does marijuana do? Is it a legitimately useful drug, or are claims about its usefulness overblown? Is it potentially dangerous, or are claims about its dangers unlikely? How has marijuana use and laws regarding it shaped our political landscape? How has marijuana use been part of our culture? Students will read scientific sources to assess the usefulness and dangers of marijuana and will balance the two issues to make informed decisions about the relative merits on it. Students will also examine historical perspectives of marijuana and how those perspectives reflect attitudes of the time, especially attitudes about ethnic minorities. Students will see how those perspectives fed and continue to feed into narratives about political and cultural issues.

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: April 2018