Tom Connelly Art Show in the Hoyt Art Institute of Fine Arts

The Hoyt Art Institute of Fine Arts is located in New Castle, PA. Tom Connelly's artwork was displayed on January 10 through February 24. Connelly has taught at Penn State University, Art Institute of New Kensington. The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts offers a variety of education classes for children and adults. Sonya Domaracki, a junior art major, explains why this drawing is her favorite artwork in Tom Connelly's gallery.

Legalizing Marijuana: Both Sides of the Issue

The subject about legalizing marijuana is a controversial idea.

Marijuana can significantly impair the body and mental functions. It is associated with memory loss, cancer, immune system deficiencies, heart disease, and birth defects, according to Stimson.

Marijuana has negative effects on the heart and lungs, according to NIDA. Marijuana uses have about five times greater risk in getting a heart attack within the first hour of smoking. Since the heart rate increases palpitations and arrhythmias occur. Marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke which irritates the lungs more.

Marijuana can become an addictive drug if it is used for a prolonged time. Long-term users, who are trying to quit, can experience irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving. Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana (CALM) are against the legalization of marijuana usage. In 2006, FDA found a vast amount of scientific evidence that marijuana is harmful.

Eight states might legalize marijuana in 2012, according to NORML. The states are California, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington. States may regulate marijuana like alcohol and tax on them. By using marijuana, the US government can make more money by putting taxes on it, according to URI.

People can also receive health benefits from using marijuana, according to URI. The American Medical Association says that marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol, cigarettes, and even most over-the-counter medicines or prescriptions. Although marijuana smoke contains more tars and carbon monoxide than tobacco, marijuana users don’t smoke as much as cigarette users. Therefore, they don’t get the full potential and harmful toxins.

Since 1972, 16 of 50 US states and DC have legalized the medical usage of marijuana, according to ProCon. Using marijuana is a safe and effective drug for treating symptoms of cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, pain, glaucoma, and epilepsy, according to ProCon.

Tiger Mom Amy Chua

Amy Chua

Amy Chua is known for sharing controversial topics in her book, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” which was rated number six in the Amazon sales rankings on the day that it was released, according to Washington Times. Some argued that she committed a crime for abusing her children, according to New York Times.

Amy Chua is the John M. Duff Professor of Law at Yale Law School, according to Amychua.com. Chua is a known power on international business transactions, ethnic conflicts, law and development, and globalization and the law, according to SpeakersAcademy.com.

She was born in the Year of the Tiger (1962) in Champaign, Illinois. In 1984, she graduated from Harvard College, and in 1987, she graduated Harvard Law School.

Recently, Chua wrote the Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance—and Why they Fall and World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability, according to Yale.edu.

If I were to interview Amy Chua, my first question would be, “Have you ever considered what makes your children happy as opposed to making yourself happy?”

I picked Washington Times and New York Times as a reliable source because both papers are well-known and are written by professional writers. AmyChua.com is a dependable site created by Jefferson Rabb who is a freelance designer, developer, and composer for websites. SpeakersAcademy.com started in 1997 and is a leading institute for professional speakers. Yale.edu has an “edu” domain extension, and other sites say that she wrote for the same books.