Cannabis Sativa, the scientific name for a plant and drug known commonly as weed, pot, marijuana, Mary Jane and more.

The controversy over this widely used drug, regarding whether or not the positives outweigh the negatives, is largely prevalent in today’s society. However, according to a recent report from ABC News there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of younger users beginning as young as twelve years old.

The stoner stereotype seems to exist more in a high school setting, but continues to be a popular phrase among adults. This stereotype is especially noted in a few states and cities where cannabis is legal, most notably being Colorado, Oregon and Washington for their legalization of both medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. Despite medicinal marijuana being legalized in Illinois since the law went into effect Jan. 1, 2014, schools still face the very real problem of recreational use of the drug by their students. Whether its medicinal or recreational use, weed impacts and impedes a variety of functions on the body, especially for adolescents.

Some students within Antioch Community High School aren’t exempt from using weed recreationally. Jeffrey, a student who wishes to remain anonymous, is one of those students. Even though some students participate in using weed, other students choose to avoid the drug. Melanie, a student who wishes to remain anonymous, is a student who has never experienced the affects of cannabis.

“The first time I smoked was my sophomore year in high school,” Jeffrey said. “I started smoking because I was curious. I was curious what it felt like and why people who smoked loved it so much. Since then, I have smoked consistently and have not regretted one thing about it. When I asked most people if they like weed, usually they love it or they’ve never smoked.”

Melanie among the crowd that responds to Jeffrey’s question with a resounding “no.”

“I’ve never smoked weed,” she said. “I’ve just never wanted to. It’s not that I’m extremely opposed to it or I’ve never been in a situation where I could have, it has just never been especially appealing to me.”

Although studies show there are medicinal benefits of cannabis use, there are other reasons the use of this drug can cause inhibit day-to-day life. According to Healthline, a website for health advice, a few drawbacks of smoking include impaired judgement, memory recall, delayed reaction time, withdrawal and immature brain development. As for the positive affects, according to New Health Advisor, a daily health care website, smoking can relieve pain, help stop cancer from spreading, treat glaucoma, decrease anxiety and help reverse the carcinogenic effects of tobacco.

The bodily effects extend to emotional and social responses to peers and family members.

“All of my friends smoke weed, and honestly, I love it,” Jeffrey said. “No, we are not addicted. No, we do not depend on it. In fact, I’ve seen many of my friends go on tolerance breaks for long periods of time to prove to themselves that they aren’t. I love that we all have something in common that we like to do. We nonstop laugh and go on adventures and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Despite Melanie not being a smoker, not all of her friends share the same belief.

“A lot of my friends smoke weed, and a lot of them don’t,” she said. “I don’t judge people based on whether or not they do, I don’t really see it as a big deal. I see it more as just something they like to do, not a major character trait.”

Marijuana is illegal in most states, despite the pros and cons, and is supposed to be prohibited on the national level. It is also evident that weed is a powerful drug, considering it can help prevent cancer from spreading, as well as having the ability to impair many bodily functions. However, it is up to the user on whether or not the consequences to their body and the law are worth the high.