Even in a society of saints there will be deviance, according to Emile Durkheim, one of the earliest thinkers of this study. Deviance exists everywhere in every society. One will always believe that one's behavior is unacceptable and thus label them as being deviant. Defining the term deviance branches off into different directions, one may coin a person's behavior morally, socially, medically or whatever them seem to consider as a deviant action. Cultures have also helped us define deviance. One culture may see a certain behavior as acceptable while another may dispute the behavior. Throughout our lifetime we all have engaged in some deviant way or form. Some of us may have been sanctioned informally or formally. A behavior that is usually sanctioned negatively or positively is the use of illegal drugs. Drugs have always been a major issue in this society as well as others ranging throughout this world. One of the more popular drug, Marijuana is used by many of youth today. The use of this drug is known for being a deviant act. This substance is illegal according to the United States law. There are hundreds of different terms and names for this drug such as, weed, bud, pot, Mary Jane, reefer and the list go on. There are also numerous ways for the drug to be administered but the most common forms of usage are through blunts, which is like a cigarette, pipes, or bongs. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug in the United States. Nearly 69 million Americans over the age of 12 have tried marijuana at least once?Other researchers have found that use of marijuana and other drugs usually peaks in the late teens and early twenties, then declines in later years.? Explaining why one may act in a behavior deemed as deviant varies from individual to individual. Two theories may help give us a better understanding as to why one would engage in the use of illegal drugs such as marijuana, the strain theory and differential association.
