Marijuan A Theoretical Analysis

References 1. Bearman, P. (2011, November 30). Medical Marijuana. In Procon.org. Retrieved from www.procon.org 2.

Marijuana is a mixture of the dried parts of the cannabis sativa hemp plant. Excessive marijuana use can lead to an addiction. The main chemical in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which moves quickly through the bloodstream and to the brain, causing mild hallucinogenic effects. THC binds with cannabdnob receptors and activates neurons, which causes adverse effects on the mind and body. THC can mimic or block actions of neurotransmitters and interfere with normal functions. Marijuana use can lead to disturbed thoughts and can worsen psychotic symptoms. The short-term effects of marijuana include impaired coordination; skewed sensory and time perception; difficulty with thinking; shortened attention span and distractibility; impaired learning and memory. Long term users of marijuana often experience lowered motivation and some can experience anxiety, panic attacks, respiratory illness, and increased heart rate and risk of heart attack.

The use of medical cannabis seems to be extremely effective in treating a wide variety of neurological disorders Without the use of cannabis, the treatments of these disorders have to be altered to accommodate certain needs. Source C is a survey, statistic, conducted in California found that 92 percent of patients claim that medical marijuana worked for their specific issue. The results also found that a significant portion of people who used medical marijuana were for reasons that do not have effective alternative treatments, such as migraine headaches. Source E brings up that cannabis causes some of the same effects that other drugs have on the body, although there are not nearly as many long term effects that the drug has on the body, supporting Source C. The legalization of cannabis for medical use would allow these treatments to occur, and therefore allow more people around the country to have more functionable lives. The legalization of cannabis is not an extreme risk, but rather a positive influential decision for the better health of many in the American

Some environmental factors of schizophrenia can be the over use of marijuana during the teenage years. As you can see in figure two a person who has developed schizophrenia has lost grey matter in their brain which can be see through a brain scan. After long use of marijuana, it causes similar outcomes to the brain and the loss of grey matter.

Studies have proven that marijuana is no more harmful to a person’s health than alcohol or tobacco. Every year, tobacco kills roughly 390,000 people, alcohol contributes to 80,000 deaths in America and marijuana contributed to 0; no deaths from marijuana have ever been recorded in US history (Abovetheinfluence.org). When smoking tobacco, the user inhales tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, and 200 other known poisons into the lungs (Abovetheinfluence.org). All forms of tobacco, including cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, and chewing tobacco, contain the addictive drug nicotine, and can also cause cancer. Alcohol alters a person's perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing. Alcohol plays a role in at least 50 percent of traffic deaths, about half of murders, and about 25 percent of suicides (Abovetheinfluence.org). Marijuana side effects include delusions, impaired memory, hallucinations and disorientation, which are no different from the side effects of alcohol alone.

Using marijuana has been connected to paranoia, anxiety, depression, short-term forgetfulness, lung cancer and even heart attacks. It can complicate medical conditions like liver disease, low blood pressure, or diabetes. Some people use it to calm their anxiety or to escape their problems, but research shows a link between marijuana use and mental health problems (Web MD).

Savoie tried everything from breaking up with his girlfriend and avoiding people to try and stop his depression, not really thinking it could be a drug issue until he consulted with a doctor. Previous to his consulting with a doctor Savoie had many minor fights that caused him to get really upset. There are many more stories out there similar to Savoies that just have not been talked about. There is even a term for the mellow feel that marijuana users get after a high: the stoners. Another mental disorder that is caused by marijuana is an acute psychotic reaction or marijuana-induced psychosis. In one instance of this, a young teenager aged around 19 had eaten a marijuana cookie meant for to be eaten by multiple people and lost his touch with reality. This young man jumped out the window after damaging and breaking many things in his hotel room: killing himself. Also, “in another horrific incident, a Denver man ate marijuana-infused candy and a few hours later begun ranting and raving. He then took out a gun and killed his wife” (Goldstein 70). This Denver Man’s loss of reality is also because of a case of marijuana-induced

Marijuana can have very damaging affects on a person?s brain. It can impair a person?s short-term memory, decision-making and signal detection (Cannabinoids). ?In one study conducted in Memphis, TN, researchers found that, of 150 reckless drivers who were tested for drugs at the arrest scene, 33 percent tested positive for marijuana? (Marijuana). After having used marijuana a

Some marijuana users may experience psychological distress following marijuana ingestion. Effects may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. This is known as toxic psychosis. Though these experiences are frightening, the effects are only temporary and are attributed to the ingestion of large

It is true, of course, that marijuana kills brain cells and tissue. Smoking or consuming marijuana in any way can be very harmful to the brain (Katel). Though there is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults, marijuana users will experience loss of brain cells, which can be dangerous but does not cause permanent mental illnesses. The human brain is required to live, breathe, and carry out any action throughout life. Consuming massive amounts of marijuana will destroy brain cells, which are vital to trigger thoughts, movements, interactions, and memory. The tissue within our brains eventually corrode due to marijuana usage. Like all tissues and organs in the human body, brain tissue serve many different functions, and when the functions are limited, the tissue deteriorate (Borden). Daily use of marijuana could make the smoker experience psychological distress following marijuana intake, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, paranoia, and loss of memory.

Marijuana does have side effects. Your body and mind be relaxed to the point that you can be in your own world. It can cause a person to be paranoid and temporary loss of memory. Marijuana can also have hyperphagia, which is excessive hunger. Medical marijuana can make a person lazy. Medical marijuana can help people with insomnia because it can help a person sleep. Marijuana can make a person be alert and in some people, marijuana can help a person function and think things clearer like dealing with psychological problems depending on the person.

In reality, marijuana has the effect of slightly increasing alpha-wave activity in your brain. Alpha waves are generally associated with meditative and relaxed states, which are, in turn, often associated with human creativity

However, there is accumulating evidence of the psychological consequences of using marijuana. Many chronic marijuana smokers have a psychosis that is now medically deemed as, “A-motivational Syndrome” (Chopra 38). A psychosis is a condition where a person experiences some loss of contact with reality. A person with a psychosis can experience any or more of the following symptoms: auditory hallucinations (hearing voices that aren't really there), visual hallucinations (seeing things which aren't there), delusions (believing things that aren't true), jumbled thoughts and strange behavior. Patients with A-motivational Syndrome are left with the well-recognized and permanent symptoms of memory loss, apathy and loss of motivation (Chopra 38). After marijuana started to be widely used approximately 20 years ago, for permanent damage to occur it was felt by some that marijuana had to be heavily used over at least three years. However, there is accumulating evidence that smaller amounts will do damage. It is logical that to get the permanent “ A-motivational Syndrome”, small amounts of damage have to accumulate incrementally (Chopra 40). Although many marijuana connoisseurs of today may totally deny that that the use of this drug has lasting effects on the brain, research findings clearly indicate that long-term use of marijuana produces changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term use of other major drugs of abuse (Erickson 89).

It also significantly reduces the ability for cancer to spread. Research shows that in cannabis, cannabidiol helps stop the spread of breast cancer. This does the same this as chemotherapy, but without the pain and unpleasant side effects. Marijuana can’t cause any permanent mental illness. Today marijuana is stronger than it was back in the 70s but it is not anymore dangerous. Less than 1% of people who smoke marijuana become dependent on it, and it is very unlikely to become addicted.

Within the past decade, there have been many studies on the subject of marijuana, or cannabis, in the hopes of becoming aware of the long-term consequences. One popular psychological study is the relationship between marijuana and schizophrenia. The research on this subject focuses on the hypothesis of marijuana directly causing schizophrenia, and if it does, should marijuana be sold with a warning label, advising people of the long-term risks.