Personal Narrative: When I Smoke Marijuana

Marijuana can help a person in many ways an individual person cannot. There are doctors who recommend marijuana to people with medical disorders. “The National Eating Disorder Association acknowledged marijuana as a viable treatment option.” (Arielle Pardes) One of the many physical effects marijuana has on someone includes a huge increase of appetite. Not only is it a good solution for people with eating disorders, it is also good for people who suffer with insomnia. “Cannabis Sativa L. has been utilized for treatments of pain and sleep disorders since the ancient times.”(Ethan Russo) Therefore, smoking marijuana helps people get the help they need to face the problems that they are suffering with.

Smoking of marijuana can cause the person to become addicted to cocaine, heroin, and other drugs. Heavy or daily use effects the parts that control memory, attention, and learning (Facts for Teens, 13). When teens are 12 and 13 they are more exposed to drugs and most likely don’t listen to their parents (Age in Stem., 1). Some other psychological side effects would be paranoia, anxiety, fatigue, Euphoria, and mood swings (Fact Sheet, 1). Studies have shown that when a person uses marijuana it causes the heart to beat faster and work harder (Fact Sheet, 2). When people have smoked large measures of marijuana for years, the drugs takes its charge on mental functions (Facts for Teens, 13).

b. Joe Messerli of Balancedpolitics.org, states, “There are a number of medical benefits of marijuana, most notably in the treatment of patients undergoing chemotherapy. Others believe it helps in the treatment of depression unlike alcohol.”

Many advocates say “ Marijuana is a common drug used by many people.”(Sandra) A lot of people think marijuana has numerous amounts of negative effects on the body. Marijuana helps the body in many different ways. It relaxes and relives stress from many people. It has been proven that marijuana does not kill brain cells, like most people seem to think it does. Marijuana also helps the creativity of people. It gives people new

When I first started thinking about my participant observation I had numerous ideas of what I could learn, but as I started to think about what I should do, then I realized I just started my own participant observation that I was already extremely dedicated to so I decided I could write it down for this class. My participant observation might be different from others, but I was extremely dedicated and devoted to learning everything I could about the helpful benefits of marijuana if grown organically and properly since countless times large grow facilities will use “organic” pesticides to spray plants to exterminate the bugs and they must wear suits just to spray the pesticides. Accordingly, I meet a truly experienced grower in the community which decided to mentor me and show me the ways of growing marijuana organically and in soil, which I had never tried before, I always worked in aero or hydroponic systems.

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.

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.

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.

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

People who smoke marijuana tend to be less aware of their surroundings. They slow down mentally and physically. They won’t be able to pay attention in class. This will ultimately make their grades drop. It can also lead to worse drugs such as meth and crack.

My condition brought me into a situation, were i had no other option than getting marihuana for medical purposes, “- some people actually need to ask for the doctor to cure the symptom…when unfortunately the cancer doesn't go away-”. I was spending money on a variety of medicines, until my kidney failed. The moment when you realized medicines you take to save your life are also killing you at the same time, you are screwed…Cancer does not only kill you physically it kills you mentally too. After a chemo, you suffer a phycological downturn that doesn't allow you to spend time with your family. Cancer did not kill me yet, but it made me stop enjoying life.

Just as there are medical benefits to marijuana, there are also non medical benefits for users. Though there are little known, there are many claims of benefits. There are reports of it being relaxing and pleasurable, but also that activities become more enjoyable due to its use (11 Non-Medical Benefits of Marijuana). Some pleasurable experiences include food, music, dancing, art, conversation, humor, and sex (Caulkins 84). Some people believe that by using marijuana in the past gives them more of a range of thought and enhances their work in mathematics and art (11 Non-Medical Benefits of Marijuana). Smoking marijuana can bring out a new side of people that would make them more outgoing and possibly unlock an unknown talent or ability. It is known that professional sports have the use of marijuana banned due to an improper advantage that the athlete using the drug may have over the other players (11 Non-Medical Benefits of Marijuana).

Heavy use of marijuana can be enjoyable but has consequences and causes quitting to tough but worth the effort. Being committed to the change you will realize that a drug-free lifestyle would improve your quality of life. Some benefits of quitting are noticing an improvement in memory, feeling an increase in energy, needing less sleep and not worrying about getting arrested or having legal problems. Although there is not a physical need for marijuana, there is mental need to get high which will cause a mental battle when stopping. Preparation is important when quitting this habit so learning the facts concerning marijuana and dependency is the first step. Overstimulation of certain systems in the body can cause brain changes which leads to

Marijuana has been found to alleviate symptoms of serious diseases. Asthma, glaucoma, and muscle spasms are just a few. It has also been proven to help a

Along with "getting high" from smoking marijuana, there are many problems that can occur both physically and mentally. Immediate effects hold a wide range of symptoms. Users suffer many symptoms from increased heart rates, nausea, and headaches, to agitation, dizziness, confusion, and paranoia. Respiratory problems are more likely to occur, such as asthma and lung cancer. Smokers might experience panic attacks, difficulty with short term memory, feeling clumsy, and being uncoordinated. Other kinds of effects are seen in being withdrawn from society and peer groups. Lack of enthusiasm in life can become a problem for the user in quitting. Severe mental disorders and psychosis may also be seen later in life. The one symptom that