Marijuana, used by 80 million, used frequently by 11 million Americans, and has been debated its whole life (Norml). It goes way back to 8000 B.C. when textile industries began in Europe and Asia, for the use of hemp (Hempfest). To this date people rave on how people look at the drug. It's extraordinary that this plant can be used for recreation, medicine, industrial, and religious reasons. Some popular slang terms to describe marijuana are cannabis, weed, pot, cheeba, mary jane, and many more. The major active chemical, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), when smoked it releases THC into cannabinol receptors located in the brain, thus causing the "high" feeling (Norml). What is actually smoked is the dried and cured flower buds of the marijuana plant. Today, marijuana is grown with great science, like
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).
When the THC present in marijuana enter the bloodstream stream and reach the brain it binds to the cannabinoid receptors. Cannabis also includes many subjective and highly tangible results, such as food tasting better and more appreciation of aromas. Some short term physical effects include , increased heart rate, dry mouth, and reddening of eyes among other physical effects. A few long term effects include , being associated with diseases with the liver, lungs, heart, and vasculature. More testing is needed to determine if cannabis can truly be fatal. You can develop an addiction that could last a while. Cannabis use disorder is quite common with excessive weed smokers.
Despite the fact of the potential market boom and it benefiting other sectors, prohibitionist groups urge that cannabis is a threat to society and its youth. An organization known as “Save Our Society from Drugs (S.O.S)” claims that the use of medical marijuana is a scam is by special interest groups used to exploit the sick and dying. According to Save Our Society from Drugs, crude cannabis does not have any medical properties
First, with the use of marijuana there are many side effects that can lead to health issues and can affect your body. When smoking marijuana to make yourself feel good or to ease your pain, there are negative side effects. From Teen Ink, an article called “Against Legalizing Marijuana” by Nura.is.Beast states that marijuana worsens depression instead of calming the user down or making them feel good (2011). The article also stated that after a few minutes of smoking it, blood pressure is lowered and heart rate is increased and with this researchers found that marijuana users have a higher chance of getting a heart attack. That is only one negative side effect. There are others such as respiratory illness and lung cancer. A WebMD article “Is Marijuana Safe” by Stephanie Watson, reviews a 2013 study from Cancer Causes & Control that heavy marijuana users have a risk of getting lung cancer (2014). So, with the use of marijuana there are definitely many side effects that can damage your health.
Possibility of addiction is only one of the disadvantages on Marijuana. There are short-term and long-term effects from the use of the drug. The most common short-term effects include paranoia, difficulty with concentration, anxiety, fatigue, and hallucinations. “If you’re not around good people, you will end up having a bad experience and be very paranoid and anxious.” (Daily User One, 2017) This person said that the people you are around and your surroundings in general can also alter how you react to the THC in your system. Other short-term effects that are more dangerous include increased heart rate (which is particularly dangerous to people with heart disease), decreased blood pressure, and damaged blood vessels caused by the smoke. The long-term effects include memory loss, IQ level (due to blood cell lose from smoking), decreased motivation, and ability
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.
Although marijuana is a hallucinogen it does not have a highly addictive characteristic like other hallucinogens. In 2004 the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that its short term effects include, but are not limited to: blood shot eyes, dry mouth and increased heart rate. Its long term effects include, but are not limited to: lower testosterone levels in men, and higher testosterone levels in women. When you compare this to other drug’s side affects you see that they are not so bad.
Flyers and posters were placed everywhere reading “Marijuana a puff- a party- a tragedy! Assassin of Youth(marijuana).” All sharing one common goal: convincing the public of the abominable drug that marijuana was being presumed to be. Then came the grand slam, the Reefer Madness film. The film’s main focus was how badly the teenage marijuana users were affected by the drug. These adolescents became unexplainably violent and deranged. The film even showed an extremely irrational behaviors, like suicide, because of how “potent” the high was. The movie was successfully advertised and pushed to be seen. Quickly after, this falsified idea of marijuana spread across the US like wildfire and its information was absorbed. Generation after generation carried on these false interpretations on cannabis. All medical miracles and its obvious economical benefits were lost due to blind ignorance and lack of knowledge.
In 1993, for the first time after 12 years of steady decline, illicit drug use rose and continues to climb. A major contributing factor is a message that drugs "aren't so bad." To counter this "just say yes" campaign, we feel compelled to provide the facts on the use of smoking marijuana as a medicine. These well-documented facts will prove beyond a doubt that MARIJUANA IS NOT A MEDICINE.FACT: The movement to legitimize smoking marijuana as a medicine is NOT encouraged by the pharmaceutical companies, Federal Food and Drug Administration, health and medical associations, or medical experts; but instead by groups such as the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and the Drug Policy Foundation (DPF). These organizations have little medical expertise and favor various forms of legalizing illicit drugs.
When used at a younger age marijuana can damage thinking, learning, and memory. It will be harder for younger users to pay attention, connect dots, and build connections because of this. People who started using in their teens experienced an average of an eight point drop in their IQ between the ages of 13 and 38. Other long term mental effects are temporary hallucinations- the user’s will sense or see things that do not exist. They can also develop paranoia, or and extreme or unreasonable distrust in people or surroundings. Long term effects of marijuana can actually worsen the effects of schizophrenia and cause psychosis. The physical effects can consist of a raise or drop in blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack in people with heart conditions, and stroke. The constant smoking of cannabis can deform the structure of sperm and upset a woman's menstrual cycle, damaging fertility or making the user completely sterile. In the end the user can experience lower satisfaction with life, relationship problems, and poorer mental and physical
Today more and more states are passing ballot initiatives in order to make medical and or recreational marijuana legal. The progressive figures of our country continue to pitch this façade that this plant is completely harmless and can be financially rewarding to states who collect tax revenue from this Schedule I drug. Fellow drugs in this class include: heroin, LSD, MDMA, and bath salts. Some have an affinity to argue that this classification is unreasonable and outdated; however, when the factual evidence is displayed one can easily see why marijuana has no place being moved from this class, and without a doubt no justification for legalization. The tremendously detrimental effects marijuana has on the health of those who use it, the
One major difference between the two types is the behavioral side effects. While using Synthetic marijuana it can lead to seizures,hallucinations, and convulsions (What Is Synthetic). This is mentioning that synthetic marijuana could kill you due to the effects that synthetic marijuana causes. However, Natural side effects were not as bad as the synthetic side effects, because of the chemicals that are used in marijuana. Natural side effects are not as bad According to the article Experts Decry”, it stated that using Natural Marijuana can cause serious health problems (“Experts Dercy”). To add on to behavior there are also chemicals used in synthetic chemicals are only used in the synthetic and not the natural marijuana. In “What Is Synthetic”, the only chemical that's in natural marijuana is THC. (“What Is Synthetic”). Natural marijuana is herb based and does not have many chemicals (“What Is Synthetic”). This is saying that today marijuana is plant based and not herb based. Finally to add onto behavior and chemicals there is the ability to hide marijuana. Back in the 1960s people use to hide their marijuana in their luggage so that no one would know that they have it with them. (‘Egyptian's death case”). Today many people vape marijuana with vaping pens so others don't know that they are smoking marijuana (How to Roll). Synthetic marijuana is worse than the natural marijuana that was smoked in the 1960s, due to the potency in the synthetic
People usually do not think this will ever happen to them, because it is very rare that you hear of this occurring. What people do not realize though is that this is usually not ever found, they just suffer from the effects. Another bad side effect marijuana has is that it increases heart rates, causes anxiety and panic attacks (65). These effects can lead to serious trauma that could cause death. This is so serious because people do not think they ever have to go to the hospital, so it is never detected in their brains. Due to smoking marijuana, one’s brain and body are at an extremely high risk of these bad side effects.
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