The Negative Effects Of Cannabis

Marijuana in the late 1960s’ had only one percent of tetrahydrocannabinol, compared to present day where Health Canada has discovered there is at least 10 percent of tetrahydrocannabinol and 30 percent in some cases. The tetrahydrocannabinol is a strong chemical and works immediately after one has inhaled it. Tetrahydrocannabinol mimics the neurotransmitter anandamide, which fills in the synapse between neurons and this disrupts the brain’s regular functions. In a normally functioning brain, anandamide activates the cannabinoid receptors but when smoking marijuana tetrahydrocannabinol activates these receptors which are in the hippocampus, cerebellum and basal ganglia. This affects the short-term memory, coordination, and learning and problem-solving skills for an individual. Brain development is also affected by the use of cannabis. Dr. Harold Kalant conducted a study in the 1980s’ with rats and cannabis use. He separated the rats into two groups; rats exposed to cannabis at adolescents and rats exposed to cannabis in adulthood. Kalant observed the rats exposed to cannabis as adolescents, had difficulty with memory and learning even after nine years of no exposure. In comparison, the rats who were adults when exposed to cannabis didn’t have long term effects. It is evident that brain development was disrupted by the use of cannabis in the growing years. Also, Dr. Andra Smith saw in her functional magnetic resonance imaging of brain activity of regular cannabis smokers and non-smokers, that the smokers had a more brain activity. She stated it was due to the brain having to work hard to “respond accurately”. It is obvious that brain function and development is harshly impacted by the use of

In 2006, A Drug Free World's "The Harmful Effects of Marijuana” emerged in the media. ADFW reasons that marijuana is harmful in numerous ways, including cerebral damage and debilitation to the immune system. Throughout the article, they also try to persuade the reader that cannabis is a "gateway drug" that undoubtedly leads the users into much harder drugs. When reading this article, one must consider that research to support anything can be found if one searches hard enough, but without a doubt the fallacy of their conclusion is due to their research seeking facts to support an already-assumed conclusion. Consequently, I have found that many of their points simply do not justify their conclusion.

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).

There have been copious amounts of research and studies relating to this topic, since the 1970s. However, to discover these long term effects, it is necessary to conduct tests, some of these requiring decades of research in order to produce valid statistics. More recently, neuroscience studies have also contributed further to the research relating to this topic, in particular, focusing on the area of the structure of the brain, due to modern technologies. Research has demonstrated that various long term issues have arisen from adolescents using cannabis. The main issues discussed in this report are the mental illnesses linked to cannabis use, the impact of cognitive function, as well as changes in brain structure, which, to an extent also affect cognitive and behavioural function. Through the research I have conducted, it has been concluded that there are many valid sources, proving that the use of cannabis in adolescents is harmful to the brain in the future.

According to this article, animal literature had already confirmed that long-term marijuana use causes a decrease in neuronal volume of the hippocampus; however brain imaging studies of humans who were chronic users had less consistent results in the past. Researchers measured verbal learning ability, as well as psychotic symptoms to determine whether long-term marijuana use contributes to structural differences in two key brain regions. Structural MRI data was collected using a 3-T scanner, while participants also had to complete the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. The results of the study had confirmed “gross anatomical abnormalities in 2 cannabinoid receptor-rich regions of the brain, the hippocampus and the amygdala” (Yucel, 2008). The hippocampus is typically associated with memory, although there may be also a connection between the left part of the hippocampus and psychiatric disorders with psychotic symptoms, which tend to occur more on the left hemisphere. Reduced activation of the left hippocampus in marijuana users found in brain imaging scans may not be directly related to the reduced volume of the hippocampus, however, it is clear that both lead to neurological abnormalities. This study had confirmed previous findings of decreased verbal performance, was found to be directly connected to the blood flow in the hippocampus and the amount of activation in that

Marijuana while illegal on a federal level has been legalized in 18 states and the District of Columbia for medical use and also for personal use for anyone over 21 in Washington and Colorado. 48% of Americans admit to using marijuana according to a 2013 survey conducted by Scientific America. With the change in public opinion concerning marijuana the need to understand the effect and consequences associated with its use are vitally important. What are the effects on the brain and the rest of the body? Does it matter when you start using marijuana? Also what is the effect marijuana use has on a person’s life, to include school, work, family and friends.

The human brain has 2 different types of cannabis receptors called type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2) (4). The CB1 receptors are involved with neurobiological departments of the brain including the: hippocampus (memory), amygdala (emotions), cerebral cortex (conditions), limbic forebrain (motivation), and finally the cerebellum (motor condition) (4). A 1997 study concluded that THC causes dopamine release at the same rate as heroin (2). When activated the receptors in these regions release the chemical compound called dopamine affecting the brain in many ways. It is the chemical responsible for users to feel the euphoria or ‘high’ that is associated with marijuana consumption (4). Hand-eye coordination, judgement, reaction times, and tracking ability are all lowered due to marijuana usage (3). Short-term memory is also impaired while under the influence of cannabis (3). Furthermore a decrease in the user’s attention span is apparent (3). In adults who use marijuana, higher rates of psychosis with predisposition to schizophrenia are observed (3). Furthermore, a publication in the British Medical Journal concluded that marijuana use can cause adverse psychological effects including depression, anxiety, and incite violence in users(6). Constant long-term usage of cannabis can cause a dependence or an addiction to the THC in adults (3). MRI scans users also concluded that structural abnormalities in CB1

Additionally, Marijuana has some effects on our brain in both short terms and long terms. Talking about the short terms, it not only alerted the senses it also changes in the mood. It creates difficulty with thinking and problem solving. It impaired the body movement, memory and learning. (National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA). Whereas, the effect in brain development is one of the example of long terms effect of smoking marijuana. When marijuana user begin as teenagers, it will reduce thinking memory , and learning functions and affect how the brain make the connection between the areas necessary for its functions . These effects may last for long time or even be permanent. A study Show that people who started smoking early have low IQ

Marijuana - also named weed, hash, pot, Mary Jane, and many others– is, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the number one used illegal and addictive drug around the globe (Williamson, Buckland, & Cunningham, 2013). Users of the psychoactive plant range anywhere from adolescents to senior citizens, and from all social and economic classes. It has, in recent years, gained approval by the FDA for use as a medicine to help treat symptoms of various illnesses – both mental and physical. Thousands of individuals are now using marijuana, and numbers are likely to increase, as the drug may be on the verge of being legalized nation-wide. Surveys from the United States show large support in using marijuana for recreational purposes - 56% - and support for its use as medicine - 70% (Gonzalez & Swanson, 2012). Though multitudes of people use the drug for its effects and potential benefits, not many know exactly how it achieves these things within ones bodies or their minds. People, whether using the drug or not, need to know what marijuana is, how it interacts with the body and brain, and the effects that are produced from this interaction.

These short-term effects include hallucinations, paranoia, increased heart rate, red eyes, impaired perception and immediate happiness. When people smoke marijuana at a young age, it can negatively impact the brain structure volume and ability to perform cognitive functions which is knowledge of memory, language and decision making. Smoking marijuana can affect two parts of your brain which is the hippocampus and the frontal lobe. The hippocampus is a small organ in the brain and is involved mainly with your long-term memory. When you smoke marijuana, memory impairment occurs because THC changes how information is processed in the hippocampus. Also smoking marijuana at a young age can affect the frontal lobe because it is one of the last parts of the brain that is not done developing until the mid-20s.

According to the National Academy of Sciences recent study, the main ingredient in marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC) had been proven to decrease the size of brain capacity. In their records of data they had stated “...researchers looked at 48 adults who used the drug at least three times a day, for an average of eight or nine years, and 62 people who didn't use marijuana. It turned out that the people who had been smoking pot daily for at least four years had a smaller volume of gray matter in a brain region called the orbitofrontal cortex, which previous research had linked to addiction”(1). As a result in my research I have found that a prolonged usage of medical cannabis massively affects your brain size and learning capacity

“We have enough addictive things that are already legal. We don’t need another one.” Male, 42 (In Debate Over Legalizing Marijuana, Disagreement Over Drug’s Danger) Using marijuana non medically may cause more harm than good. It can be additive, even though, there is only a nine percent chance of a marijuana users getting addicted to it. (Marijuana Should Be Legalized, but...) Another name for marijuana is a “gateway drug,” and can lead people to do other kinds of drugs which can cause more mental problems than marijuana itself. (On The Road To Drug Abuse) Using marijuana can not only affect you, but the people around you. 4.3% of car wrecks were caused by marijuana use while driving. (The

The effects of marijuana include, “Euphoria, relaxed inhibitions, increased appetite, disorientation” (Abadinsky, 2014, p. 111). Marijuana is typically smoked by users by using blunts, bongs, or pipes, and inhaled into the lungs (Abadinsky, 2014). The high will occur within ten minutes, and become stronger within 30 minutes (Abadinsky, 2014). When someone smokes marijuana, he or she will obtain a high for about three hours (Abadinsky, 2014). There are cannabinoid receptors in the brain that signify that our central nervous system has “natural brain compounds similar to THC that play a role in numerous physiological processes including appetite, memory, and pain” (Abadinsky, 2014, p. 111). Meaning, when marijuana or THC enters the body, the

Patients will be excluded from the proposed study if they are diabetics as cannabis has the ability to induce glucose intolerance (Muniyappa et al., 2013). Patients who are younger than 18 years old will also be excluded from this study since cannabis use can cause deterioration of neurocognitive function in attention and memory (Jacobus & Tapert, 2014). It will also alter the macrostructural brain, such as morphology of gray matter tissue

There are many things that can impact the memory of individuals: injuries, age, stress and many others. In a study conducted by Block, Leary, Hichwa, Augustinack, Ponto, Ghoneim, Arndt, Hurtig, Watkins, Hall, Nathan, and Andreasen (2002) it is suggested that frequent marijuana use affects the memory-related regional cerebral blood flow causing the ability to retain information and performance lower more than those who are not frequent marijuana users. Although drugs have always been a problem across the nation, marijuana seems to be one of the most popular and it should be of more concern because it has negative effects on individual’s brains.