Legalizing recreational marijuana is a social discussion that is fashioned with arguments for and against. There are evenly resounding opinions as to why it should be legal or not. Several states have decriminalized the use of marijuana either medically and/or recreationally. This is contradictory to federal law which is still a criminal offense. We will look at what marijuana is, the history, and its effect on users. We will look at the most collective arguments for both the pro and con sides of the discussion which will be unbiased. This section will be broken down into the two sides. The conclusion section will contain my personal take on the research performed.
DESCRIPTION OF MARIJUANA
According to the DEA, “Marijuana is a mind-altering
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The first evidence for medicinal use dates as far back as 4,000 B.C. It has been used as an anesthetic, for pain relief and as a suppression for anxiety. “Marijuana was widely used in the U.S. for centuries, where it was considered a useful drug for the treatment of numerous afflictions and remained part of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia until 1941.” (Drug Policy Alliance) Congress passed the Marihuana Tax Act in 1937, and in 1971 President Nixon declares the “war on drugs placing marijuana in the most restricted category of drugs.” (Drug Policy …show more content…
When it is inhaled the component THC travels to the lungs and from there into the circulation of the blood. As we know from biology anything that goes into the bloodstream affects the organs, including the brain. “THC acts on specific brain cell receptors that ordinarily react to natural TCH-like chemicals. These natural chemicals play a role in normal brain development and function.” (NIDA). It takes a longer time for the THC to reach the brain when consumed through digestion. The effects of THC on the brain creates a euphoric feeling. It can manipulate emotion, mood, coordination, thinking and retention, attentiveness, and sensual stimulation. It increases the senses, and when taken in large quantity can cause hallucinations, delusions and even psychosis (NIDA). “The effect of marijuana on perception and coordination are responsible for serious impairments in learning, associative processes and psychomotor behavior” (www.dea.gov). Physical effects include squinted eyes, drowsiness, dizziness, coughing, hunger, higher heart rate and decreased blood pressure (www.dea.gov).
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Using marijuana can cause brain malfunction or damage, laziness, weakens of immune system and other health issues. The author
Marijuana effects your logic and motor skills, while cigarettes do not. Though cigarettes have long term harmful side effects, marijuana has short term as well as long term harmful effects. Loss of memory, depleting brain cells, and hallucinations have been reported with constant use of marijuana, although none of these accusations have been scientifically proven as a fact in all users. Studies have shown that women who frequently smoked marijuana on a regular basis since a young age have had an increase of testosterone and problems developing
Long-term, chronic, use of cannabis can lead to abnormalities in the brain that are also shown along with other drugs that are more infamous than marijuana. In a study that conducted the exposure of THC to baby rats, showed that the rats later in life had more difficulty with memorization than rats that were not exposed to THC.Regular use is associated with an increased risk of developing a psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia. A psychotic illness is one where you experience hallucinations. Your risk of developing a psychotic illness is higher if you start using cannabis in your teens and if you have a family history of mental illness. Cannabis use has also been shown to increase the risk of a relapse in people who have schizophrenia, and could make existing symptoms worse.
Marijuana use is found in young adults (18-24) which most of them are linked to college students. There are many ways Marijuana can affect a human body, ways that many people do not know about Marijuana can affect brain areas that influence pleasure ,memory, thinking, concentration, movement, coordination, and sensory and time perception.(Drugabuse.org). Marijuana can affect all these
Because marijuana contains over 400 chemicals, it can affect motor skills sometimes cause paranoia. It is also believed to have an ill effect on the reproductive system, sometimes lowering sperm count in males. Furthermore, it is thought to cause difficulties in development of the fetus stage. Comprehension, short term memory and the lungs are believed to be affected as well. These issues are rarely found and the drug is believed to be safe when not abused.
Should Recreational Marijuana be Legal? According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), marijuana is proven to be the most commonly used drug in the United States. Despite this known fact, the drug is legal for recreational uses in only nine states. The legalization of recreational marijuana is a controversial topic that has been debated by the government countless of times weighing its benefits versus its risks.
Anxiety, distrust, fear, panic, laughter/happiness, and appetite are categorized into mind-altering effects. However, these symptoms are only reached when it is overused, which leads us into overdose. When overdosed, the symptoms above can occur. Another worry that people may have could be how the drug is consumed. Marijuana is commonly smoked in joints, blunts, bongs, and vaporizers.
THC acts on the receptors which are found on neurons in many places in the brain. The brain areas involved are the hippocampus (memory), cerebellum (movement), cerebral cortex (concentration, and perception), When THC activates the receptors, it interferes with the normal functioning of these brain areas. In low to mild doses marijuana causes; relaxation, reduced coordination, reduced blood pressure, sleepiness, disruption in attention, an altered sense of time and space. A valuable point anti medical marijuana activists make is that under the influence of marijuana they should not drive or operate machinery while under the influence. In high doses marijuana can cause; hallucinations, delusions, impaired memory, and disorientation.
Statistics explain that there is a high rate of teenagers that have been using marijuana or at least used it in the last month. Teenagers in high school using marijuana do not realize the effects it has on their health and sometimes use it abusively – thinking that it makes them feel relaxed and better. The truth is that Marijuana has a lot of effects on the body, and if teens knew this fact, they would never think of marijuana again. According to the NIDA, Marijuana has short and long-term effects on the brain, causing the person that uses it laziness and problems in memory. The NIDA, which gets its information from doctors and scientific studies, explains that marijuana has big effects on the brain and leads to problems in the memory of the user.
Too much of this drug can cause (THC damaging brain cell receptors): change in senses, changes in mood, uneven body movement, problems with thinking and solving problems, and damaged memory. It also has many health effects which include: paranoia and hallucinations, breathing problems, and fetus’s brain might get damaged while in their mother’s womb. The depressant Cannabis intoxicates the person in specific ways. Its intoxication causes a person to relax but sometimes could have serious side effects. Smoking pot has faster signs and symptoms than eating it.
Such conflicting findings from medical marijuana use may make anyone become indecisive as experts show their own perception with its use. Here’s what they say: 1. Experts see the essential help that medical marijuana can
According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, long term marijuana use results in the reduction of 8 iq points. And researchers at Harvard found that recreational marijuana use resulted in the irregular shape, volume, and density of the brain. The intoxicating substance that is in recreational marijuana is THC, it is what gives
Today the demands are changing in different states. In States such as Colorado and Washington, marijuana has been legalized for recreational use. This move raised several questions as far as decriminalization of marijuana is concerned. Besides portraying the US in a bad light, legalization of marijuana for recreation increases the risk of developing mental problems, increases government expenditure on public health, jeopardizes the future of children, and is a gateway to other dangerous drugs. Increased health problems and public health expenditure-
[Accessed 08 January 15]. It can have many side effects and the longer you use the drug the more damage it can cause. It contains THC which is the ingredient in the drug that makes you feel ‘high’. Effects caused by marijuana consist of: anxiety, moodiness, depression, paranoia, memory loss (short term), an increase in heart rate, dilated pupils, an increase in appetite and also it causes a slower reaction time for users. Although not all users get addicted to marijuana, studies have shown that almost 10% of users do get addicted.
For many years scientists have conducted studies about marijuana and the different effects that it has on the mind and body. “Marijuana smoke can cause many