Marijuana use has traditionally been considered to be a gateway
drug. It has also been viewed as less harmful and more innocent than
other illicit drugs such as heroin or cocaine. As of late, there has
been a lot of publicity about marijuana becoming legalized, which makes
it seem even safer. The truth is that marijuana is a mind altering drug
on the very simplest level.
THC
potency has been increasing in marijuana for a few decades now. Along
with a higher potency come greater risks. Today, marijuana contains more
THC than ever before. Consider this and then factor in that marijuana
also contains more than 400 additional chemicals. THC is absorbed into
the fatty tissues of the body and can be detected long after it is used
depending on how often it is used. Knowing all of this, how can
marijuana be labeled as safe?
The short term effects of using
marijuana will compromise the memory, the ability to learn, and lessen
problem-solving skills. Smoking marijuana increases the heart rate, it
increases the appetite, it causes dry mouth, it can cause paranoia and
anxiety, and it causes respiratory problems, weakens the immune system,
and can cause cancer.
Once marijuana is smoked it goes directly to
the lungs and then to the bloodstream, then to the brain and other
organs. THC distorts the brain's receptors, particularly the cannabinoid
receptors. These receptors are responsible for a person's
concentration, pleasure, memory, coordination, and perception of time.
This means that people who partake in marijuana use often are likely not
functioning at their highest intelligence because it does affect brain
function.
Marijuana does have the potential to be addictive and
people continue to abuse marijuana even though they know it is harmful.
Research states that the younger the marijuana user the more likely they
are to develop an addiction, in fact the number is double. Also, the
longer a person abuses marijuana and the more they use will determine
the withdrawal they will endure upon quitting.
When marijuana
users try to quit it is very likely that they will suffer from a loss of
appetite, insomnia, irritability, and anxiety. There is also an
imminent need for more of the drug which is the cause of many
unsuccessful attempts at quitting. These symptoms of withdrawal usually
appear on day one of abstaining. They can last up to two weeks.
Marijuana
also rears its head when linked to studies about mental health. These
studies indicate that marijuana can be associated with depression,
anxiety and even schizophrenia. Further, it is also suggested that the
association is even greater when coupled with certain genetic or
environmental factors.
Because marijuana accelerates the heart
rate it is also possible that the chances of having a heart attack are
much higher with individuals that have irregular heartbeats,
arrhythmias, or palpitations. These studies do not stop with the damage
that smoking marijuana can do to the heart. The lungs are vulnerable
too. Marijuana smoke contains carcinogens that can be very harmful to
the lungs. Truthfully, marijuana smoke has about 70% more carcinogenic
hydrocarbons than cigarettes do.
There is also little doubt that
marijuana abuse does lead to problems in a person's everyday life. Heavy
marijuana use can thwart a person's mental and physical health and
wellbeing, their ability to be productive cognitively, their careers,
and their personal life. It is also proven through research that heavy
marijuana smokers miss more work, are late more often, have more on the
job accidents, employ more jobs, and put in more workman's comp claims
than one who does not smoke marijuana.
What might be the most
important factor to consider is the fact that there is help available to
quit smoking marijuana. People that have smoked marijuana for a long
time have a harder time quitting successfully and most have tried
several times. There are successful ways to quit smoking marijuana and
to get your life back on track again and start living productively once
again.
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