Cannabis aka Marijuana

What is Cannabis? The dry shredded mix of flowers, stems, seeds and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis sativa. A plant intended for use as psychoactive drug as well as a medicine. Can be smoked or consumed orally. Illegal in the United states for recreational use; legal in 18 states for medical use. Cannot cause death by over dose. Has been used by nearly 100 million Americans.

Trends Here’s an interesting trend… In 1975, the percentage of 12 th grade students who reported using marijuana in the past month was 28%. Less than 20 years later, that number was reported to have fallen to just 10%. After that, the number began a steady increase that still continues to this day. This tells me that during the early 90’s, there was less interest in marijuana use among 12 th graders, but now the reported users are back to the same numbers of the 70’s.

Marijuana: Legitimate medicine? People in 18 out of the 50 states in America are able to take advantage of marijuana’s medicinal benefits by obtaining a legal prescription. Benefits include relief from pain, nausea/vomiting, and muscle tension/spasms. Marijuana is also known to help with anxiety and depression, and is an excellent appetite stimulant. People with CNS and other disorders can benefit greatly from smoking marijuana.

Street Names PotReeferGanjaBob greenCannabisHashWeedGrass

How does marijuana affect the brain? When smoked, THC (the main psychoactive constituent of marijuana) rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs. THC acts upon specific molecular targets on the brain cells called cannabinoid receptors. The highest density of cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Marijuana over activates the cannabinoid system, causing the high that users experience.

Physiological effects Last 3-4 hours Rapid heart rate Increased blood pressure and rate of breathing Red eyes Dry mouth Slowed reaction time Increased appetite

Health risks Impaired thinking and memoryDiminished balance and coordinationIncreased chance of heart attackIncreased risk of respiratory infection,May be addictive

There are many people who believe that marijuana is the least harmful of all possible drugs available in the U.S., both legal and illegal. Millions of people use marijuana daily, and enjoy benefits such as a deeper spiritual connection, increased ability to relax, and increased motivation for life in general. This is in addition to the benefits marijuana provides for those who suffer from nausea, mild pain, and depression. The fact that this substance remains illegal, while so many other, more powerful ones are legal (such as prescription medication) seems old fashioned and out dated. Yet, decade after decade we, as a society, continue to be forced (by threat of legal repercussion) to either abstain from, or illegally obtain, a substance whose benefits far outweigh the side effects. By this point, the government should see that they would be better off regulating the legal sale of marijuana, and use the money from taxing it to do something good. Spending large quantities of money to punish those who would like to grow and consume a plant, is pointless. It’s an uphill battle they will never win. People have been using marijuana to self medicate for thousands of years, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. However, whether it is legal or not, some people have lost their ability to control their use, and they would like to gain that control back. If someone you know shows signs of behavioral changes, has red blurry eyes, a dry mouth, seems paranoid, or you notice changes in mood or social behavior, then this person may be a marijuana user. If they express to you that they want to stop using but can’t, then please reassure them that help is available. Tell them they shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help just because their drug of choice is illegal. For a vast majority of users, though, addiction isn’t what they are worried about. They are more concerned about obtaining it without suffering legal consequences. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that marijuana use doesn’t prohibit someone from leading a normal life. An average user has a job, family, friends and hobbies. This isn’t the type of drug that changes peoples’ entire personalities like other types of drugs do. And interestingly, there is not a single case of marijuana over dose as the cause of death for someone. Using marijuana should be a recreational activity, though. If the obtaining and use of marijuana has become the focus of someone’s life, and is causing negative repercussions in their family and work, the their use has gone too far. If that sounds like you, seek professional help. Knowledge is power! A trained professional can help you learn new behaviors and coping mechanisms that will have a positive impact on your life.

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