Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a plant that can be ingested or smoked. This plant, or rather botanical, is illegal in most of the country with the exception of some states giving physicians authority to recommend the use to their patients. The purpose of this essay is to examine both the benefits and the risks of legalizing marijuana. Marijuana has many medicinal properties that have been proven to be therapeutically effective for various conditions. However, this drug also has carcinogenic properties and dangerous short- and long-term effects on the body. Although advocates may argue that the legalization of marijuana has many potential benefits, such as it would lessen our national debt and benefit our overall economic system, opponents may beg to differ. In this essay, the debate over the legalization of marijuana continues, with arguments over the therapeutic benefits versus the dangerous adverse effects of marijuana, the influence marijuana has on individuals, and whether or not the legalization of this drug could benefit our economy.…
The drug Marijuana has been widely used for many years. This illegal drug has caused much controversy over being legalized. It is the third most popular abused substance worldwide. Heavy users of this drug often argue that alcohol, which is legal and more dangerous than Cannabis. People see marijuana as a gateway drug. Teens who often start with marijuana often times become users of a more addictive and dangerous drug. The use of marijuana causes many health issues such as lung cancer, loss of brain cells, impaired motor ability, blood vessel blockage and many other problems. “Children ages 12-17 are 85 times more likely to use cocaine Marijuana has also been linked with teen violence, suicide, crime and unsafe sex-HIV transmission” (http://marijuanatoday.com/cons.php).…
It contains THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), which is known to affect the brain, increase your heart rate by as much as two times for up to three hours, and can shallow your breathing. Medically, every drug has its advantages and disadvantages, but the effects depend how much and how the drug is been taken and what disease does it cure. This research focused on the negative consequences of the use of marijuana. Morally, the use of drugs might be inappropriate. The use of drugs should be based on the purpose and if the after effects are treatable. A common knowledge to know is not to abuse a drug or use a drug without a doctor’s…
Opponents claim that marijuana harms the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system. It affects your learning and hinders your memory. People will also argue that marijuana can cause cancer. There is very little proof that smoking marijuana has a significant health risk. There have also been no reported cases of lung cancer or emphysema credited to marijuana. Research into the effects of long-term marijuana use on the structure of the brain has produced unreliable results. Marijuana is less toxic than many drugs that doctors prescribe every day. I believe that there are many drugs that are worse on our body than marijuana and far more addictive. Many studies have shown a link between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. But does marijuana use cause depression or schizophrenia or do people with these mental health disorders us it as a…
While participating with D.A.R.E., I learned that drugs and alcohol are not good for you. I also learned that tobacco and alcohol and any other drug can hurt different parts of your body. Marijuana causes breathing problems, short term memory loss, slows coordination and reflexes, and effects ones ability to judge distance, speed and reaction time. Marijuana can become addictive and is illegal in the United States. Smoking tobacco has over 200 unknown poisons in the smoke, and contains nicotine which is very addictive.…
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is a Schedule 1 substance, which means that it has no medicinal purpose and has a high risk for abuse. Although marijuana is not federally legalized or approved by the FDA, 20 states (including Hawaii and Washington D.C.) have already legalized medical marijuana, and two of those states (Colorado and Washington) have already legalized marijuana for adult recreational purposes. When marijuana is ingested or smoked, THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) a chemical naturally found in marijuana, targets neural receptors in the brain giving users a “high.” Altered perceptions and mood, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory are some of the effects that marijuana users may feel. Long term effects of heavy marijuana use include: respiratory problems (daily cough and phlegm production, frequent acute chest illness, and increased risk of lung infections), increased heart rate by 10-100 percent, and mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances, including a lack of motivation to engage in typically rewarding activities. Studies have also shown marijuana to be psychologically addictive.…
Smoking marijuana has many important medical effects. Smoking effects the body, the brain, and one's memory. Marijuana cause you to lose memory and being able learn. Perceiving ideas while high can be hard to understand and distorted to you. Marijuana seems to have many physiological effects. The physiological effects of smoking is difficulty with thinking clearly and being able to solve problems.You start to lose coordination within your stance and the way you walk. As you begin the use of the drug your heart rate increase making you become paranoid. In some cases it has caused a panic attack. While under the influence of marijuana you can become very clumsy and care-less. Smoking sometimes makes you move and talk in slow-motion. Marijuana is a downer drug. It makes to tired and lazy, but some might say they feel relaxed. After smoking many people become hungry wanting to eat even if they just ate right before smoking. Bronchitis, emphysema,bronchial asthma and many more conditions are health problems not only to tobacco users but marijuana users also. All drugs affect your body rather if its in a positive or negative way. Medicine heals and replenish the body while marijuana harms and tear the body down. Smoking is smoking no matter what it is that you are inhaling.…
Marijuana is a mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems and flowers from a hemp plant better know as Cannabis sativa. Uses of marijuana can be recreational or medical and the earliest recorded uses date from the 3rd millennium BC. (Rudgley, “The Lost Civilizations”) Tetrahydrocannabinol also known as THC is the chemical responsible for marijuana’s psychological effects. THC stimulates cells in the brain to release dopamine and causes euphoria like feeling. While the most popular use is for recreational purposes, it is proven that it can help in the medical field also. Even medical marijuana is illegal in most states. Supporters of medical marijuana argue that it can be safe and effective against AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, pain, glaucoma and other conditions. Nonetheless, abusing marijuana can lead to problem with learning, memory and social behavior. It can also interfere with family, work and other activities. But there are many in favor for cannabis like Bob Marley a famous musician and known for his use of marijuana describes in an interview “Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction”.…
Research undoubtedly proved that marijuana has potential to start complications in daily-life or add on to existing problems. Users who abuse the substance in heavy amounts commonly have dissatisfaction in life, a lot health risk physically and mentally, problems with relationship with peers, and not as much success academic wise compared to their peers the went to school with. Being tardy to…
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Another main societal issue associated with medical marijuana is the effect the substance has on individuals medically. Marijuana contains a chemical called THC that is known to affect the brain and human growth development. However, these medical issues do not begin to acknowledge the major health-related issues associated with the substance. Some of the most common issues related to marijuana use are excessive respiratory damage, increased risk of cancer and a weakened immune system. Studies have shown that 1 joint is just as damaging as 5 cigarettes to the lungs, due to the carcinogens present in…
First of all, to talk about a problem we have to know about it. According to the Medicine Net marijuana is “A common street and recreational drug that comes from the marijuana plant: the hemp plant cannabis sativa […] is used to heighten perception, affect mood, and relax. […] Signs of marijuana use include red eyes, lethargy, and uncoordinated body movements. The long-term effects may include…
Conditions that marijuana is typically prescribed to treat are cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. Medical cannabis is a highly controversial subject because cannabis is still considered illegal under federal law. In fact, Federal law classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, which means that it has no safe medical use and a high potential for abuse. Both of these statements are completely false. Marijuana has been proven to be beneficial as a form of medical treatment. Also, marijuana is not physically addictive and therefore, has low potential for abuse. Some people can develop minor dependence issues from a psychological standpoint. When comparing marijuana's drug classification to the most popular drugs in the United States it is illogical. Alcohol and Tobacco are both far more addictive and harmful than cannabis is. Each year new research is released documenting the harmful effects that tobacco and alcohol have on the body. Including direct links to cancer and death. Unlike tobacco marijuana has never been linked to cancer. In addition, there has never been a single documented death from cannabis usage. Alcohol causes people to use poor decision making and it causes people to become violent and aggressive. When comparing marijuana to modern day pharmaceuticals one again is forced to conclude that marijuana's classification is unjustified.…
Cannabis is the main ingredient in marijuana. The National institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that its effect on the body is just like any other natural made chemical in the body. The benefits range from treating simple headache to slowing down cancer cells. Drugs sold over the counter are more dangerous than marijuana yet those drugs are approved and are sold. Donald Abrams, chief of hematology-oncology at San Francisco general hospital, has done more research on marijuana than anyone in the United States (Weil, 127). He concluded in his research that inhaling cannabis can help reduce pain associated with nerve damage and can also increase effect of opiate pain relievers as well help patients sleep. This is greatly important because of how tough nerve damage can be on a person. They are usually recommended to use over the counter pain relief pills but if marijuana is stronger in relieving pain as well as helping them sleep more calmly why would anyone decline. Another usage for marijuana is that the cannabinoids have an ability to relieve chronic pain which included nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy (Park). Cancer is something that troubles every human because currently the current treatments to battle it are very costly on the human body physically and mentally. Chemotherapy is so frightening that some people are even tempted not to try to that method. If they were told about marijuana,…
Marijuana has many harmful chemicals to date it is registered at 425 that convert to thousands when smoked. The medical problems it causes are not just short term but can be long term as well. These problems range from pre mature cancer, depression, memory loss, and addiction. Cancer is one of the main medical threats and is more harmful than tobacco in cigarettes (Marijuana should not be legal because, 2001). Therefore, the addiction rate is higher and can lead to harder drugs.…