Summary: The Short Term Effects Of Marijuana

There is much controversy revolving around drugs and their uses in our society. Within these areas of discussion, often times the responses are negative. However, many of these people occasionally tend to only have broad understandings of a drugs due to its reputation in the media and the basic knowledge they learn in their education. When on the train, flipping through channels, or even walking down the street you often see ads portraying the negative effects of these drugs, such as how drugs kill or how they are ruining lives. Statistics are usually avoided- how many people actually die from drugs a year? Of course, there are people out there who abuse this substance but what about the people who do not? How harmful drugs can be and how drugs are ‘killing off’ American (Baron, 2015) is often discussed but the accuracy is unreliable. There are a
multitude of different kinds of drugs, some are natural, others are man made. However, this research paper will focus on three specific drugs: crystal meth, LSD, and marijuana and its impact on users.
Marijuana
Marijuana, referenced as weed, is a gateway drug or soft drug. It is the dried up leaves of the Cannabis hemp plant. (Baron, 2015) It can be used is many ways, but the most common is to smoke it in a pipe which is trending in the young generation. Smoking this drug is illegal in the majority of American states. However, it is as well used for medical purposes such as a painkiller for hospitalized patients who suffer illnesses such as cancer, seizure disorders, and body pain. People suffering with these illnesses receive the treatment they want and need to properly maintain a healthy life. Therefore, recent polling has shown that a majority of Americans now support the legalization of marijuana across the country.
Side Effects
Marijuana like all other drugs, does have positive and negative side effects for short and long term usage. This fact is what makes the legalization debate so interesting. While some believe that medical marijuana is a key medicinal substance and that “the medicinal use of cannabis may have a therapeutic role for a multitude of diseases, particularly chronic pain disorders including headache” (Baron, 2015, p. 1), other believe that the marijuana is infact harmful and should not be legalized (Wright, 2015, What Americans need to know about marijuana, 2010). Some of the short term effects of marijuana are faster heart beats, bad coordination of movement, and low reaction time (Wright, 2015).
These side effects may actually be some of the reasons people do this drug. Unlike the short term effects, the long term effects of the marijuana are more sever and disfavorable by marijuana users. They not only include physical illnesses such as suppression of the immune system, disorder of growth and destruction of lungs (van Ours and Williams, 2010) but also increases “risk for mental illnesses that include, for example, mood disorders and psychosis” (Wright, 2015, p. 1)
LSD, Acid
Another drug that is used less commonly than marijuana is LSD or ‘acid’. LSD is a tab of small square sheet of paper that is put in your mouth, under your tongue or in a drink (Yan, H., Zhou, S., Li, Y., Zhang, H., Deng, C., Qi, H., & Li, F. 2016). Although it is small, it is much more dangerous than most other drugs. The hallucinogens that this one tab can cause can mentally scar a person or make them paranoid forever. The effects of this drug is widely known and is still being abused by people.
Side
Effects
LSD is unpredictable unlike other drugs such as marijuana and because of this, “in 1967, the federal government classified it as a Schedule I drug, i.e., having a high abuse potential and no accepted medical use” (Columbia, 2016). The side effects are often different for most people, depending on the amount taken, the person’s mood and the surroundings in which the drug is used (Gicquel, T., Lepage, S., & Morel, I., 2015). Often with LSD, one may have a “bad trip” meaning that they feel as though they are no longer in the the place as they were or ever will go back to it. Users have reported to have hallucinated and seen evil cars, faces on walls or inanimate objects moving around, and these trips could last from 6 hours to 24 hours (Yan et al., 2016). It has also been reported that how long one will be affected by the LSD drug can not be measured (J. C., & Williams, J. 2012).
People on this drug will often be staring into space and might be happy for no real reason or might look scared out of their mind. Other side effects include loss of sleep, loss of appetite, extreme sweating and dry mouth (Gicquel, T., et al. 2015). According to J. C. et al. (2012) people sometimes go on these trips and don't come back to reality. While on this they might feel as if going threw a flashback. Additionally the drug messes with the body in other ways some chemicals go into your spinal cord and may stay there for years.
Crystal Methamphetamine
Crystal methamphetamine shortened to crystal meth is a white crystal dust like drug that is mostly taken by snorting through the nose, but can also be ingested by smoking it with another drug. The ‘rush’ of the drug lasts about 6 to 8 hours and gives the false feeling of incredible joy; for this reason it is also knowns as the club drug (Chouvy 2005). Like other drugs it is illegal and highly addictive.
People often will say that drugs are addicting and that is why it should never be done this is not true in all cases like marijuana this is not a highly addictive drug it is just that the users do not feel that much of a side effect to stop it (Hewitt, B., Aguayo, A. M., Haederle, M., Barnes, S., Brass, K., & Dennis, A. (2004). With crystal meth that is not the case. This drug gives such a rush in the body that most users can no longer can compete with. This is often the beginning stages of addiction.
Side Effects
This drug is man made and has pure chemicals and unlike other plant drugs this drug will drastically change your physical appearance due to its side effects. Crystal methamphetamines have been associated with severe oral health effects, resulting as a reputation portrayed as “meth mouth”. This term describes symptoms including rampant caries, periodontal diseases and excessive tooth wear (Rommel, N., Rohleder, N., Wagenpfeil, S., Härtel-Petri, R., Jacob, F., Wolff, K., & Kesting, M., 2016).
According to Chouvy (2005) and WHO (1997) methamphetamine is most commonly used as a tool to increase work productivity and performance; as a side effect users will often ‘crash’ after the drug has worn off. Because the drug makes you feel so many different emotions at once, once it stops you feel powerless and unmotivated. Additionally it may cause the users to have cravings, be sleepless or even have depressing thoughts (Lasting, O., & Charles, G. 2008). It can also lead to insomnia and anxiety and in some cases even death.
Conclusion
The subject of drugs is something that is widespread and seen a lot among the youth because of its exposure in the media and film world. With all the research shown above, drugs do often cause both long and short term issues for an individual. It is important for an individual to be aware of the causes and effects drugs can have on a person’s mental, emotional and physical state and be aware that there are both short term and long term effects. The longevity of the effects often depends on the state of mind of a person who takes these drugs. While there was ample amounts of research done on the effects that marijuana, LSD and crystal methamphetamine, there was no research done comparing all three of these drugs and the relationship they might all have between one another. This would be beneficial to understanding the full effects of all these drugs and where they each stand on a scale of the danger of consumption. However, in conclusion, it is vital for an individual to take into account all the consequences that come with taking drugs so they understand the seriousness and harm that it can cause them.