Marijuana

Over the last few years, however, narcotics organizations, medical research projects, and the federal government have been stockpiling information on everything about this drug from how its used, what it is called, what it is, and what it does and have made startling discoveries. Many dark mysteries have been solved about this drug many people once thought to be both safe and fun. Marijuana is not all it first appears to be, and it is important to have a good understanding of what it is and what it could do.

Marijuana is a naturally grown drug derived from the plant Cannabis Sativa, also known as hemp. Many people believe that marijuana is a “safe drug” because it is a natural plant, but this is not true. Crab apples are natural, nightshade is natural, mushrooms in one’s lawn are natural but if eaten they will cause sickness or even death, not all natural things are safe or good for humans. In fact, scientists have recently discovered over 400 harmful chemicals in marijuana including carcinogens that cause cancer found in cigarettes. Marijuana is actually four times more harmful than cigarettes due to chemical makeup and the way it is used. The main mood-altering chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabidol or THC for short. The unfertilized female cannabis is favored for its high THC concentration. The THC concentration in marijuana has also been rising since 1960, making the drug more potent today. Marijuana may be natural, but it is not good for you.

The effects of marijuana can be observed over short or long periods of time. In the short-term, marijuana can relax or stimulate the user. This is the “high” the user is intoxicating himself for. During this time, the user’s perception is distorted, meaning she cannot keep track of time and sensations such as sight, taste, smell, and hearing are muddled and confused. The user loses motor control and hand-eye coordination, severely decreasing his ability to operate a vehicle or anything at all. Verbal ability is also decreased. Depending on the person, dosage, and use of the drug, the user may become erratic experiencing mood swings and a short temper, this is usually the result of stronger dosage. Even after the “high” wears off THC remains in the user’s body for several weeks and over time long-term damage builds up.

Long-term side-effects can include: cancer, respiratory damage, brain damage, damage to the immune system, and death. Marijuana smoke is more harmful than cigarette smoke, just five joints a day is the equivalent of a pack a day. Marijuana smoke causes the lung cancer cigarettes cause but faster. The frequent user will have many chest colds and will wheeze and cough. The drug also damages tissues and cells designed to protect your body from illness and the frequent user is much more susceptible to sickness. But worst of all, THC widens the gaps between neurotransmitters in the brain and kills brain cells. This causes a drop in IQ, short or long-term memory, and problem-solving skills. All of these systems are vital to the human body and life processes. Damaging them is hard to fix and uneducated, and too much damage to any one will result in death.

Marijuana is smuggled in to the United States illegally, usually from Mexico. The cultivators and processors compact the dried up and shredded leaves of the cannabis into 1 kilo blocks for easy storage and concealment, making it more profitable for the smuggler. When marijuana is bought it is purchased from a criminal who the user probably doesn’t know very well or at all. He has nothing but the dealer’s word (and he is probably a convict) that the poison he is buying is safe and exactly what he thinks it is. The marijuana is then wrapped into a cigarette called a “joint” or “nail” or stuffed in to a pipe, bong or hollowed-out cigar wrapper called a “blunt” and smoked. The user inhales the drug and holds it for a while. This technique, called a “hit,” enhances the damage done to the lungs and deadly side effects. No matter how it is obtained or used marijuana is illegal wherever it is in the United States.

Marijuana has many different names used by people who sell or use it. The most common of these are pot, Mary Jane, weed, reefer, and dope. Whatever it may be called, marijuana is illegal in all fifty states and anybody caught using it, in possession of it, growing it, selling it, or sometimes being near it, will face serious criminal charges. Normally this includes a large fine and or incarceration. The sentence varies from state to state but the main factors are quantity of illegal drugs, whether the offenders sell or grow it, where it is, what state they are in and how many past offenses the criminal has committed. The law may vary in different circumstances but it is never good to have or abuse any illegal or illegally obtained drug.

Marijuana appeals to teens due to several factors. The first and most common of these is peer pressure. Friends or people the would-be user knows do the drug or offer it to him and it can be hard and extremely important for teens to fit into their society. Users will often claim that “everybody else is doing it.” But this is not true less than 20% of 10th graders today use marijuana regularly and more than 70% never will. Another reason is curiosity. Teens want to know what the drug is like. They see it as a mystery waiting to be experienced and many teens do not have the self-control required to fight the curiosity. Despite the big mystery the truth is the marijuana is illegal and can ruin a life and future with just one use. Also, marijuana is a gateway drug, meaning that it shows the users ability to make bad decisions. Once the normal dose or even higher doses begin to lose the desirable effect, there is a high probability that the user will search for a new high on a new, more lethal drug. These are very powerful persuasions to do the drug but it is important to remember that as soon as the user picks up that joint she is throwing her life away for a measly high that will eventually lead to jail or death.

The new facts compiled on marijuana have made more and more people aware of these dangerous problems with marijuana. Use of this drug is now more strictly enforced and public broadcasts help decrease the number of users by giving them the information they need to make a tough decision when they have to. New studies will continue to increase important knowledge on this and other illegal drugs and help keep people drug free. It is always important to know that this is not the “safe drug” friends say it is and that the consequences for using it will be dire.