Marijuana is a derivative of the Cannabis plant, it is prepared from the plant leaves and buds and is said to act as a psychoactive drug and is used for medicinal purposes. The active ingredient in marijuana is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which is known to produce the feeling of euphoria and relaxed moods. Some people experience heightened laughter and increase in hunger. While others simply feel relaxed and can sleep more.
Statistics About Marijuana
Is marijuana addictive is a big question? Can someone who uses marijuana on a daily basis stop whenever they feel like it without feeling withdrawal symptoms? How much marijuana is too much? Is there an actual medical usage for marijuana? Do all potheads have lower IQ’s and less income levels? Much research has been done on this and studies have found some interesting results.
1. An estimated 9% of people who use marijuana will become addicted.
2. For younger users the number goes up to 1-6.
3. 25-50% are marijuana users are habitual.
4. Study about identical and fraternal twins shows that if one uses marijuana before the age of 17, the other will venture into more drugs and use more often than the one that doesn’t start so young.
5. Marijuana accounts for 4.5 million of the 7.5 million users of illegal drugs.
6. In 2009, approximately 12% of youths entering treatment centers reported marijuana as there drug choice.
7. 61% of children 15 and younger report marijuana as the primary drug choice.
8. In 1995 165,000 people entering drug treatment centers choose marijuana as the drug of choice.
Alternative Names for Marijuana
1. Weed
2. Pot
3. Reefer
4. Grass
5. Dope
6. Ganja
7. Mary Jane
8. Hash
9. Herb
10. Chronic
Usage Trends
Many people throughout history have been known to use marijuana for recreational purposes, but in the past ten years the government has started letting different states produce and sell medicinal marijuana for different illnesses. Each state has its own regulations and still have to abide by the federal laws. So selling and growing marijuana for medicinal purposes can be a tricky business. On one end the state can approve you for growing and selling up to a certain amount on the other end the Federal DEA can come in and cite you for growing and distribution. So always check with your local jurisdictional rulings. Many pot dispensaries have popped up over the past few years. So if you suffer from one of these diseases listed below you can obtain a medical marijuana card from your licensed Doctor to purchase a certain amount each month. It is not yet covered under medical insurance, so you must pay out of pocket, but once the FDA approves it as a viable drug for medicinal purposes like any other medicine it could possible covered by your insurance company.
1. Pain from Headaches, cancer, glaucoma, arthritis.
2. Muscles spasms caused by Multiple Sclerosis.
3. Sickness from chemotherapy.
4. Poor appetite due to an illness such as HIV or nerve pain.
5. Seizure Disorder.
6. Crohn’s Disease.
These are all just a few of the reasons Doctors are prescribing Medical Marijuana lately. If you are in a state that supports Medical Marijuana and you feel it could help you then consult with a licensed Doctor about the benefits. There are also Doctors that will prescribe medical marijuana for autism, ADHD, and other behavioral issues. But before using it consult with a licensed professional.
Every drug has consequences and Marijuana is no different. Some of the consequences of using marijuana are during, and after use. Some can be long term and some can be short term, some are also dependent on your mental health history. Here is a list of some of those consequences.
Present during intoxication
• Loss or slowing down of short-term memory.
• Your attention, judgment and other cognitive functions are reduced or slowed down.
• Balance and coordination are thrown off.
• Can cause psychotic breaks.
Last longer than intoxication but not necessarily permanent effects
• Hard to learn and memorize things.
• Sleep is impaired.
Long term effect of usage
• Addiction is always possible.
• A chronic cough or bronchitis is possible due to smoke inhalation.
• If already on the mental health spectrum it has been known to increase symptoms of schizophrenia.
• Can increase anxiety, depression and a motivational syndrome.
Marijuana use can cause the same problems as constant smokers experience such as a cough, bronchitis, extra phlegm, even lung problems due to the toxic chemicals in the marijuana smoke. Marijuana smoke has the potential of causing cancer and cancer related illness due to the irritants and carcinogens found in the smoke when smoked. In fact it contains up to 70% more than tobacco smoke. However, with several researches this potential has been found unfounded since there are also protective chemicals in the marijuana that protects against harmful carcinogens. There have been studies done on the effects of marijuana to the immune system but no consistent findings where concerning, however, the findings did warrant further study.
There have been many studies done on whether marijuana use causes mental health issues, one such study showed that there is a connection between marijuana use and psychosis. Marijuana use has been known to increase the effects of schizophrenia and may be a contributing factor to depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among young children and personality disturbances. These studies have been run for a while on the effects of marijuana and the brain but more research is needed to make an educated conclusion about the effects of the usage. So just because the results are inconclusive doesn’t mean that it’s not a probability. So be careful with any marijuana use, especially recreational for a long extended time frame. The last effects could be worse than you imagined.
Symptoms of Withdrawal
1. Irritability
2. Sleeping difficulties
3. Cravings
4. Anxiety
5. Increased aggression that peaks 1 weak after last smoking it.
Effects of marijuana on school and work can be very bad with memory loss and lack of concentration. A few studies have shown several difficulties that are faced. Here are just a few of those.
1. Negative effects on attention, memory, and learning can last for days after the initial use.
2. Evidence shows that students who smoke regularly are more likely to get lower grades and possible drop out.
3. Studies have shown a reduced educational attainment from frequent smokers.
4. Workers who use marijuana tend to have more accidents on the job, call out often, and take more sick leave.
5. Study of postal workers who failed the pre-drug screen test had:
• 55% more industrial accidents.
• 85% more injuries.
• 75% increase in absenteeism.
6. 6.8% of drivers involved in accidents tested positive for THC for drivers under the age of 35.
7. 59% of youth user reported forget what a conversation was about before the conversation was even over.
8. 41% of students admitted that if reading while stoned they couldn’t remember what was read.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that anyone who smokes marijuana will not succeed in life but there is a greater chance of not succeeding if you add marijuana smoking to your daily routine. Some famous figures have smoked marijuana and gone on to make a really big name for themselves in politics, movies, music, and industry. So know your limits and control your intake, keep your life on track and don’t let marijuana take over.
Although marijuana is not as bad on your body as cocaine or heroin it can be harmful to you and your daily functions in life. Some treatments are designed to help with the abuse of marijuana but it doesn’t always help as nothing is guaranteed. Here are some options in treatments.
1. Treating the underlying mental health disorder has been known to help.
2. Behavioral treatments such as Motivational enhancement therapy, group or individual-cognitive behavioral therapy, and contingency management have been used as well.
3. Medical research is looking into a medicinal treatment for abuse of marijuana that doesn’t trigger side effects.
Marijuana has played a role in medical history and without it some patients would be suffering tremendous amounts of pain and sickness. More education and research needs to be done to determine the true outcome of Marijuana use with THC and without THC to better determine if it is truly harmful to your body and mind. There have been no reported deaths from cancer caused by only using marijuana and there has been no actual findings to justify the statement that marijuana use causes Cancer, even though it carries the same properties as nicotine does at a much higher dosage nicotine has caused more cancer related deaths in the history of marijuana smoking.
Many people use marijuana recreationally and medically. Some forms of usage can be through the follow:
1. Smoking
2. Cooking
3. Teas
4. Pills
5. Oil drops
6. Mouth spray for pain
Many more options are coming available as more research is done. Research is the leading solution to medical problems and with more and more research we can determine the long time effects of marijuana use and the health benefits that are associated with certain forms of marijuana use for medical purposes.
Other sites to gain advice and information about Cannabis and its uses can be found at the NIDA website. The NIDA website contains information on the following.
1. Information on drugs of abuse and related health issues.
2. NIDA news, publications, and events.
3. Funding information.
4. Resources for healthcare professionals.
5. International activities.
6. And links to related websites.