Marijuana is an addictive and powerful drug that has various effects on the user’s body. These effects include various effects on the brain, effects on the body and mental or psychological effects as well. Marijuana is harmful because of its extracts which are potentially dangerous especially when marijuana is consumed in large amounts.
Marijuana use has several effects on the human brain. These are categorized as short term and long term effects of marijuana. Smoking marijuana causes the THC in the drug to pass through the lungs into the blood circulatory system. The chemical reaches the brain through the blood and other organs. Absorption of the THC is relatively slower than food. Hence, the effects take 30 minutes or more to sink in. THC affects targeted brain cell receptors that are responsible for normal brain function (NIH). Marijuana causes an over-activation of the parts of the brain which contains the largest number of these cell receptors, which causes the feeling of being high. Effects include modified senses such as seeing brighter than usual, losing the sense of time, mood swings, slowed or weakened body movement, problems in thinking properly and decision-making and impaired memory (NIH).
It also has several long-term effects on the brain. If smoking the drug begins at an early age, then it can significantly affect brain development. If begun in teenage, the drug may inhibit the ability to think and process properly, affect the memory and learning abilities and disrupt the connections in the brain that help to develop all of these functions in the brain (NIH). If persistently continued, these effects can last a long time, and they might even be permanent. According to research, individuals who had begun smoking marijuana regularly in teenage and were addicted heavily, suffered a drop in eight IQ points within the age frame of 13 and 38 (NIH). Even after quitting marijuana as adults they could not recover the diminished mental abilities. Smoking in adulthood did not show significant changes in mental capabilities (NIH).
Marijuana also affects the body, physically and mentally. The physical effects include the problems with breathing. The smoke from the drug is an irritant for the lungs and for those who have a regular addiction they can have similar breathing issues as tobacco smokers. Problems like coughing, phlegm, high risk of lung infections are all the various issues with marijuana smoking. However, the association between marijuana and lung cancer is not well established. Marijuana users might also have an increased heart rate and pulse (NIH). The heart rate remains high for up to 3 hours after smoking marijuana. This increases the risk of getting a heart attack. People with an older age and those already having heart problems might be the most at risk (NIH).
There might be problems for the fetus when marijuana is taken during and after pregnancy. Its use during pregnancy has showed increased risk of brain and behavior problems in babies. If a mother smokes marijuana during her pregnancy, certain parts of the baby’s brain might be affected by the drug (NIH). The baby might have to suffer from memory problems, attention-deficit and problem-solving abilities might lack in it. Studies also revealed that THC was released in breast milk of lactating mothers as well (NIH).
Other long-term effects include mental illness in individuals like hallucinating temporarily, paranoia and anxiety, worsened the case of schizophrenia especially if a person already has it and it can also lead to troubles such as depression, anxiety, fear and getting suicidal thoughts which are especially true of teenagers (NIH).
Works cited
NIH. DrugFacts: Marijuana. Mar 2016. Web. 18 April 2016.
<https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana>
Quotes from NIH:
“THC acts on specific brain cell receptors that ordinarily react to natural THC-like chemicals in the brain. These natural chemicals play a role in normal brain development and function” (NIH). “Marijuana overactivated parts of the brain that contain the highest number of these receptors. This causes the "high" that users feel” (NIH).
“Other effects include altered senses (for example, seeing brighter colors)altered sense of time, changes in mood,impaired body movement, difficulty with thinking and problem-solving and impaired memory” (NIH).
“When marijuana users begin using as teenagers, the drug may reduce thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions” (NIH).
“For example, a study showed that people who started smoking marijuana heavily in their teens and had an ongoing cannabis use disorder lost an average of eight IQ points between ages 13 and 38” (NIH).
“The lost mental abilities did not fully return in those who quit marijuana as adults. Those who started smoking marijuana as adults did not show notable IQ declines” (NIH).
“Marijuana smoke irritates the lungs, and frequent marijuana smokers can have the same breathing problems that tobacco smokers have” (NIH).
“Marijuana raises heart rate for up to 3 hours after smoking. This effect may increase the chance of heart attack” (NIH).
“If a pregnant woman uses marijuana, the drug may affect certain developing parts of the fetus’s brain. Resulting challenges for the child may include problems with attention, memory, and problem-solving” (NIH).
“Marijuana use has also been linked to other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among teens” (NIH).
