Abstract
The subject of ‘self-harming behavior’ has been widely studied by Tantam and Whittaker in Bhugra & Munro (1997) ed. ‘Troublesome Disguises: Under-diagnosed.’ In their review of literature, Tantam and Whittaker observed that the tendency to inflict self-harm began at an early age and in some cases as early as childhood. Though this sounds quite surprising, it can be observed that children begin to ‘try’ new things like drinking, smoking and using marijuana at school and with friends at social meetings and parties. Initially, they take it for fun and later, because of its constant use, they fall prey to its vicious addiction. While marijuana was banned till recently but is now allowed to be prescribed by medical practitioners, many States in the U.S have now legalized its use on medical grounds. However, without proper consultation, the effect of the usage of marijuana for getting ‘’high’ can be very harmful, culminating in them becoming victims. While many in the U.S use it to overcome pain and anxiety, marijuana has a lot of negative effects that can harm the lungs, heart and the brains.
Thesis
Should marijuana be legalized? “During a 2004 congressional testimony, a doctor speaking on behalf of the FDA said marijuana as a ‘botanical product’ is difficult to test for efficacy and safety because the proportions of active chemicals can range greatly from plant to plant. This in turn, could also cause problems for patients trying to use marijuana” (Cox, 2012). While many professionals consider marijuana to be less harmful and has more medicinal value, the underlying fact that marijuana if not administered or used under strict physician’s care, could become a liability on one’s health. “Marijuana is usually smoked, but it can also be eaten, mixed with food or brewed as tea,” says Cox (2012) in ‘Effects of Marijuana.’ She says that by smoking marijuana, “THC, a psychoactive chemical, is absorbed into the blood through the lungs which then circulates all around the body. Once it reaches the brain, it can impair thinking and instigate memory loss, in addition to various psychological and physical side-effects.” A number of states in the United States have approved the use of marijuana for medical use with a doctor's recommendation. There are marijuana clubs and pharmacies established in those states to provide marijuana purely on medical ground. These clubs and pharmacies are under strict government regulations. Buyers are checked for identity, medical records, and doctor's diagnosis and recommendations before they are allowed to purchase small quantities of marijuana. Given the emphasis laid on restricting the availability of marijuana and the effect it can have on people who misuse it, it is best not to legalize the use of marijuana.
“In 1970, Congress enacted the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which divides illicit and prescription drugs into five levels, or “schedules under 21 U.S.C. §§ 801-904 (1970). Each schedule contains its own set of restrictions and allowances based on the federal government’s assessment of each drug’s medicinal properties and potential for abuse. Marijuana, under the CSA is considered a Schedule I drug, meaning it has no recognized medical purpose and be prescribed by physicians. Therefore, any person(s) prescribing, using, cultivating, or possessing marijuana can be punished under federal law. Because federal law preempts conflicting state law, this is true even in those states that have enacted statutes permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes” (Haygood et al, 2010). However, with time, many states have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
According to the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorder (EMD, 2007), “anxiety symptoms, such as generalized anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, or phobia symptoms are said to be caused by the effects of a psychoactive substance which stimulates substance-induced psychotic disorder. In other words, a substance may induce psychotic symptoms or psychosis while the individual is under the influence of the drug (during intoxication) or after stopping the use of drugs (withdrawal).” Given the nature of marijuana and its effect on the human brain, it would not be advisable to legalize it or be made available to the general public, unless of course, it is prescribed and administered under the strict care of a physician.
“Marijuana, if inhaled, as in most cases, goes into the heart and blood. The excess flow of the substance can lead to increased coagulation in the blood, which increases the aggregation of platelets. The excessive coagulation can imbalance the body mechanism to control clotting and bleeding, leading to an increased likelihood of a stroke of the brain. Also, a small cot if it enters the heart, it could travel to the arteries surrounding the heart resulting in heart attack,” reports Samaan (2008) in ‘Marijuana’s Effect on the Heart.’ What makes marijuana so much more dangerous is that it affects the brain and the continuous use of this substance can lead to serious life-threatening issues.
Marijuana is said to have medicinal benefits, but if it is misused or abused, it could lead to addiction and serious brain damage. Crack, cocaine, marijuana and heroin to name a few, are so addictive that even a single or couple of uses is enough to make the user to crave for more. When addicts try to ‘kick’ this habit, they develop withdrawal symptoms that require clinical support. When the body receives continuous supply of drugs, the body builds up a tolerance to it, thus forcing the recipient to seek larger doses to control the mind. Should the body be refused the required dosage, the recipient begins to react violently. The most obvious sign of addiction is the craving for that particular drug or substance, but changes in one’s mood or weight loss or gain can also be construed as a sign of addiction. Drug or alcohol addiction display psychological overtures, such as the use of drugs or alcohol to relieve tension, remain reclusive or shy, lack of interest in social and physical activities, inattentiveness, anti-social behavior, and mood swings. Physical overtures include, change in sleeping and eating habits, trembling, and weight loss or gain.
What is marijuana? The National Institute of Health (NIH) describes marijuana as “a dry, shredded green and brown mix of leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. As it is said to affect the brain, marijuana has a psychoactive chemical called delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol or THC for short.” Because marijuana is smoked, there is no denying that the smoke inhaled affects the heart and lungs and it is through these vital organs that the chemicals in marijuana spreads to other parts of the body. There is a strong belief that occasional consumption of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and tobacco to name a few, can cause no harm to the recipient and instead relieve them of stress and/or pressure. This is a serious mistake, for the above named substances can lure the recipient to further consumption and ultimately addiction. This is a very serious matter and needs to be dealt with strongly. Though many studies have been conducted into the effects and body harm caused by these substances (the study by Tantam and Whittaker being one of them), many are still willing to take the chance to experience the pleasures derived from substance abuse. Much young and old still experiment with these harmful substances despite clinical reports and physical evidences of the potential dangers it can cause.
There may not be too many, but the number of growing literature does confirm that certain drug exposures can contribute to the etiology of depressive symptoms and disorders. In the most common scenario, one sees men and women getting intoxicated to relieve themselves of depression. Such tendencies have led to addiction and body abuse. According to Ruschmann (2004) in ‘Legalizing Marijuana (Point Counterpoint), he says that “Many users develop a dependence on marijuana. While only a small percentage of users eventually become dependent, many people do try the drug in America which has a large growing dependent population. Those who ultimately do become dependent on the drug can become a liability to the rest of society on many counts; self-risk, risks to others, mounting health bills and so on.” In consideration of these, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) found that:
“They may use potent cannabis throughout the day over a period of months or years, and they may spend several hours a day acquiring and using the substance. This often interferes with family, school, work, or recreational activities” (Ruschmann, 2004)
The above statement by DEA clearly reflects the seriousness of the issue in the U.S. Without spelling out the outcome of these character traits, the DEA has only stated that the use of marijuana can hamper family life, social and professional life. But in all seriousness, what DEA categorically has stated is that the accidental use of marijuana could lead to addiction which could have serious repercussions on health and social life.
While there has been no serious public debate on the legalization or use of marijuana in the U.S, “in 1995, marijuana activist Jon Gettman filed a petition with the Drug Enforcement Administration asking it to move marijuana into a less restrictive schedule. After examining scientific and medical evidence, the DEA turned down Gettman’s petition,” reports Ruschmann (2004). The excerpts of that report from the Notice of Denial of Petition (Federal Register, vol. 66, no. 76, April 18, 2001) states:
The weight of the scientific and medical evidence . . . supports the three findings that (1) Marijuana has a high potential for abuse, (2) marijuana has no currently accepted medical use in the United States, and (3) there is a lack of accepted evidence about the safety of using marijuana under medical supervision (Ruschmann, 2004).
Iversen, (2008), in ‘The Science of Marijuana’ 2nd Edition, says that “Marijuana is among the most widely used of all psychoactive drugs. Even though its possession and use is illegal in most countries, it is used regularly by as many as 20 million people in the United States and Europe and by millions more in other parts of the world. Thousands of patients with AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and a variety of other disabling diseases illegally smoke marijuana with the firm belief that it makes their symptoms better, despite the relative paucity of medical evidence to substantiate this.”
As discussed a little earlier, marijuana is a psychoactive drug and therefore, the consumption of it does lead to a sophomoric reaction that temporarily suppresses pain and emotions. Many in the U.S use marijuana in small quantities to relieve themselves of pain and pressure. As long as it is used in small quantities and under strict medical recommendations, marijuana consumption is alright. However, Thomas (1993); Johns (2001) and Castle and Murray (2004), say that, “a more serious acute reaction to use of marijuana is toxic psychosis. The symptoms can be so severe that the person will have to be admitted to emergency psychiatric wards. This condition as reported in some of the psychiatric literature is cannabis psychosis (or marijuana psychosis). Cannabis psychosis nearly always results from taking large doses of the drug, often in food or drink, and the condition may persist for some days.” (Iversen, 2008)
“A person who shows symptoms of cannabis or marijuana psychosis can easily be fooled into believing that they are suffering from schizophrenia,” continues Iverson, (2008, p.163) “as they display delusions of control, grandiose identity, persecution, thought insertion, auditory hallucinations, changed perception, and blunting of the emotions,” some of the characteristic symptoms of schizophrenic illness, she ended. These behaviors have far-reaching consequences as they could cause body harm unintentionally.
Conclusion
References
Bhugra, D and Munro, A. (Ed), (1997), Troublesome Disguises: Under-diagnosed, Journal, Blackwell Science Ltd, London
Cox, L, (2012), Effects of marijuana, Journal, LiveScience, http://www.livescience.com/24558-marijuana-effects.html
EMD, (2007), Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders: Py-Z, Substance-induced anxiety disorder, Journal, http://www.minddisorders.com/Py-Z/Substance-induced-anxiety-disorder.html
Haygood, R, Hensley, R, and Field, K, (2010), It’s going to be a long, strange trip:
What employers need to know about medical-marijuana laws, Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Wiley Online Library, DOI 10.1002/ert.20311, p.61-66
Iversen, L, L, (2008), The Science of Marijuana, 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press, Inc., ISBN 978-0-19-532824-0, p. 4-163
Ruschmann, P, (2004), Legalizing Marijuana: Point-Counterpoint, Chelsea House Publishers, ISBN 0-7910-7483-8, p. 24-70
Samaan, R, (2009), Marijuana's Effects on the Heart: This recreational drug is not as benign as previously thought, http://voices.yahoo.com/marijuanas-effects-heart-3485533.html
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), (2002), Speaking out against drug legalization, Journal, www.dea.gov/demand/speakout/index.html
