Marijuana, probably the world’s oldest psychoactive plant known to humanity, is a dry, shredded green and brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves derived from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa. It contains a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. It produces a feeling of “high” when taken. The flower of the plant contains the higher levels of THC.
Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette. It could also be smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco leaf used to wrap the cigar. With this, marijuana’s active ingredients combine with nicotine and other harmful chemicals. Marijuana can also be mixed in food. When marijuana is snorted, it goes rapidly into the blood through the lungs and then to the brain. The “high” feeling is felt within a few minutes and could last up to five hours. When marijuana is eaten, it is absorbed gradually because it has to the pass the stomach and intestine for digestion. The changing feeling could take up an hour but would last longer, for about twelve hours.
In the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and thereby influences the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have a lot of cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that control pleasure, memory, contemplation, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Cannabinoid receptors are mostly concentrated in the hypothalamus, amygdale, spinal cord, brain stem, central gray, and nucleus of the solitary tract. These brain areas are most likely affected with THC, thus will cause a dysfunction in behaviors related to these areas. THC activates the reward system of the brain which causes the release of dopamine, which in turn is responsible for the “high” feeling.
With repeated use of marijuana, the body becomes tolerant to the substance. Just like any other abused substances, marijuana could cause withdrawal symptoms when usage is terminated. When the body tolerates the substance, higher doses is required, and in turn, causing more damage in the person’s life. In order to avoid withdrawal symptoms, the person would find ways for continuous use of the drug. This attitude, then, translates to marijuana dependence. Marijuana is considered to be both mentally and emotionally addictive. Addicts believe that they need to take marijuana to live normally and to have fun.
Overtime, marijuana could change the person socially, emotionally, physically, and even psychologically. Users tend to lose motivation in doing activities that used to mean a lot to them. The user would then keep away from their friends who do not use marijuana and settle to those who use the substance. It is planted in their minds that they could not do things without being stoned of smoking marijuana first. They think that smoking marijuana could explain all their problems. Furthermore, as indicated by how the brain is affected with marijuana, memory and cognition is very much affected. Studies have made known that heavy users have trouble sustaining attention, changing attention to meet the demands of the changes in the environment, and in registering, processing, and using information. It has been recommended that the bigger destruction among heavy users is likely due to an adjustment of brain activity given of by marijuana. Furthermore, smoking marijuana could lead to abnormal functioning of lung tissue and other respiratory problems.
Marijuana can either be addictive or not. For people with addictive tendency, then yes, marijuana could be addictive. However, there are people who disagree that they can take or leave it and have give up for a long period of time. Well, probably, in their case, the answer is no.
Marijuana can be beneficial but once abused can give off more harm than good which translates one to call for help.
