Marijuana is Bad

"Cannabis, also known as marijuana (sometimes spelled "marihuana") among many other names, refers to any preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug. The word marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish marihuana. According to the United Nations, marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in the world."

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main active chemical found in marijuana. It binds to specific sites throughout the brain, called cannabinoid receptors. The cortex has a high concentration of cannabinoid receptors, especially in areas responsible for sensory perception (touch, sight, hearing, taste, and smell). The brain has these receptors because there are naturally occurring neurotransmitters in the brain called endocannabinoids that are similar to THC that play a role in numerous physiological processes including appetite, memory, and pain. Marijuana activates cannabinoid receptors leading to altered sensory experiences that users feel while under the influence. The person may experience heightened or dulled sensations (e.g., visual, auditory) or dramatic, and sometimes frightening, emotions. The user may also exhibit slowed reflexes. Marijuana also affects the prefrontal cortex by changing the normal patterns of blood flow and impairing decision-making abilities. This can lead users to engage in risky behaviors they wouldn’t ordinarily do. Also, malfunctions in the prefrontal cortex are believed to contribute to schizophrenia. This could explain why some people who use marijuana may have increased risk of schizophrenia later in life.

The short-term effects include:

*Dulled preception of sight, sound, etc.

*Excess memory loss, trouble learning.

*Loss of coordination.

*Thought and problem-solving is impaired.

*Heart beat increased, reduced blood pressure.

The Long-term effects include:

*Occasionally cough, increased phlegm.

*Increased chance of acute chest illnesses.

*Increased risk of lung infections

Obstructed airways

THC

THC acts upon specific sites in the brain, called cannabinoid receptors, kicking off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the "high" that users experience when they smoke marijuana. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. The highest density of cannabinoid receptors are found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentrating, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.

Second Page

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_%28drug%29

(2) http://www.theantidrug.com/drug-information/drug-effects-on-the-brain/default.aspx

(3) http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html