What is marijuana?
Marijuana is well known as cannabis, which is a psychoactive drug. They are in the form of dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds. Cannabis contains a chemical called delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) that alters the mind of a person. It is one of the most consumed drugs among young people. It can be consumed by smoking, ingestion, or vaporization in the form of tinctures, edibles, or oils. Furthermore, marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes, and it is prescribed to treat certain diseases in some regions.
How do people use it?
Consumption of marijuana varies from one person to another depending on their preference and the legal regulations of a particular region.
Standard methods of marijuana consumption include:
Smoking: smoking is the common way of consuming marijuana. It involves rolling it into a joint or smoking through a pipe, inhaling the smoke produced when marijuana is burned.
Vaporizing: Those people who want to avoid inhaling smoke can use the vaporizing method. This involves heating marijuana at lower temperatures compared to smoking, releasing vapor instead of smoke. A person inhales vapor and not smoke; this method is less harmful to the lungs.
Edibles involve mixing marijuana with food and beverages such as cookies, candies, biscuits, and even drinks. Edibles can take longer to affect.
Tinctures and oils. It involves the liquid extracts of cannabis and mixing it with food and beverages. This method is considered a discreet and precise way of consuming cannabis.
TopicalsThese include creams, lotions, and balms combined with cannabis that can be applied to the body for localized pain relief or as beauty products. Typically, this form of consumption does not produce any psychoactive effects.
How does marijuana affect the brain?
When marijuana interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which is a complex connection of receptors found throughout the body and brain, THC binds to cannabinoid receptors mainly found in the areas of the brain associated with memory, pleasure, concentration, perception, and coordination, resulting in alteration of neurotransmitters release. This can cause short-term effects such as high relaxation, impaired memory, difficulties in concentration, and coordination problems. These effects vary from person to person, depending on the method of consumption and strain of marijuana. Long-term use of marijuana, especially when started at a teenage, can have more effects on the development of the brain. It can impact memory, IQ, attention, and cognitive abilities.
Other health effects of marijuana?
Marijuana use not only affect the brain but also the physical body of a person.
Physical effects caused by marijuana consumption include:
- Breathing problems: smoke from marijuana irritates the breathing system; marijuana can cause breathing problems such as frequent lung illness, daily cough, and a higher risk of lung infections. However, researchers have not found a risk of lung cancer in people who smoke marijuana.
- Increase heart rate: marijuana smoking can increase the heart rate, increasing the chances of heart attack. Mainly, older people and those with heart problems have a high risk of getting heart attacks.
- Problems in child development among pregnant mothers: expectant mothers consuming marijuana may affect the development of the baby, including lower birth weight and increased brain problems and behavioral problems of babies.
- Intense nausea and vomiting: Long-term use of marijuana can lead to regular experience of severe nausea, vomiting, and dehydration, requiring medical attention frequently.
Is marijuana addictive?
Marijuana use is very addictive and can lead to addiction a substance use disorder, a medical ondition in which the person is not able to stop using even though the person know health and social problems associated. Research conducted suggests that between 9 and 30 percent of those who use marijuana may have some level of marijuana addiction. People who began using marijuana before the end of their teenage are seven times more likely than adults to develop a marijuana
addiction.
Treatments available for marijuana use disorder
No medicine is currently available to treat marijuana use disorder, but behavioral support is adequate. These include therapy and motivational incentives (rewarding drug-free patients). Further research may lead to new medications that help ease withdrawal symptoms, block the effects of marijuana, and prevent relapse.
