Marijuana Addictions
And the Effects They Have
Introduction
For my "addiction" one-pager, I have chosen the addiction of marijuana. This substance is the third most commonly abused drug in the United States, with almost 19 million users in 2012, so I believe that it is an addiction worth researching. I hope this project is insightful and interesting.
Marijuana Abuse Facts
- Marijuana (also called weed or pot) is made from dried leaves or flowers of the cannabis plant. There are over 400 chemicals in marijuana, the main one being THC.
- Marijuana is the most popular illicit drug among high school students.
- 79% of current drug abusers use marijuana.
- Marijuana effects can last for up to four hours, and traces of THC can be detected in the body for up to 90 days.
Cannabis Plant
The species of plant that marijuana is made from.
Marijuana
The drug after it is made.
"Joint"
A cigar-like paper that marijuana is smoked in.
Long-Term Effects of Marijuana
Negative Effects
- High blood-pressure
- High cholesterol
- Increased risk of obesity
- Increased risk of heart attacks
- Pregnancy/Infertility problems
- May help lung capacity and health
- Helps control epileptic seizures
- Can be used to treat glaucoma
- May help to stop cancer from spreading
Illegality of Marijuana
The use, possession, sale, cultivation, and transportation of cannabis (the plant marijuana comes from) is illegal in the US. However, states are allowed to decriminalize the drug, as long as there are regulations in place. Only four states (Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington) have completely legalized the possession and use of cannabis. Currently, Texas law permits cannabis only for non-psychoactive medical purposes.
Lethality of Marijuana
While marijuana is addictive and dangerous, it may not be the murderer many people think it is. Several studies (such as the one shown below, which was published in "Scientific Reports") have compared the lethality of marijuana to other substances, including alcohol, heroin, and cocaine, and found that using marijuana is far less dangerous than any of the other substances in the study. Other studies show that it would take 40,000 times the amount of THC intake to get a person high in order to kill them. In comparison, it would only take 5-10 times the amount of alcohol to get a person intoxicated in order to kill them.