Essay/Term paper: Marijuana

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Alcohol and Drugs

Marijuana


Drugs are a major debate it the world we live in today. Drugs are
gaining more and more attention. More and more people are using drugs then ever
before and there is no decrease in the amount of drug users. One of the most
commonly used drugs is marijuana. In todays world marijuana is growing and is
looking to be legalized in California for medical uses only but that will lead
to many other problems in the near future.
Marijuana is the most used drug in the U.S. besides tobacco. Marijuana
gives people the feeling they like and want but when it is used to much they
have to use more of it to get the high in which they desire. It effects your
brain by making the THC disrupt the nerve cells in the part of the brain where
memories are formed. This makes it harder for the user to recall events and
makes it harder to learn. Marijuana is addictive to some people. About 100,000
people seek treatment for marijuana use each year. Marijuana is usually smoked
as a cigarette (called a joint or a nail) or in a pipe or a bong. Recently, it
has appeared in cigars called blunts which are larger and, therefore, more
dangerous. Marijuana is a green, brown, or a gray mixture of dried, shredded
flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). There are many slang
names for marijuana such as pot, weed, boom, gangster, and Mary Jane. This drug
causes Timing, coordination, alertness, and performance to be affected in a
negative way. Marijuana has THC in it which is absorbed by fatty tissues in
various organs. THC can be detected using urine tests and it will stay in your
system for seven to a couple of weeks.
Teens are the reason that drugs are a problem in the U.S.. About one in
six 10th graders report that they are current marijuana users. Fewer then one in
five high school seniors are current users. Some people who use this drug feel
nothing but some feel relaxed and high. After smoking it users may get a sudden
quenching for a drink and get very hungry. This is called the munchies. Short
Term effects of marijuana include memory problems and learning problems,
distorted perception, trouble when thinking and problem solving, loss of
coordination, increased heart rate, anxiety, and panic attacks. THC can damage
cell tissues in you immune system causing users to be more open to diseases. To
be able to tell if someone is high they may be dizzy and have trouble walking,
be silly and giggly for no reason, bloodshot eyes and have a hard time
remembering things. These effects usually end in a few hours and the user gets
very sleepy.
A big issue being raised in California is the legalization of marijuana
for medical purposes only. The old laws would still be in effect. If you were
found using it you would have to have your medical doctors prescription for it
to get free from jail or a fine. Still, a cop could bust you for growing it and
cuff you because they don't know that your doctor prescribed it for you. This
law is a state law and is called Proposition 215. This law has been turned down
for the last two years. This year all the old laws that have been turned down
have been put together to make a great law. This law actually passed November 5,
1996.
Marijuana aids in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, chronic pain,
spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which
marijuana provides relief. The American Cancer society says NO to marijuana
because it is not a substitute for appropriate anti-nause drugs for cancer
chemotherapy and vomiting. We see no reason to support the legalization of
marijuana for medical use. Smoking marijuana is also not approved by the FDA for
any illness. These corporations both say that they what a different drug to do
the same thing but developing it will take an estimated 4 billion dollars.
People what to know why some other drugs can be used like morphine but marijuana
can't.
In me and my partners personal option we believe that it is wrong to
smoke it or use it in any way, shape, or form. We have never used in and
probably never will. We only have one body and we should make the most of it and
not mess it up by doing stupid things that will affect us as we get older. To me
doing any kind of drugs is stupid and a waste of time. I want to live my life
without any worries of medical problems.
Any kind of drug that is illegal is bad for your health but if
recommended by a doctor does it make them any better. Drugs will always be
around in my option. The government can't demolish drugs or marijuana but they
can try to educate children while they are younger to tell them that drugs are
bad and should not be taken. With the passing of this law marijuana will become
legal in California. Other states can adopt this law if they would like.
Education is the key to the end of drugs and the beginning of a new era. Just
say NO.