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The Truth About Marijuana
by
Antonella Antonecchia | 12.08.2009
Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world. According to the United Nations, 158.8 million people around the world use marijuana – more than 3.8% of the planet’s population. Marijuana is the word used to describe the dried flowers, seeds and leaves of the Indian hemp plant. It is usually green, brown or gray in color. On the streets, it is called by many other names, such as: astro, turf, dope, dogga, grass, hemp, Mary Jane, pot and weed. Hashish is a related form of the drug, made from the resins of the Indian hemp plant. It is tan, brown or black and shaped into balls, sticks or bars. Also called chocolate or hash, it is on average six times stronger than marijuana. “Cannabis” describes any of the different drugs that come from Indian hemp, including marijuana and hashish. When smoked, both marijuana and hashish give off a distinctive, sweet odor. Regardless the name, this drug is a hallucinogen – a substance which distorts how the mind perceives the world a person lives in. The chemical in cannabis that creates this distortion is known as “THC”. The amount of THC found in any given batch of marijuana may vary substantially, but overall, the percentage of THC has increased in recent years. THC levels averaged 1% in 1974 and 4% in 2004. In 2008, levels reached 9.6%. Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (joint), but may also be smoked in a pipe. Less often, it is mixed with food and eaten or brewed as a tea. Sometimes users open up cigars and remove the tobacco, replacing it with pot – called a “blunt”. When a person smokes a joint, he usually feels its effects within minutes. The immediate sensations – increased heart rate, lessened coordination and balance, and a “dreamy”, unreal state of mind – peak within the first 30 minutes. These short-term effects usually wear off in two to three hours, but they could last longer, depending on how much the user takes, the potency of the THC and the presence of other drugs added into the mix. As the typical user inhales more smoke and holds it longer than he would with a cigarette, a joint creates a severe impact on one’s lungs. Aside from the discomfort that goes with sore throats and chest colds, it has been found that consuming one joint gives as much exposure to cancer-producing chemicals as smoking five cigarettes. The mental consequences of marijuana use are equally severe. Marijuana smokers have poorer memories and mental aptitude than do non-users. Physical reactions are followed by depression, sleepiness, personality and mood changes, inability to understand things clearly. Marijuana itself does not lead to other drugs; people take drugs to get rid of unwanted situations or feelings. The drug masks the problem for the time while the user is high. When the “high” fades, the problem, unwanted condition or situation returns more intensely than before. The user may then turn to stronger drugs since marijuana no longer “works”. The vast majority of cocaine users (99.9%) began by first using a “gateway drug” like marijuana, cigarettes or alcohol. By giving the truth about drugs anyone can help others to make informed decision to live a drug free life. To get the facts visit www.drugfreeworld.org. And for the person with a drug problem, there are also real solutions to addiction. Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program that utilizes the methods of L. Ron Hubbard, has a success rate of more than 75%. (www.narconon.org) |
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Comments
Tradition keeps me from commenting
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I am glad that I live in the usa where the freedom of speech is granted to each and everyone. With 24 years 11 months under my belt, i have attended many funerals and suicide as a result of mis information, or good information interpreted and applied in correctly, led by folks that were not and are not trained or experienced in areas that lead to suffering and death....75% rate is incredible ....
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a comment sent to rmship/Bob from a patient
Submitted by Baba Bob Shipman on Sat, 12/12/2009 - 9:13amFri, December 11, 2009 - 12:56 PM
Thanks for sharing that, Bob! My thoughts:
According to the United Nations, 158.8 million people around the world use marijuana – more than 3.8% of the planet’s population.
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I suspect more than that but yes...
Hashish is a related form of the drug, made from the resins of the Indian hemp plant.
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It is actually exactly the same chemicals as straight up dried flowers but in concentration. No different and unchanged chemically.
The amount of THC found in any given batch of marijuana may vary substantially, but overall, the percentage of THC has increased in recent years.
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I agree. So has the required dosage as a result. But I suspect with that comes a general higher administering of the drug overall because of the fact that it is, for all practical purposes, virtually impossible to overdose on cannabis (in terms of a life threatening biological situation).
Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (joint), but may also be smoked in a pipe. Less often, it is mixed with food and eaten or brewed as a tea. Sometimes users open up cigars and remove the tobacco, replacing it with pot – called a “blunt”.
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People also vaporize cannabis.
...it has been found that consuming one joint gives as much exposure to cancer-producing chemicals as smoking five cigarettes.
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Yes. That is totally true. But THC/CBD's also provide a benefit that is shown to negate what should be a predictably hard hit on the lungs (in terms of COPD's and the like - Tashkin's study suggests there is no correlation between cannabis and lung cancer and other chronic COPD's):
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...29.html
www.lung.med.ucla.edu/faculty...hkin.htm
The mental consequences of marijuana use are equally severe.
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As a medical marijuana patient, I would have to say that this statement is overgeneralizing quite a bit. I think it really depends on the circumstances of usage taking into account psychology, physical health and social factors.
Marijuana smokers have poorer memories and mental aptitude than do non-users.
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Generally yes.
Physical reactions are followed by depression, sleepiness, personality and mood changes, inability to understand things clearly.
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I think this is possible but not consistent or even typical. Well, mood changes are pretty consistent and usually on the up while under the effects. For example, I use medical cannabis primarily for insomnia and intolerance to therapy I need to deal with my sleep apnea (BiPap machine). And, the secondary reason I use it is to help with my depression. It works great for me in both areas - more so than any other chemical I have tried.
Marijuana itself does not lead to other drugs; people take drugs to get rid of unwanted situations or feelings. The drug masks the problem for the time while the user is high. When the “high” fades, the problem, unwanted condition or situation returns more intensely than before. The user may then turn to stronger drugs since marijuana no longer “works”. The vast majority of cocaine users (99.9%) began by first using a “gateway drug” like marijuana, cigarettes or alcohol.
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Personally, I don't consider cannabis to necessarily be a gateway drug. I think that cannabis, combined with gateway behavior, gateway settings and gateway personalities can lead to harder drug use. There is probably a much higher correlation with alcohol use and future drug use than cannabis - if so, my theory is that its not an issue of cannabis or alcohol themselves, but the fact that some people have predispositions or opportunities presented regardless - with higher number of the population who drink recreationally vs. using cannabis, there is probably a similar stat in terms of percentage of users. Its a theory.
www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/
By giving the truth about drugs anyone can help others to make informed decision to live a drug free life. To get the facts visit www.drugfreeworld.org.
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I think the concept of a drug free America is really a pipe dream. By nature we are a drug culture. We are inundated with ads about drugs all day. Pharmaceutical industrial complex encourages drug use at high costs and with the prevalence of OTC drugs, self-medication. If we look at places like Amsterdam, we cannot directly equate drug use with crime or deeper, negative social impact. Its a combination of culture and substance. American culture, imho, encourages bad behavior.
And for the person with a drug problem, there are also real solutions to addiction. Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program that utilizes the methods of L. Ron Hubbard, has a success rate of more than 75%. (www.narconon.org)
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That is a great number!
A check and balance:
www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/
With love and respect...
MC
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