Marijuana. That forbidden, troublesome substance most people are afraid to try mainly because of what people might think if they do. Cannabis is a plant that comes from Mexico and South America that has been used by ancient Indian civilizations for over centuries. There are three species of the plant: Cannabis Sativa, which is tall and stalky, Cannabis Indica, smaller and bushier, and Cannabis Ruderalis, found primarily in Russia and Eastern Europe (Armentano.) This plant has historically been used for medical purposes such as decreasing nausea and vomiting, increasing appetite when in loss, chronic headaches, anxiety, and depression, amongst others. This drug, however, is nowadays considered very dangerous in most of the nations because it is seen as the “gateway drug” for trying harder, heavier drugs, and so the governments have outlawed it. What most people do not know is that the human body has a system called the endocannabinoid system. Many might ask, “Is that a real thing? How does it work?” and the answers are yes, it is a real thing, and it works as it follows.
The endocannabinoid system is a central regulatory system that affects a wide range of biological processes. It consists of a group of molecules known as cannabinoids as well as the cannabinoid receptors that they bind to.
There are two types of cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. These receptors are found in various parts of the body, but are most prominent in the brain and immune system.
While cannabinoid receptors are primarily expressed in the brain and immune system, researchers have identified cannabinoid receptors in a variety of other places as well, including the peripheral nervous system, cardiovascular system, reproductive system, and gastrointestina...
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...and conditions, and as a recreational substance for people who have anxiety or depression. Either way one chooses to use the drug, it will still have beneficial effects on the body. The government, however, has made the use of this drug illegal because of fears and social prejudices they have: the policies they have imposed over the use and possession of the drug violate human and civil rights, and this goes against their own constitutions. The first thing that has to be done, before taking any action on the legalization of cannabis, is to educate all citizens, especially those who belong to lower social classes and have very limited information and education, so they can know how the drug works, what effects it has on the body, and how the government and the public services are violating the civilians’ rights when doing any kind of tests and restrictions.
There are quite a number of endocannabinoids some examples are endogenous arachidonate-based lipids, anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamide, AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) which are the ligands for the cannabinoid receptors. Endocannabinoids are also classified as eicosanoids. There are enzymes that synthesize and degrade the endocannabinoids like monoacylglycerol lipase (Hashimotodani Y, Ohno-Shosaku T, Kano M, 2007: 1211-9). There are cannabinoid receptors known asCB1 and CB2 which are two G protein-coupled receptors are found in the central and peripheral nervous systems which are as well expressed in the brain and immune system (Pertwee RG, 2006 : S13-8).
Marijuana has a long medical history, ranging from its anecdotal use in ancient times, through medical prescribing in the 19th and early 20th centuries to modern. "The first record of cannabis as a medicine can be found in the oldest Chinese pharmacopeia, Shen Nag Ben Cao Jing, written in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 AD to 220 AD). It was indicated for rheumatic pain, malaria, constipation, and disorders of the female reproductive system" (Greenwell, 2012, Vol. 26 Issue 1). Pain is one of the most common reasons that medical cannabis is recommended. "Scientists have long known that tetrahydracannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, is an effective pain killer" (Mcdonagh, 2003). Studies of medical marijuana show significant improvement in various types of pain. "Marijuana appears to exert its pain relieving effects by acting on certain sites in the brain and spinal nerves. These specific sites are called cannabinoid receptors. The cannabinoid compound connects to these receptors, much like two puzzle pieces fitting together. Once, joined, the receptor alters the way the brain cell or nerve cell functions. This alteration of function changes the way the cell perceives painful stimulus, often reducing the intensity of pain that is interpreted by the brain" (Greenwell, 2012, Vol. 26 Issue 1). "The effect that cannabinoid compounds have on the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) found in the brain can create varying pharmacologic responses based on formulation and patient characteristics" (Borgelt, Franson, & Nussbaum, 2013). Several small clinical studies have confirmed the usefulness of THC, which at doses of 15 to 20mg was found to be comparable to 60 to 120mg pharmaceutical painkillers. But which form of pain manag...
Only about 30 of the chemicals in marijuana have been studied extensively for their psychoactive effects. Of these delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is known to be the most psychoactive chemical. This chemical is converted into over 60 other psychoactive metabolites by the liver (Carroll 1993). These chemical reactions, however, have either proved insignificant or not enough research has been conducted to prove their importance. Researchers have been mostly concerned with the interaction of THC in the humanbody.
People want to escape, not just physically but mentally, whether it is a dead end job or the stresses of an average life. Imagine if a person could come from a hard day of work and actually be able to take a break from reality for a night. Marijuana, known as a gateway drug to other substances, should be more known as a gateway drug to a more stress free and healthier lifestyle. Marijuana should be legalized because of its effects to relieve stress and not be as harmful as other substances, especially with techniques of vaporization and edibles to not experience the harmful effects of smoke, and help people who are in serious pain make it through a day without thinking of ending it. Most of the negative effects from marijuana are caused by the laws and the people who don’t know how to use the drug responsibly. Marijuana should be legalized to people but they have to be older than eighteen and have a job with those two credentials it will ensure people will try to use it responsibly like alcohol.
After smoking, or consuming marijuana, it is distributed in the brain. The concentration of marijuana in the brain may be governed by an active transport process in the choroid plexus network of blood vessels in the brain which regulates intraventricular pressure by absorption and secretion of cerebro spinal fluid. one scientific experiment it gave an example of how the distribution of marijuana in the central nervous system could effect man. At a high dose of 30 mg./kg. marked sedation and pronounced motor incoordination peaked at the one hour interval subsiding in 8 hours when over reaction occurred to external stimuli; man reveals incapacitation of cognitive and motor function. High concentrations of marijuana are usually found in the following parts of the brain: the frontal cortex (the general association area), and hippocampus (short term memory and oreintation). As a result, perception of time, mood and general cordination is impaired. It is apparent that marijuana intoxication effects the neurological functions and usually disappears in 24 hours, but can become a permanent malfunction.THC effec...
Keeping Marijuana illegal is the best choose to keep people healthy mentally and physically and keep the community clean from crimes because marijuana is one of the reasons that people can’t control their action. It can cause a lot of health and mental problems or you might get in an accident and cause other people and yourself serious injuries. Marijuana is a dangerous drug for the human and also the community.
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Herkenhaum, M. et al. Cannabinoid receptor localization in brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 87: 1932-1936 (1990).
Marijuana has the reputation of giving users a high when smoked, eaten, or inhaled through vaporization. The chemical that causes the feeling of euphoria is called Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). When smoked or ingested, the THC rapidly passes through your lungs or stomach, then your bloodstream, and to other organs in your body. When it finally reaches your brain, the THC targets specific brain cells called cannabinoid receptors (Harding, 2013). These receptors are especially found in parts of your brain that control your memory, thinking, pleasure, concentration, perception of time, and coordinated movement. Users will experience alterations with their mood, have difficulty with problem solving, and will definitely have trouble learning and memorizing. These are just a few health issues marijuana can cause to your brain.
Marijuana has a long standing history of being one of the most controversial substances in America. While the history or the Cannabis plant indicates not only acceptance as a useful plant, but even advocated as a source of revenue and medicinal usage, much of the United States government propaganda over the last 100+ years has led Americans to accept very slighted and often false information about the plant and its uses. Based on the origin of the illegalization of marijuana and the inconsistent findings of its effects in comparison to other substances, both legal and illegal, marijuana should be decriminalized and treated as a recreational substance just as alcohol and tobacco are.
Medically, marijuana has proven to be a productive drug. Studies show marijuana has helped dealing with “pain, muscle spasms, seizure disorders and nausea from cancer chemotherapy.” (Weir) Scientist believes these benefits come from a chemical compound in marijuana called cannabidiol. This chemical is not the active chemical that gives marijuana users the mind-altering effects. With the unce...
For thousands of years human beings have attempted to find ways to get passed the struggles of their lives. With the pain of the world stopping people from enjoying simple pleasures, sometimes there is a need for help. Marijuana brings millions of people relief from the pain they feel on a day-to-day basis. This completely natural plant which helped so many people has puzzled the leaders of our nation for a long time. The THC in marijuana causes its users to experience a mild-huluciginic or high. The effect that marijuana has on a person has prevented the product from being legalized. Many other details about the plant, like the speculation of it being a gateway drug, have put another blockage on its legalization. Even though there are speculations about the plant, the benefit that it brings to the table most definitely out way its disadvantages. Marijuana can also alleviate several symptoms associated with cancer and Aids treatments and disorders. While Marijuana is effective as a medicine, it is also extremely lucrative. The economic benefits that Marijuana brings to the table are endless. Upon marijuana’s legalization, the economy would experience an immediate influx. Legalization of Marijuana would also drastically reduce crime in our cities and form a more productive society through its positive uses. The benefits that marijuana brings medically and economically are considerable enough to legalize its use medically or recreational.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects. It acts much like the cannabinoid chemicals made naturally by the body. Cannabinoid receptors are concentrated in certain areas of the brain associated with thinking, memory, pleasure, coordination, and time perception. THC attaches to these receptors and activates them and affect’s a person’s memory, pleasure, movements, thinking, concentration, coordination, and sensory and time perception. The main benefit is the pleasure it brings. Not only is it enormously relaxing, but can greatly enhance the pleasure of sensory activities, such as eating, listening to music, and having sex.
People have been fighting for the legalization of marijuana for a long time. Many people use this drug and find absolutely nothing wrong with it. Others find it disgusting and are opposed to the legalization of it. The earliest use of marijuana was documented in 7000 B.C. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and many others used it for medical purposes. Marijuana was first used in the United States during the 1800’s and was banned in 1937 without any reason given by the government except that “it was for our own good” (Block, “Why Marijuana Became Illegal”). Marijuana should be legal everywhere in the world because, although it is highly addictive, marijuana is not as harmful as tobacco and alcohol, having a regulated market for it would reduce the sale and use of it amongst people under the age of eighteen, and the government can save and make money off of it.
A considerable amount of literature has been published on cannabis specifically marijuana. These studies classify marijuana into three species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and cannabis ruderalis. In fact, Cannabis sativa is the most widely used and recognized among the other species due to its ability to produce more fiber and oil. For many years, the plant has been used for making clothes as well as lighting and soap. Nevertheless, cannabis is widely used at the present time for intoxication and medical treatments. Marijuana is usually extracted from the flowers of the female plant (Grinspoon & Bakalar, 1993). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is well-defined as the “dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds. This plant material can also be concentrated in a resin called hashish” (NIDA, 2014).