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Marijuana can change the youth brain essay
Effects of marijuana on the brain essay
Marijuana effects on brain essay
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In this paper I will examine the use of marijuana during teenage pregnancy and how it directly effects the fetus brain. The use of marijuana is not a new case anymore in today’s society, since it has been in existence for many years. However, in my hometown Compton, CA there is a wide majority of teenage girls taking on an adult decision. The first decision is giving life to another person at such a young age, on the other hand, it’s not the decision I’m so interested in and passionate about it’s the decision to use marijuana during the pregnancy, knowing that any drug can affect the fetus especially the most vital part of the fetus, it’s brain! “Kids smoke to feel grown up, adults smoke to feel like kids” smoking marijuana is a drug in Compton that produces some sort of pay-off, whether it’s getting high to help them fit in now that their pregnant and feel like an outcast. Second, by using drugs, they appear to be more confident as teenager girl’s escaping the reality of their problems, as it helps them to solve problems. Not knowing that the, drug marijuana only makes their problems worse and even dangerous for their lives and their unborn child.
The dangers of marijuana abuse for teenagers are first, but use during a pregnancy not only endangers the teenagers’ health but the fetus brain. In addition, we need to know what the definition of marijuana. Marijuana is an extremely potent drug, which can affect the minds, moods or feelings, and behavior that the mother is already feeling and enhancing the current emotion. However, the use of marijuana can lead to adverse effects of the brain that can affect the fetus life chances in life due to poor care during the pregnancy.
In the article, Marijuana, Spice Use Can Affect Embryo...
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Minkel, JR. "Marijuana-Like Chemicals Guide Fetal Brain Cells: Scientific American." Marijuana-Like Chemicals Guide Fetal Brain Cells: Scientific American. Scientific American, 24 May 2007. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
Minkel, JR. "Marijuana-Like Chemicals Guide Fetal Brain Cells: Scientific American." Marijuana-Like Chemicals Guide Fetal Brain Cells: Scientific American. Scientific American, 24 May 2007. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
"Smoking Marijuana While Pregnant May Harm Baby's Brain." WebMD. WebMD, 24 Mar. 2003. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
The purpose of my paper is to prove that marijuana effects teens and their mind. Marijuana is a tobacco-like substance produced by drying the leaves, stems, flower tops of the Cannabis sativa (Indian Hemp) plant (Fact Sheet, 1). It is smoked or eaten to get hallucinated and receive pleasure. It grows just about anywhere. It is illegal in some countries but in others it is used for medical purposes (Encarta, 1). Some names that it is called a joint, nail, pot, Mary Jane, hive, etc. (Fact Sheet and Facts for teens, 1). Marijuana stays in the body for several days after one smoking session. In a chronic user marijuana can stay in the body for up to several weeks (Facts for Teens, 1).
“Crack-babies” a media induced phenomena brought about by the climax of public outcry from the results of the 1980’s war on drugs. This term laid the foundation for biased prosecutions which sparked a political crusade during climate of the time. Thus exploiting the public’s fear of children born to substance addicted mother and creating a firestorm of litigation to prosecute pregnant drug addicts. According to Flavin, Paltrow (2010), current evidence points to public stigmas and prejudice as posing a greater danger to both maternal and fetal health than use of the drug itself. Leaving the question as to why addicted women are still publicly reviled for the outcomes of their circumstances. From this abhorrence stems the likelihood that these women would be deterred from seeking prenatal care than to seek help for their addiction; expelling an even greater issue as the concern of health care is then added to the mix. The complex social issues then must be taken into consideration to underscore the need for policymakers to allow for the legal and medical systems to better create programs for these women and allot for rehabilitation instead of punitive solutions.
Marijuana is a drug that is harmful to a person¡¯s health. It has been found to have adverse impacts on one¡¯s mental processes such as memory, attention, judgement, and problem- solving (Butcher, Mineka, Hooley, 2004, p.415). Also, marijuana can interfere with a person¡¯s ability to think rationally and logically. Thus, the lapse in judgement caused by the drug use can lead to risky sexual behaviours and this may result in increasing sexually transmitted disease such as AIDS. Moreover, the long-term use of marijuana may cause chronic breathing problems and cancer ...
There has always been controversy about marijuana and the affects it has on health and the issue of legalization. Some people believe it is very destructive to one’s health, and yet others feel the complete opposite about it. Is Marijuana truly harmful to one’s health? “Marijuana, the Deceptive Drug”, written by George Bierson, was published in the Massachusetts News. In this article, Bierson determines that marijuana is harmful in many ways. He seems to think that it damages the brain, the reproductive system, and also contributes to the halt of production in the immune system. Bierson also tries to persuade the reader that marijuana is a “gateway drug” that leads to larger drugs in the future. However, by conducting research of my own, I have come to the conclusion that Bierson’s article simply lacks truth.
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...
When marijuana is used starting from early age it affects the brain development and its function. a) Use of the drug impairs memory, thinking and learning process by affecting connection between the neurons of the brain necessary for these functions. III. Marijuana use could also have a physical effect on the person. 1.
Cannabis is the substance originating from the plant Cannabis sativa, which can be found in regions all over the world (Solowij, 13). The plant itself contains more than 60 cannabinoid compounds, but the primary psychoactive compound is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (Gaoni & Mechoulam, 1964). Howlett and Colleagues found that cannabinoids inhibit the enzyme that synthesizes cyclic AMP in cultured nerve cells. As many receptors relay their signals to the cell interior by changing cellular cyclic AMP, this evidence suggests that cannabinoids were not just dissolving nonspecifically in membranes, but rather acting through their own receptors (Howlett et al., ...
Many could argue that marijuana is destructive physically as well as mentally. “The National Institute on Drug Abuse says marijuana can cause heart irregularities, lung problems, and addiction” (Welch). “One joint can be just as damaging to [the lungs] as smoking at least two and a half cigarettes” (Ruff). According to Dr. Tom Wright, director of a substance abuse treatment center for adolescents in Rockford, “teens may be especially sensitive to marijuana’s effects because their brains are still being formed” (MJ Rebuttal). However, the marijuana legalization proposition would have tight restrictions and regulations by the states that would eliminate some of those issues, such as age. These facts are not consistent; the evidence is not backed from reliable sources. One institute is referred to, but more experts are needed to verify the information.
Just as drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and crystal meth affect the mother, it also affects the child. Babies that are born to drug using mothers are called “drug babies” and just like their mother they become addicted to the drugs causing behavior problems during their childhood. They can also have birth defects, premature birth, and are usually underweight. Babies that are born to cocaine using mothers are called “crack babies” and they face the risk of a stroke leading to brain damage. Teratogenic medications such as some antibiotics, cancer fighting medicines, blood thinners, and acne fighting medicines such as Accutane can all cause birth
Levinthal, C.F. (2005). Effects of psychoactive drugs on pregnant women and newborns (Ed.), Drugs, behavior, and modern society (4th ed., pp.45). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
...ause of the psychoactive ingredient THC can cause paranoia and seizures. The CBD in marijuana may have many medical benefits but until more dispensaries reduce the amount of THC, it is still questionable weather some patients should use marijuana as a medicine. Marijuana can cause damage to premature developing brains and should be tested in a lab before giving to children.
The use of drugs and mind-alternating substances has been a part of society for decades. The ‘high’ that people attain from the use of such substances is very attractive and exciting however, the effects of this use are minimized. Particularly for youth, a group of individuals who are seeking independence and experimentation, drug use represents the balance between taking risks and taking responsibility for one’s actions. However, the developmental processes of adolescents are known to not encompass the maturity required to fully think through such decisions. As such, the use of a ‘smaller-scale’ drug like marijuana is even more minimized. The purpose of this paper is to discuss what the risks of using marijuana are for youths, why they are the most affected, how this problem has progressed over the last three decades, and what preventative measures and treatment options are in place. It will also discuss what schools, parents, and government agencies could be doing to help improve the issue, and the impact that this issue is having on society.
(Gilman, Breslau, Subramanian, Hitsman, & Koenen, 2008). Despite the warnings about the dangers of smoking while pregnant, some women still choose to smoke, which places themselves and their baby at risk for many health issues. Damage caused by smoking while pregnant During pregnancy, smoking can cause problems for a woman’s own health, including, ectopic pregnancy, vaginal bleeding, placental abruption, in which the placenta peels away, partially or almost completely, from the uterine wall before delivery; Placenta Previa, a low-lying placenta that covers part or all of the opening of the uterus (March of Dimes, 2011). Women that smoke expose their unborn baby to dangerous chemicals, like carbon monoxide, tar and nicotine.... ...
2. Marijuana is a product of the hemp plant and contains the chemical THC that is the most potent of over 400 chemicals found in marijuana and mainly affects the brain.