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Marijuana is known as the most frequently used drug not only in the United States but also all over the world. Lately, there have been many arguments dealing with the legalisation of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes. Therefore, it is advisable to study its history and describe positive and negative effects.
The most common way of marijuana use is smoking. This drug is derived from the leaves of the plant called Cannabis Sativa, which can be smoked in pipes, cigarettes, and cigars. It also can be mixed with food and tea. The flowers of cannabis are used to produce hashish, which is smoked and taken orally as well.
This drug has been utilised in China and India to achieve euphoria since ancient times. It was stated that cannabis plant has the power to heal malaria, rheumatism and even absent-mindedness. It is a general opinion that Muslims used it for recreational purposes instead of alcohol banned by their religion.
Marijuana was brought to America by Spanish seamen in the 14th century. Primarily, in the United States, some medications prescribed to patients contained marijuana. During the years of Prohibition, this drug gained big popularity as a substitute for alcohol. Still, in the middle of the 20th century, its medical properties were questioned, and it was classified as a Schedule I drug together with such heavy drugs as heroine. Nevertheless, nowadays marijuana has been legalised again in many countries, including some U.S. states.
Although many people believe that marijuana is harmless and the access to it should be unlimited, it has a number of negative health effects and might lead to addiction. Regular use of this drug may cause anxiety and depression. It also is associated with the risk of development of psychoses among people who have genetic vulnerability. The use of marijuana may also lead to lung cancer because it is often mixed with tobacco in cigarettes. Some researchers state that “marijuana smokers are more likely to report symptoms of chronic bronchitis than are nonsmokers” (Volkow et al. 2221).
The long use of marijuana, especially in the period of adolescence and childhood may cause addiction. The availability of this drug might cause the desire to use it. Still, it is crucial to note that it influences the development of the brain in young people. Some brain regions are noted to be vulnerable to this drug more than others. It has a negative effect on the functional connectivity of young people’s brain and might influence school performance and life achievements. Nevertheless, it is stated that “individuals who are relatively higher on indices of behavioural self-regulation have a lower likelihood of using marijuana, and, among those who do use, have lower use intensity” (Dvorak and Day 709).
Along with negative effects, there is some positive influence of this drug on the human body. It is stated that “marijuana acutely alters affect, reducing tension and producing positive effects such as euphoria” (Shrier et al. 709). It is also believed to be useful in the treatment of such clinical conditions as nausea, glaucoma, anorexia and epilepsy. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to examine the exact effect of this drug on the process of the treatment of these diseases.
To eliminate negative effects of marijuana, it is crucial to control its use, especially by young adults and teenagers. The prescription of this drug to treat certain medical conditions should be limited to small doses, which are believed to be satisfactory to have a positive effect on the patient. It is also advisable to note the changes of a patient’s mood and behavior to prevent the development of addiction.
The given paper dealt with the history, and positive and negative effects of marijuana. It was noted that this drug could be used for recreational and medical purposes. Still, it has serious negative effects and might lead to addiction, especially among young people.
Works Cited
Dvorak, Robert D., and Anne M. Day. “Marijuana and Self-Regulation: Examining Likelihood and Intensity of Use and Problems.” Addictive Behaviors, vol. 39, no. 3, 2014, pp. 709-712.
Shrier, Lydia A., et al. “Momentary Positive and Negative Affect Preceding Marijuana Use Events in Youth.” Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, vol. 75, no. 5, 2014, pp. 781-789.
Volkow, Nora D., et al. “Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 370, no. 23, 2014, pp. 2219-2227.
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