One of the most identified psychoactive substance is a plant with. It contains a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. It produces a feeling of “high” when taken. The flower of the plant contains the higher levels of THC.
Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette. It could also be smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco leaf used to wrap the cigar. With this, marijuana’s active ingredients combine with nicotine and other harmful chemicals. The marijuana plant can also be brewed as a tea. When marijuana is snorted, it goes fast into the blood all the way through the lungs and then to the brain. The “high” sense is felt within a few minutes and could last up to five hours. When marijuana is chomped, it is absorbed gradually because it has to the pass the stomach and intestine for absorption. The shifting feeling could take up an hour but would last longer, for about twelve hours.
In the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and thereby influences the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have numerous cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that control pleasure, memory, contemplation, attention, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Cannabinoid receptors are mostly concentrated in the hypothalamus, amygdale, spinal cord, brain stem, central gray, and nucleus of the solitary tract. These brain areas are most likely affected with THC, thus causing a dysfunction in behaviors related to these areas. THC stimulates the reward system of the brain which causes the release of dopamine, which in turn is responsible for the “high” feeling.
With repeated use of marijuana, the body becomes tolerant to the substance. Just like any other abused substances, marijuana could be a reason of withdrawal symptoms when usage is stopped. When the body tolerates the substance, higher doses is required, and in turn, causing more damage in the person’s life. In order to avoid withdrawal symptoms, the person would find ways for continuous use of the drug. This behavior, then, translates to marijuana addiction. Marijuana is considered to be both mentally and emotionally addictive. Users believe that they need to take marijuana to live normally and to have fun.
Marijuana could change anyone for the duration of the use. It can affect one’s state socially, emotionally, physically, and even psychologically. One would lack the interest in doing any mundane activities. The user would then avoid their friends who do not use marijuana and settle to those who use the substance. It is rooted in their minds that they could not do things without being stoned of smoking marijuana first. They believe that smoking marijuana could work out all their problems. Furthermore, as indicated by how the brain is affected with marijuana, memory and cognition is very much affected. Studies have made known that heavy users have difficulty sustaining attention, changing attention to meet the demands of the changes in the surroundings, and in registering, processing, and using information. It has been recommended that the bigger destruction among heavy users is likely due to an adjustment of brain activity produced by marijuana. Furthermore, smoking marijuana could lead to abnormal functioning of lung tissue and other respiratory problems.
Marijuana can either be addictive or not. For people with addictive tendency, then yes, marijuana could be addictive. However, there are those who argue that they can take or leave it and have give up for a long duration. Well, probably, in their case, the answer is thumbs down.
Like any other drugs, marijuana may have something positive to give to humanity, however, when humans tend to abuse it, it becomes the evil hand that stirs your mind into something you couldn’t imagine.
