Is marijuana good or bad for you? This discussion is one of the bigger debates that goes on in the classroom as well as in the courtrooms. Many have different opinions on the subject and its very open for discussion but what are the secrets that are being kept? What is it doing to us internally that we aren't noticing? Some scientist have took the time to study up on how marijuana has effected individuals throughout the brain and the Central Nervous System.
According to NIDA marijuana has many effects throughout the body, but none of them have been deemed fatal. One way that they described marijuana as being bad for you is through its involvement with the brain. In the brains cannabinoid receptors, THC travels through the part of the brain that you feel the pleasure, sensory and time perception (hippocampus). When you have this THC traveling through your blood stream at such a rapid rate then the receptors are getting overworked and sends off the reactors that give you the "HIGH" feeling. Doctors were wondering what was actually causing this feeling so one professor dug deep down into the cannibus plant and the brain to come up with what exactly was causing this.
According to this video, Dr. Raphael Mechouloum, a profesor that had found what actually makes people high. He discovered that THC was inside of the cannibus and showed what caused its effects. Later on in a further study, Allyn Howlett found the real answer as to what was actually giving people the feeling. She came to the conclusion that the molecules from the THC activate chemical receptors that actually bind to the THC. She discovered that the receptors were in the hippocampus, (as stated earlier) the cerebellum, and the frontal lobe. Then later in 1992 Raphael Mechouloum proved that the body actually makes anandamide which is exactly what is in THC.
As the Nida had said marijuana has not been fatal. In a report from the Science Daily they took 704 marijuana smokers and put them to a neurocognitive performance w
ith 484 non users to see what effects on their performance. The only thing that was found was the marijuana users has a harder time in learning new things, so as you can tell it does have an effect on the brain whether you realize it quickly or over time.In conclusion, marijuana could be a great thing for some people, or a bad thing for certain people just depending on what your uses are. There are still many discussions on what else THC and Marijuana does to the body. What is your take on this? Do you think marijuana should continue to be used by patients in hospitals that have cancer or any other illness that marijuana has said to help with or control? Even though it doesn't have any fatal death that have related to it, should people still use it as their recreational drug, or should the government just go through and take all of the marijuana away from all the states for good?
By. Delvonta Cheathem
For more information these links would be very helpful to you.
How does Marijuana Effect the Brain
Science Daily
Neuroscience For Kids
Cannibus, Marijuana, Anandamide
I like how you gave both positive and negative side of legalization of pot. My question is that is is known to slow your reaction time down if it is made legal and someone is caught driving will "high" how can the cop test for it
ReplyDeleteWithout reasonable doubt the cop cant really say anything about it unless he smells it inside of the car. Then he will have a reason to search your car and if he finds anything he would give you a possession charge, and can say your driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol. But without proper justification the cop couldnt really do anything about testing for marijuana.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a paper about the legalization of marijuana a couple years ago and found really good points for both sides of the argument. Part of me knows decriminalizing the possession of marijuana would be great for state governments (for tax revenue) but also could act as a stepping stone to other harmful drugs like cocaine or heroin. The users might want to experience an even greater high because marijuana no longer gives them the same pleasure.
ReplyDeleteThe issue is known all around the world and I watched a show on the history channel about marijuana and so far, no country legalizes the use of marijuana. In places like Holland it is decriminalized which just means the possession penalty is not nearly as harsh (basically).
Great article though, it was interesting to see the science of THC in the brain.