Marijuana Cristina Rios and Stefany Garcia
What is it? Marijuana comes from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. This plant contains delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and other related compounds. Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. Hashish consists of resinous secretions of the cannabis plant. Dronabinol (synthetic THC) is a light yellow resinous oil. How is it administered? People smoke marijuana in joints, pipes, and in bongs. They also smoke it in blunts, which are emptied cigars that have been refilled with marijuana. Users can mix marijuana in food, such as brownies, cookies, or candy, these are called edibles. Smoking THC-rich resins extracted from the marijuana plant is on the rise, users call this practice dabbing.
Long-Term Effects: Marijuana affects brain development. When marijuana users begin using as teenagers, the drug may reduce thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions. Long-term marijuana use has been linked to mental illness in some users, such as: Temporary hallucinations sensations and images that seem real though they are not Temporary paranoia extreme and unreasonable distrust of others Worsening symptoms in patients with schizophrenia (a severe mental disorder with symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized thinking) Short-Term Effects: Sensory distortion Panic Anxiety Poor coordination of movement Lowered reaction time After an initial up, the user feels sleepy or depressed Increased heartbeat (and risk of heart attack)
Marijuana smoke irritates the lungs, and frequent marijuana smokers can have the same breathing problems that tobacco smokers have. Marijuana raises heart rate for up to 3 hours after smoking. Marijuana use has also been linked to other mental health problems, such as: depression anxiety suicidal thoughts among teens Marijuana use during pregnancy is linked to increased risk of both brain and behavioral problems in babies. THC quickly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, the blood carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. The user starts to feel the high in about 30 to maybe an hour later, examples of high are: Altered senses Altered sense of time Changes in mood Impaired body movement Difficulty with thinking and problem-solving Impaired memory
Facts Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. Heavy marijuana smokers are at the risk for the same health effects as cigarette smokers. The plant can grow up to 16 feet. It was first cultivated in China and India. More than ⅓ of Americans have tried Marijuana at one point in their lives. George Washington used to grow Marijuana on his farm.
How is it grown/manufactured? Marijuana is grown and trafficked all over the world, while cannabis seized in the United States is either grown domestically or smuggled from Mexico or Canada. Other countries known for producing and distributing marijuana to the U.S. are Colombia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Thailand, South Africa, and Nigeria. Forming marijuana into compact bricks is one of the more popular ways to transport bulk amounts of marijuana across borders and within the United States. The production of marijuana can also harm the environment by contaminating waterways, destroying vegetation and wildlife habitat through the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Indoor grows are also harmful because of the increased fire risk posed by rewiring or jury rigging electrical by passes in grow houses.
Statistics According to the United Nations, 158.8 million people around the world use marijuana more than 3.8% of the planet s population. Over 94 million people in the US have admitted using it at least once. According to the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2.1 million people in the US abused marijuana for the first time that year. Among 13- to 17-year-olds, 6.7% were current marijuana users in 2007. In 2008, an estimated 2.2 million Americans used marijuana for the first time; greater than half of first-time users were under age 18.
News BLOOMINGTON--IU junior forward Devin Davis was cited Monday night for possession of marijuana under 30 grams, according to an IU Police Department spokesman. Davis was not placed under arrest. According to Lt. Craig Munroe of the IU Police Department, IUPD received a call Monday night at around 8 p.m. reporting an odor of marijuana in a campus dormitory. "They located a backpack that contained a baggie with a small amount of marijuana in it," Monroe said.