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Erika Gagne December 23 2010 The effects of marijuana
Cannabis, also frequently known as marijuana, weed or the “gateway drug”, is one of the most common drugs found in today’s society. In the United States, approximately 100 million of the population has tried marijuana at least once in their life, and more than 25 million has used this frequently in the past year. About 162 million adults use marijuana at least once every year and 22.5 million use this drug daily.* Just because this drug is familiar in our society, it doesn’t mean that it is good for our health. Some people don’t even know or realise the dangerous effects of what they are using. So what exactly is marijuana, what effects does marijuana have on health and why is it known as the gateway drug?
Marijuana comes from the hemp plant called Cannabis Sativa. This drug is normally a shade of green. It is a dry mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves. Although marijuana contains at least 400 different chemicals, the most important one found in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. THC is what gets people “high”. The higher the dose of THC, the “higher” the person gets. THC levels are affected by several factors, such as plant type, soil, weather, etc. When used, through either ingestion or inhalation, the chemical THC attaches to the cannabinois receptors in the brain.* This is what causes the “high” which leads to mind-altering effects such change in perception of time, space and sudden feelings of happiness, fatigue or hunger. The most frequently used methods of consuming this substance is through smoking it in a joint (marijuana leaves rolled into a paper in the shape of a cigarette) or cooking this drug in food such as brownies, cookies etc.
Marijuana is commonly known as the gateway drug, but why? Marijuana is commonly the first drug people will ever do. Studies suggest that smoking marijuana will lead to other substance