Marijuana, the substance that originates from the cannabis plant goes by various names. It can be consumed or vaped, smoked, or vaporised. Marijuana is mostly used for enjoyment and recreation. The usage of marijuana is on the rise and it is one of the prohibited substances that is used the most frequently. All adult age groups, both sexes, and pregnant women are increasingly using marijuana. The notion of marijuana use’s potential damage is also changing. Today’s youth increasingly do not view marijuana use as a harmful practise.
However, there are genuine concerns for marijuana users, particularly for young people and pregnant or nursing women. Marijuana addiction is a real thing that happens to people. We’ll talk about some possible marijuana hazards in this article.
What is Marijuana?
The dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant are referred to as marijuana. Nearly 500 compounds are found in marijuana, a psychoactive substance, including THC, a substance that alters consciousness and has negative health effects.
People smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes, pipes or water pipes, blunts, and with vaporizers that extract the psychoactive component, or THC, from the drug. Additionally, marijuana can be used to make tea or sweets like brownies, cookies, and candies. People also consume other marijuana extracts in the form of smoke or food, which include a significant quantity of THC and may be more hazardous.
Marijuana Addiction:
Marijuana is addictive, unlike what many people think. Research demonstrates thag one in six users of the substance who start before the age of 18 can develop an addiction. The quantity of THC in marijuana has increased gradually over the past few decades; it is now three times more concentrated than it was 25 years ago. The effects of marijuana on the brain are stronger the more THC there is in the body, which may be why there are more people visiting emergency rooms due to marijuana use. More THC is anticipated to result in increased rates of dependence and addiction, even if it has not yet been determined how higher potency impacts the long-term hazards of marijuana usage.
Cannabis Risks:
Mental Health Effects
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Everyone’s experience with marijuana is not always favourable. You might frequently feel fear, panic, anxiety, or paranoia. The use of marijuana may make you more likely to experience clinical depression or make the symptoms of any mental health issues you already have worse. But the exact cause is unclear to scientists. When used in excess, it might lead to paranoia or a loss of reality, making it possible for you to hear or see things that aren’t actually there.
Your perceptions may be distorted
Marijuana has the potential to impair your judgement and senses. The effects may differ based on a number of variables, such as how potent your marijuana was, how you smoked it, and how much marijuana you’ve previously consumed. It might:
- One can become more conscious (colors might seem brighter and sounds might seem louder)
- Affect your sense of time, damage your motor abilities, and make driving more dangerous
- Drop your guard so you can participate in risky sexual behaviour or do other unsafe things.
Addiction
Ten percent of marijuana users will get addicted. That implies that you must keep using it even if doing so harms your relationships, profession, health, or finances. The Using marijuana increases risk in terms of age and intensity. For instance, if you use marijuana when still in your teens, there is a 1 in 6 risk that you will get addicted. It could be as high as 1 in 2 among daily users.
Use of cannabis has the potential to result in physical dependence. Your body may go through withdrawal when you stop using it, which can make you anxious, restless, unable to fall asleep, and unwilling to eat.
Your brain might suffer damage
After consuming marijuana, you could have more trouble focusing, studying, and remembering things. This seems to be a short-term effect that lasts at least a day after quitting smoking.
However, regular marijuana usage, especially when you’re a teenager, may have more long-lasting effects. Not all adolescents who took part in imaging tests had their brains physically affected by marijuana, although some did.
Effects on lungs
Use of marijuana may cause itchy, irritated lungs. It can cause respiratory problems similar to those encountered by cigarette smokers if you use it frequently. That may be a sign of a prolonged cough producing coloured mucus. Your lungs could get more readily infected. That’s partially because some users of THC seem to have compromised immune systems.
It Could Damage Your Heart
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Cannabis consumption makes the heart beat faster. The average heartbeat is between 50 and 70 beats per minute. However, that may grow to 70 to 120 beats per minute or more for three hours after the effects start to take effect. The extra strain, tar, and other substances in marijuana may increase your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. If you are older or already have cardiac problems, your risk is enhanced.
It Elevates the Dangers of Alcohol
When alcohol and marijuana were consumed simultaneously, the risk of driving while intoxicated or running into legal, professional, or personal problems is about twice.
Effect on foetus
Marijuana use during pregnancy increases the risk of having underweight or premature babies. Scientists are unsure, though, these children are more likely to suffer in school, use drugs, or have other problems as adults.
