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Marijuana, the crude drug made from the leaves and flowering tops of the cannabis sativa plant, contains hundreds of active chemicals. Of the 421 chemicals identified in the plant, 70 are cannabinoids (chemicals found only in the marijuana plant and nowhere else in nature). Cannabinoids are stored in the fat parts of cell membranes for long periods of time and interfere with normal cell functioning. Since the 70 annabinoids are fat-soluble, they build up or accumulate in body tissue. Three to seven days after using marijuana, a 50 percent level of biochemical activity will remain in the cells. It takes the body 20 to 30 days to metabolize or wash out the chemicals from the marijuana.
Some clinicians feel that it may take as much as six to 12 weeks of no marijuana use for the long-term heavy user to become free from the drug. In one respect, marijuana is similar to DDT and other pesticides, which are also fat-soluble and build up in human tissue. The marijuana plant is a complex and unpredictable chemical factory. The amount of THC (the major mind-altering chemical in marijuana) produced in the plant leaves and flowering tops will vary from plant to plant, even within the same plant, and from hour to hour.
The marijuana used in the 1960 s was quite low in THC content, ranging from. 25 percent to one percent. Few health hazards were noted during that period. In the 1970 s, the Mexican marijuana coming into the country averaged one percent to two percent THC. The Mexican variety became the standard research material.
When research scientists tried to use marijuana that had THC levels over two percent, they found too many side effects to feel safe in using it with human subjects. After 1976, Colombian marijuana became prominent. It ranged from three percent to five percent in THC. Presently, we have marijuana being grown in the United States that exceeds 20 percent THC levels. An example of this is the Sinsemilla variety produced in several states.
Because today's marijuana is stronger than that of the ' 60 s due to the higher levels of THC now available, the studies done with standard two percent THC marijuana will need to be redone using today's more potent form if we are to understand the health effects caused by marijuana use during the ' 80 s and ' 90 s. Hashish, which is produced from the resin of the marijuana plant, has a slightly different chemical composition. The THC levels in hashish will vary from two percent to 20 percent. Other biologically active chemicals appear in higher concentrations than in the unaltered marijuana. Hashish also burns at a much higher temperature than marijuana. This higher temperature may explain the very early tissue damage seen in the young hashish smoker.
Hashish oil is a thick, black, oily substance which is obtained by the further refinement of hashish. The THC level in "hash oil" may reach 30 percent and can produce intense hallucinations. Since the hash oil does not contain sugars found in the plant material, it will not have the familiar "sweet" marijuana smell when burned. Hash oil, being quite high in THC content, is very disorienting and dangerous. Even under the very best research conditions, the chemical content of street marijuana is unknown. This leaves both researcher and user in doubt as to what chemicals actually enter the body.
The complexity and unpredictability of marijuana makes controlled, scientific experimentation a slow, tedious and sometimes contradictory process. Marijuana refers to the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis save plant that contains the psychoactive chemical THC (delta- 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol) at various potencies. Most hemp plants have an average of 3 % THC in them, as well as over four hundred other chemicals. THC is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in different organs, and traces of it can be detected by standard urine tests for several days following usage, even weeks in heavy users. As for the effect that THC has on the brain, it suppresses neurons in the information processing system of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integration of sensory experiences with emotions and motivation. Many marijuana smokers believe that their senses are heightened by the drug.
In fact, the brain is dulled, not enhanced. Marijuana usage can thus result in problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, loss of coordination, and trouble with thinking and problem-solving. However, the effects of the drug are dependent on the user's experience, how much THC is in the marijuana, how the drug is taken, and whether it is taken with other drugs or alcohol. More obvious effects of the drug are a dry mouth, increase in heartbeat, slow reaction time, and the blood vessels in the eyes expand. The air tubing in the lungs relax and become larger as more oxygen enters the blood. Most users will experience feelings of relaxation, a "high", hunger and thirst, while others may have a more negative response through feelings of anxiety or paranoia.
A recent scientific study has shown that THC causes certain types of white blood cells to stop growing in mid-cycle, meaning that heavy marijuana smokers are more susceptible to infection. Although THC is a mind-altering chemical, scientists have not found an amount that is toxic. Primarily due to this fact, there has never been a case in which marijuana alone has caused death. Marijuana is typically smoked or eaten for pleasure, but THC is also found in a manufactured pill form for medical purposes.
It is used to help treat nausea and vomiting that occurs with certain cancer treatments, as well as to help AIDS patients eat more and keep up their weight. THC (delta- 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol) and the other cannabinoids are fat-soluble chemicals. They accumulate in the fatty linings of the cells in the body and are metabolized or "washed out" of the system very slowly. A week after a person smokes one marijuana cigarette, 30 to 50 percent of the initial fat-soluble chemical deposited from marijuana smoking remains in the body; it is estimated that four to six weeks are required to eliminate all the marijuana chemicals. Thus, those who smoke only on the weekends gradually increase the level of THC in their body. Regular use -- even once or twice a week -- means the user is never free of the drug.
The persistence of THC in the cells of the body differentiates marijuana from alcohol. Alcohol is a water-soluble helical that is metabolized or "washed-out" of the body relatively quickly. Thus, the youngster who drinks too much will probably get sick and suffer a hangover the next day, as the stomach and liver process the alcohol. This detoxification is completed within 12 to 24 hours. Because THC is not water-soluble, it is not quickly washed out by the body. Many observers of youthful marijuana smokers worry that this slow, subtle accumulation within the body, and especially the brain, seems to cause gradual personality and behavioral changes.
Youngsters who are undergoing rapid and complex changes in body chemistry and emotional development may be more susceptible to the accumulation of THC and other chemicals than adults. Many marijuana users believe the widespread street myth that users do not risk physical addiction. They are unaware of recent studies verifying that users of marijuana develop a tolerance to the drug. Heavy users require increasing quantities of marijuana (more joints or more THC content) to achieve the same high. Marijuana should be classified as an addictive drug like heroin or cocaine since recent studies show that heavy, long-term use may cause strong dependency in users as they increase their dosage to satisfy higher tolerance levels. Furthermore, new surveys find tobacco-like use patterns in some users as marijuana becomes easier and cheaper to obtain.
Reporters for NBC's television documentary, Reading, Writing, and Reefer, were surprised to learn that some youngsters nine to 15 -years-old are smoking five to 10 marijuana cigarettes a day. Increasing potency also creates more rapid and serious dependent...
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Research essay sample on Effects Of The Drug Marijuana Smokers
