NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Marijuana is the most popular and used illegal drug in the United States today. It is used from the ages as early as 13 to as late as unknown. Marijuana is ranked number two in terms of the most popular drugs legal and illegal next to alcohol. There are a lot of things that people dont know about marijuana and its effects, and here is the truth. What is Marijuana? Half of the people smoking it dont even know where it came from in general.
When you buy it from someone else however you will never really know where it came from or what is in it. Marijuana is a mixture of leaves, stems and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant Cannabis Sativa. The psychoactive ingredient of marijuana is THC (or tetrahydrocannabinol), and is concentrated in the flowering tops of the plant. Hashish is a drug prepared from the plant resin, and has about eight times more THC then the average marijuana. Marijuana has been around for hundreds of years. In Central Asia and China as early as 3000 B.
C. , Marijuana was used as a folk medicine. It was not until about the 1900 s that it was used as a pleasure-inducing drug, and by the 1960 s and 1970 s it was used wide spread. Now in the year 2001 the use of marijuana is so wide spread that it is a really uncommon drug. Studies show that marijuana is about five times stronger then it was in the 1960 s and 1970 s. Marijuana grows throughout temperate regions, with more potent varieties produced in dry, hot, upland climates.
With green houses marijuana can be grown just about anywhere. There are a numerous amounts names for marijuana. They are: Weed, Pot, Mary Jane, Greens, Grass, Dank, Ganja, Blunts, and Trees. The most common names though are weed, greens, trees, and blunts. The regular use of marijuana is illegal in all parts of the United States. However in 1996 voters in both California and Arizona approved ballot measures exempting physicians and patients from criminal prosecution when marijuana is prescribed for medical purposes in the relief of pain or other symptoms caused by cancer, Aids, glaucoma, arthritis, and other illnesses and chronic conditions.
The Massachusetts and Ohio legislatures enacted similar medical necessity laws in 1996 also. As an alternative to smoking marijuana in these cases the government came out with these pills, which contain THC in it also, but patients state that it doesnt work as well as actually smoking it. Even though these states have passed these laws the government has warned the physicians that they could lose their license and or Medicare and Medicaid programs, and could face federal criminal prosecution for prescribing marijuana. Marijuana is used in many different ways but the most common ways is to smoke it. Marijuana is used in food and also eaten plain. When smoked it is usually wrapped in a thin paper or in a cigar paper.
If not wrapped it is smoked in a pipe or bong or can be eaten on top of a brownie or any other type of food. Marijuana affects the body in many different ways long term and short term. When it is smoked, the THC goes from the lungs directly to the bloodstream and other tissues in the body. The effects occur really quickly when smoked and it only takes a little longer when it is eaten. The effect will usually last for hours. Usually when you smoke the physical effects to the body include red eyes, dryness in the mouth (cotton mouth), slight clumsiness, faster heart rate and increased appetite.
The psychoactive effects vary but may include, mildly sedating, stimulating, or hallucinatory, it also may include being calm, relaxed, and easier to laugh. People under the influence of marijuana may feel as if time is moving slower and might see things. Evidence that marijuana induces or causes brain damage does not exist. Marijuana reduces short-term memory, mind-body coordination, and the ability to think and learn quickly.
It may produce feelings of panic or paranoia, especially in users who are anxious, under stress, or emotionally unstable. Large amounts of the drug may bring on severe panic or sensory distortion. Marijuana also intensifies the effects of Alcohol, Stimulants, and Barbiturates. There are many risks you take when using any drugs, and there are a lot of drugs that are more risky then marijuana; however you are still taking a risk when using marijuana. Even small amounts of marijuana can affect a persons ability to operate a car or use heavy machinery. These affects cal last for about four to six hours although the high feeling might go away sooner.
The THC in marijuana stays in the bloodstream for days. There is a lot of long-term risk also. It can do damage to respiratory system and reduction of the bodys immune system. It can also harm lung tissue. Although there is no evidence to prove that marijuana is connected to lung cancer studies have shown that marijuana contains many of the cancer acting ingredients and more then tobacco products. Included in the risk of using marijuana is getting caught.
Drug testing is becoming more and more popular throughout the world. 81 % of all companies surveyed now perform test to determine whether you are a user and possible hazard to their company. Insurance agencies and courts are also major drug testers. There are basically four types of test that they perform. The first (and most popular test) is the urine test. This procedure usually involves you going into the bathroom and filling up a cup with your urine. They either use a test card right there for immediate results or send it to a lab to get tested.
The second type is a Hair test. Hair testing is really accurate and can go all the way back six months, showing every drug you have used like a timeline. A lot of people try to cut their hair off to get around it, but they can also use hair from your underarm, pubic hair, or leg and arm hair. You need at least inch on your head for the test to work. The third test is a blood test.
Blood testing is usually preformed for serious employment positions or when you are applying for insurance policies. Blood testing is expensive and not very common. The fourth and last test is the saliva test. This is not common and can only detect toxins used three to four days prior. Insurance companies and law enforcement agencies use this test most often. The most obvious way to pass a drug test is abstinence.
If you dont use anything you have nothing to worry about. Passing a drug test is not as difficult as you may think though. Toxins in your system do not stay forever, but you dont want to take a chance. Marijuana like any drug will always be a risk.
And even though a lot of people think it should be legal right now it is illegal so it is wrong. If and when they make it legal that I think will be the only time when it is right.
Free research essays on topics related to: flowering tops, wide spread, short term, lot of people, 1960 and 1970
Research essay sample on 1960 And 1970 Lot Of People
