Marijuana Side Effects

Marijuana side effects and Marijuana effects on the body can be quite alarming for those who have just started using the drug, and for those chronic users as well.   The majority of Marijuana side effects in men and in women can disrupt some normal patterns of behavior, and should be taken as a warning sign that our bodies are struggling to adapt to Marijuana.  The list below is just a brief introduction to some of the side effects of Marijuana.

 -Anxiety along with associated Panic Attacks

 -A dry feeling in the mouth or scratchy throat

 -Some degree of Paranoia or suspicion

 -Insomnia or sleeplessness

 -Bloodshot eyes

 -Developing a dependency based on the body’s “tolerance” effect

 -Low sperm counts in men have been reported

 -Impairment in recent and remote memory

 -An increased risk of infertility in women

 -Coordination issues, especially related to driving a car or operating machinery

 -Depression associated with cravings and lack of ability to acquire the drug.

 -Lung disease and associated breathing difficulties

 Marijuana side effects can be either long term or short term.  Many of these side effects may seem benign initially, but as Marijuana use increases, so does the intensity of the effects.  Many Marijuana users believe that smoking Marijuana is safer than smoking cigarettes.  Research has indicated that the level of carbon monoxide and amount of tar inhaled are almost 5 times greater than tobacco smokers.

 Users must be aware that Marijuana can create a dependency syndrome, which drives the user deeper and deeper into despair, both physically, socially and economically.  Fortunately there are many resources today that can help those struggling with their Marijuana addiction.

What to Expect When you Use Marijuana

Marijuana is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the world. This is because it is relatively cheap in its true form and can be easily bought and grown. As a plant, its leaves are green with five spiky separations per leaf, like a spread out hand. It can grow fast and is hardy hemp that is named Cannabis Sativa.

 

Marijuana is sold as a dry greenish brown mixture of flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the plant. People usually smoke this plant just like a cigarette or maybe put it in a bong (a glass device for inhaling the smoke, much like a pipe). Others also use it as a tea or mixed with food. Many heated debates have been launched in support of the plant and against it. It has been used for different reasons for centuries but mainly for the hallucinogenic effect and it medicinal properties. Many countries across Asia still use it in spite of its ugly reputation and the question of legality.

 

Effects of Marijuana

Marijuana has short term effect and long term effects on people. Within a few minutes of inhaling the smoke of the cannabis hemp, it should take effect on your brain. The main chemical element in Marijuana that usually affects people is THC, also known as delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol. Some protein receptors in our nerve cells actually bind with THC and this starts off a series of events in our brain. This series of events in our brain ultimately ends with the high that users experience. It enters the body within minutes if it is smoked since it passes through the lungs into the bloodstream. It is not actually the Marijuana that is detected by the drug test kits but metabolites which are residue of the drug.

 

Many of the protein receptors that bind with THC to create the high are located in the part of our brain that influence our sensory, memory, concentration, pleasure, thought, time perception and movement. This is the reason why so many users like getting high because they actually sense pleasure and happiness with the high which the cannabis creates. On the other hand, Marijuana can also affect an individual’s judgment, learning, memory, distorted perception and cause increased heart rate. Long term effects of Marijuana are loss of memory, distorted perception and stress.

Marijuana also affects the heart by exposing the user to four times the risk of a heart attack within the initial hour of using the drug. It can also cause upper respiratory complications such as a painful cough and stinging throat and mouth. Users are prone to acute chest illness, high risk of lung infections and prone to obstructed airways.

 

Marijuana stays in an individual’s system for as short as three days and more than ninety days. The length of stay depends on how long the individual has used Marijuana and the metabolism of a person. This means not everybody has the same length of time when Marijuana stays in your body.