-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.

A drug is a drug. Whatever some might say about Marijuana, the truth is that it still is a type of drug, which affects both body and mind. Several side effects should be considered worrisome, especially for those who smoke it regularly. Some of the recognizable side effects of marijuana include:

-Memory loss
-Distorted perception
-Trouble with thinking and problem solving
-Loss of motor skills
-Decrease in muscle strength
-Increased heart rate
-Anxiety
Nevertheless, some groups pushing the legalization of Marijuana promote its “beneficial” effects, referring to both medical and personal use. 2Some common claims made are: Marijuana will create pacifism and reduce the stress level in our lives, legalizing it will decrease the crime rate and eliminate the need of a black market, marijuana has medicinal values, and that no one ever died from smoking Marijuana. No one ever died from smoking Marijuana. Scientific studies have shown some shocking evidence of the serious health problems a regular Marijuana smoker may encounter: 3″Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including most of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke. Smoking one marijuana cigarette deposits about four times more tar into the lungs than a filtered tobacco cigarette.” 3″There are also many long-term health consequences of marijuana use. According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.”
Evidence that Marijuana seriously affects the well functioning of our bodies is simply piling. The argument of its medical “benefits” may come up once more for the terminally ill, yet marijuana still hasn’t been proven to cure anything. Drugs don’t cure! The most they can do is attenuate the symptoms of the illness. The body’s immune system, notably the white blood cells, is responsible for fighting the disease. 3Furthermore, it has been proven by a study conducted by a Columbia University that a control group smoking a single marijuana cigarette every other day for a year had a white-blood-cell count that was 39 percent lower than normal, thus damaging the immune system and making the user far more susceptible to infection and sickness.

Right there, we can clearly realize how Marijuana is not a “harmless” drug. Its immediate effects may be appealing to many, but in the long run, the health problems and illnesses that will result from a regular use of Marijuana outweigh the “appealing” ones.

The results from the increased media coverage and debates on Marijuana legalization have led today’s youths and teenagers to believe that Marijuana is a safe and carefree drug to use. This is particularly alarming for a decrease in their vigilance and awareness of drugs may lead to greater problems. 3In the U.S.A. alone, there is a significant increase in the number of teenagers seeking treatment for a Marijuana addiction. Marijuana reduces their ability to concentrate on their studies, and damages their memory, thus reducing their academic capabilities. The youth and teenagers seem to be fed the wrong type of information, and need to be informed on the “other side of the medal,” specifically how their future projects and ambitions may be rapidly put to a stop due to their use of Marijuana during their prime years.

Overall, Marijuana isn’t the most dangerous drug, but it still has no proven medical evidence of aiding in the cure of illnesses. Therefore, one can’t say that it is beneficial, for it is wrong. One can’t say that it is harmless, for it contains hundreds of cancer-related chemicals. One can’t claim that it will reduce the profits made by the black market, for we can’t predict the effects legalization shall have. So, why is there still a debate on Marijuana? The evidence is crystal clear, the doctors aren’t convinced of its medicinal properties, and most of all, it is a DRUG. The facts are simply mounting everyday: the consumption of Marijuana brings about more harm to one’s health than any benefits it could ever provide. Drugs, particularly excessive use of Marijuana, have this unconditional power to continually diminish mental and physical abilities. Be above the influence, you can make an educated decision and refuse to consume any Marijuana or its by-products.

For more information, please visit: http//:www.narconon.ca/Marijuana.htm

References:

1http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/evidence99/marijuana/Health_1.html

2http://www.growing-marijuana-seeds.com/legalizing-marijuana.html

3http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ongoing/marijuana.html

4http://www.usask.ca/education/ideas/tplan/sslp/values/legmarij.htm

5http://www.swlearning.com/economics/policy_debates/marijuana.html

“How long does marijuana stay in your system?” This question is asked by many different people, and for good reason. Marijuana (pot, herb, weed, grass) is the most commonly used and tested for drug in the United States and several other countries as well. Marijuana’s effects on the user and detection time depend on its strength or potency, which is related to the amount of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) it contains.

When you ask the question “How long does marijuana stay in your system?” you need to take into account the fact that there is no simple answer to this question. THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) can stay in a person’s body for as long as 3 to 90 days after smoking or being ingested orally. There are numerous determining factors for how long drug toxins stay in a persons body which vary from person to person, such as the analytical method used, your health, your body weight, metabolism, fluid intake, the type of drug toxin, and the degree of exposure to the drug toxin.

The speed at which marijuana leaves your body depends both on the speed of your metabolism, as well as on the half-life of THC. It’s estimated that THC can have a half-life that ranges anywhere from 1-10 days. It’s almost impossible to find out what that half life is, which means that it is very difficult to use it to calculate how long it will take for all of the THC to leave your body.

The most common period of time is anywhere from 3-30 days, depending on your metabolism and the amount of marijuana that you’ve smoked. This is unfortunate, since it means that while most drug tests can only turn up evidence of other drugs if you’ve been taking the drug within a few days of the drug test, marijuana could still be detected in a urine test up to a month after the last time it is used. If you smoke it occasionally it will remain in your system for up to 10 days. If you smoke marijuana on a regular basis it will stay in your system for as long as 45 days, and if you smoke marijuana at a constant pace, it can stay in the body for 90 days, Marijuana is fat soluble. It stores in the fat cells of the body, the brain, the liver, and the kidneys, in other words the major organs.

Instead of spending your time trying to calculate how long marijuana will stay in your system, simply find out what kind of drug test you will be taking, and then purchase the product which is most effective and appropriate for the particular drug test you will be undergoing. There are many products available on the internet, and you will be able to find one that fits your needs and budget. Whether you will be taking a urine test or a hair follicle test, remember that it is much safer to invest in an effective and appropriate product instead of attempting to pass your test by estimating how long marijuana will stay in your system.