Marijuana is an Addictive Drug Essay

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Marijuana is a drug that is acquired from the cannabis plant. It is also referred to as cannabis and it is a psychoactive drug (Miller, Oberbarnscheidt and Gold 1). Marijuana is used for recreational or medical purposes. Across the world, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug and it is classified as Schedule 1 controlled substance. It alters the mood of a person and affects almost every organ in the body. The cannabis plant is normally dried out, ground up, and smoked. The drug comes in many forms and it can even be baked. In most instances, it is added in the ingredients for cookies and candies for it to be consumed. This produces the same effect as that of smoking it. Marijuana being a psychoactive drug alters perception. It contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is a chemical compound that causes the effects of the drug (Uhl, Koob and Cable 8). People experience different effects when they consume marijuana and it also depends on how they consume the drug. When marijuana is smoked it produces a faster but short-lived high than when it is taken orally. The most common effects of marijuana are feelings of happiness, mild hallucinations, reduced anxiety, and increased appetite. The risk of overdosing on marijuana is low when compared to that of cocaine. Marijuana is also used for the treatment of chronic pain, anorexia, nausea, muscle spasticity, and sleep disturbances and in this case, it is referred to as medical marijuana. Medical marijuana contains either whole marijuana or the ingredients like cannabidiol (CBD) that forms the base of a limited number of approved medications.

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There is no government standardization for medical marijuana, which makes its ingredients and potency to be unknown.

When a person uses marijuana, cannabinoid receptors in the brain get activated by the neurotransmitter called Anandamide. THC blocks and mimics the natural actions of neurotransmitters like Anandamide to a point where the individual's body no longer produces sufficient…

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…recent past.

In conclusion, while the risk of a person becoming addicted to marijuana is less when compared to that of other drugs the risk is still there. The chemical changes that take place in the body at the neurotransmitter level could be serious and one can end up losing the normal functioning of their neurotransmitters. This chemical change takes place over time and one will not notice it happening till the day they will not get their usual shot of the drug. Therefore, it is best to keep away from the drug and not to partake in it even for recreational purposes. People who support the usage of the drug will focus solely on the fact that it does not cause addiction if not abused. However, the usage of marijuana is only controlled by the user, which means that the person has to be quite controlled to not overuse the drug. Dependence can occur at any time and one will not realize….....

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