I think the best question to begin with here is whether marijuana is harmful, or not. This question does not have a straight answer. Marijuana, an extract of the cannabis sativa plant which also goes by the name weed has been said to be of help to some while it has also caused harm to others. Cannabis sativa’s dangerous effects normally relies on the person who is consuming it, the potency of the drug and why that person is consuming the drug. We should state that marijuana is known more for its harmful effects than the positive ones.
Marijuana or weed is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in the United States. One of the most common reason why many people use marijuana is to get high, an intoxicating effect produced by the drug. Some of the other effects of the drug include uncontrollable laughter, euphoria, talkativeness and an enhanced sensory perception.
There has been research showing that marijuana consumption can have negative effects like memory loss, a reduced attention to detail and poor learning. These dangerous effects are said to last from a number of days to several weeks after which the said effects of the drug will wear off. But this largely depends on an individual’s drug history. As a result anyone who consumes the drug on a daily basis could be functioning at a slightly reduced intellectual capacity for most of the time.
There is significant evidence that shows that young adults who consume the drug while in some learning of some sort will experience poor learning outcomes compared to individuals who do not smoke under the same circumstances. For illustration purposes, in a review done for 48 research findings on marijuana consumption in relation to a reduction in educational outcomes achievement, the conclusion was that adolescents who consumed weed on a daily basis were less likely to complete high school when compared to non smokers. This result also affected the ability to get a degree. These population also ahd the likely potential of later forming dependence on other addictive drugs, some likely to develop suicidal tendencies.
It is not all dull and gloomy for marijuana; there are also some positive effects of cannabis. The most prominent being its medicinal use property. Marijuana has actually been legalized to treat several illnesses in most of the United States, Canada and Europe. This use of marijuana has been around for thousands of years before the drug was banned as an illicit drug. Some of the positive medicinal properties of marijuana have been said to benefit those with severe pain, reduce epileptic seizures, to reduce nausea and vomiting, to reduce inner eye pressure and as a tool to stimulate the appetite. Other less well known conditions that could benefit from marijuana include eczema, Huntington disease and multiple sclerosis symptoms. The condition that has however benefited from marijuana greatly is cancer because of the nausea, pain and vomiting largely associated with the disease’s management.
