Is Marijuana Dangerous To Your Physical Health

? Essay, Research Paper

Is Marijuana Dangerous to your Physical Health?

Recreational use of marijuana has been going on for many years, and like

cigarettes many people refuse to listen to health reports. More and more

reports are coming out on the effects of marijuana on the body. Just how

harmful marijuana can be is questionable. Some health reports state that it is

very detrimental to the body while others are explaining how chemicals extracted

from the marijuana plant are being used as medication. The problem is, just what

are the effects, and how bad is it for someone who uses this drug?

I have picked this topic because I am very interested in the effects of

marijuana on the body. It is commonly known that marijuana is a widely used

drug. Many movies depict people having a great time, smoking marijuana, and

laughing as hard as they can. But is this really what is behind the drug?

Without looking at health reports, one may think so. If so many people use it,

how can it be bad for you? After seeing so much positive feedback about

marijuana, it would really be nice to see just what is behind this mysterious

plant.

In this paper, the researcher will explore whether or not marijuana is

harmful to your physical health. It will be shown that marijuana is popular and

that many people may not know what they are taking into their bodies. It will

be shown just what parts of the body marijuana effects and how it effects them.

The main purpose of this collection of information is to see just what marijuana

does to the body and to determine whether the effects are good, bad, or a

combination of both. Many different areas of research will be used.

The report “Marijuana Retains Popularity Despite Anti-drug Attitudes” in

The Dallas Times Herald by the Associated Press shows just how popular marijuana

remains despite health warnings. A 40-something woman referred to as Ruth has a

little something to say. “It’s a very nice high,” she said. “Often in these

drug stories, people forget to mention that part” (The Associated Press, A-6).

Ruth is among the 17 million Americans who use marijuana regularly. Part of the

reason for marijuana’s popularity is its cheap price. John, a scientist who

uses the drug says an ounce can cost him from $40 to $100 (The Associated Press,

A-6). Another reason for its popularity that is that “the cops basically

ignored it” a few years ago, said Bill FitzGerald, of the County Attorney’s

Office (The Associated Press, A-6). Today, the county boasts a “Do Drugs, Do

Time” program targeting all drug users (The Associated Press, A-6).

“Marijuana: Is there a new reason to worry?”, an article in the March 88

issue of American Health by Winifred Gallagher had a lot to say about just what

parts of the body marijuana effects. The majority of the effects of marijuana

are caused by a chemical called THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Marijuana,

when smoked, enters the body though the lungs and is passed to the blood stream.

According to Doctor Billy martin, a professor of pharmacology at the Medical

College of Virginia, THC seems to turn on a number of biological systems

(Gallagher, 92). Harvard’s Dr. Norman Zinberg studied a group of marijuana

smoker and concluded that “essentially, marijuana doesn’t cause psychological

problems for the occasional user” (Gallagher, 92). Heavy use however, is thought

to create a lack of motivation, or commonly called “burn-out”. New York

Hospital’s Millman prefers the term “aberrant motivation” to describe the inert

attitude of some heavy smokers” (Gallagher, 92).

“The Health Hazards of Marijuana,” a report in the September 1990 issue of

World & I by Gabriel G. Nahas was very informative on the damage caused by

marijuana. Marijuana effects memory and behavior. “Marijuana really interferes

with short-term memory,” says Dr. Richard Schwartz or Georgetown University, and

memory loss is one of the main problems with kids who smoke pot” (Nahas, 287).

Marijuana also effects the immune system. Guy Cabral of the Medical College of

Virginia reported that THC impairs the competence of calls to destroy virus

infected cells and tumor cells (Nahas, 293). Marijuana also has devastating

effects on human mental development, and cause metal disorders.

An article in Science News on February 20, 1988 by Rick Weiss called “Take

Two Puffs and Call Me in the Morning” had something completely different to say.

In the U.S., scientists have discovered that marijuana can ease the nausea from

chemotherapy in cancer patients. “Marijuana’s use in reducing nausea appears to

be quite widespread…” (Weiss, 123). Marijuana is also in use by people who

suffer from glaucoma. “Marijuana lowers the pressure that build up behind the

eyes as a result of having glaucoma” (Weiss, 122). It was also discovered that

there are several receptor sites in the brain that

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