Marijuana Addiction

One of the most identified psychoactive substance is a plant with. This psychoactive plant contains the. It produces a feeling of “high” when taken. The flower of the plant contains the higher levels of THC.

This substance is commonly smoked in a pipe. It could also be smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco leaf used to wrap the cigar. With this, marijuana’s active ingredients combine with nicotine and other harmful chemicals. The marijuana plant can also be brewed as a tea. When marijuana is smoked, it goes rapidly into the blood through the lungs and then to the brain. The “high” feeling is felt within a few minutes and could last up to five hours. When marijuana is consumed, it is immersed gradually for the reason that it has to the pass the stomach and intestine for digestion. The changing feeling could take up an hour but would last longer, for about twelve hours.

How does THC works in the brain? It actually attaches on a specific site in the brain known as the cannabinoid receptor which influences the activities of the nerve cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have a small number of or none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that control enjoyment, memory, contemplation, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Cannabinoid receptors are mostly concentrated in the hypothalamus, amygdale, spinal cord, brain stem, central gray, and nucleus of the solitary tract. These brain areas are most likely affected with THC, thus causing a dysfunction in behaviors related to these areas. THC activates the reward system of the brain which causes the release of dopamine, which in turn is responsible for the “high” feeling.

The continued use of marijuana makes the body to become dependent of the substance. Just like any other abused substances, marijuana could cause withdrawal symptoms when usage is terminated. When the body tolerates the substance, higher doses is required, and in turn, causing more damage in the person’s life. The person wouldn’t stop taking in the drug in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms. This behavior, then, results to marijuana addiction. Marijuana is considered to be both mentally and emotionally addictive. Users believe that they need to take marijuana to live normally and to have fun.

Marijuana could change anyone for the duration of the use. It can affect one’s state socially, emotionally, physically, and even psychologically. Users tend to lose motivation in doing activities that used to mean a lot to them. The abuser would then stay away from their friends who do not use marijuana and settle to those who use the substance. It is planted in their minds that they could not do things without being stoned of smoking marijuana first. They think that smoking marijuana could work out all their problems. Moreover, as indicated by how the brain is affected with marijuana, memory and cognition is very much affected. Studies have shown that heavy users have difficulty sustaining attention, shifting attention to meet the demands of the changes in the surroundings, and in registering, processing, and using information. It has been suggested that the greater destruction among heavy users is likely due to an change of brain activity given of by marijuana. Furthermore, smoking marijuana could lead to abnormal functioning of lung tissue and other respiratory problems.

Marijuana can either be addictive or not. For people with dependency tendency, then yes, marijuana could be addictive. However, there are those who disagree that they can take or leave it and have stop for a long period of time. Well, probably, in their case, the answer is thumbs down.

Marijuana can be beneficial but once abused can give off more harm than good which translates one to call for help.