What is Marijuana?Marijuana is a mixture of the dried leaves and
inflorescence of the plant cannabis sativa also called the Indian hemp.
It may either be green, brown or gray.What is the active ingredient of
Marijuana?The active main ingredient of marijuana is a substance called 9
THC. THC is a psychoactive substance and is responsible for most of the
effects of smoking marijuana. Apart from THC, weed smoke contains over
400 chemical of which 66 belong to the cannabinoids family. The potency
of the stuff is directly proportional to the proportion of THC. This
value is constantly rising and presently on an average there is 10% THC
in marijuana compared to 3-4% in 1970's. On an average each reefer
contains about .5-1 gm of marijuana.What are the different forms of
Marijuana?Marijuana refers to the leaves and flowers of the cannabis
plant which is smoked. The resin produced by the flowering tops contains
about 10-25% of THC and oil based plant extract of cannabis plant called
hash oil contains about 25-60% of THC. Smoking is the commonest method of
consumption of cannabis.How Many people smoke Marijuana?Marijuana is the
most commonly used drug in US and much of the world. In US it is
estimated that 37% of teens have smoked at least one reefer in their
lives. It is estimated that a further 5-10% of these individuals could
abuse cannabis on a chronic basis. Cannabis use is widespread in south
east and central Asia.What Are the Short-Term Effects of Marijuana
Use?The immediate effects of marijuana are euphoria, disinhibition, a
general feeling of goodness, altered sensory perceptions, inattention,
insomnia, loss of memory and poor reflexes. The active ingredient THC
crosses the blood brain barrier and stimulates specific receptors in a
mid brain structure called nucleus accumbens. This leads to release of
dopamine, a central exitogenic neurotransmitter. This activates the
pleasure pathway comprising the hippocampus and limbic pathway. With
constant use, the individual becomes psychologically addicted to
marijuana.The two physical effects of marijuana use are conjunctival
injection and increased heart rate. The increase in heart rate stabilises
over time and a degree of tolerance develops to this effect of
marijuana.Marijuana like other drugs can affect judgment and enhance
inappropriate behaviour. Hence there is increased risk of conditions like
high risk sexual behaviour leading to HIV, pregnancy etc.What Are the
Long-Term Health Effects of Marijuana Use?Chronic cannabis use has been
associated with a variety of conditions. Some of the common effects of
long term cannabis use include:• Long term use of pot can cause
memory problems. It can also lead to psychosis in patients of
schizophrenia. Chronic use of cannabis like other drugs can reduce social
interaction and lead to isolation of the individual thus impacting
personal and work life. Apart from these problems cannabis use may also
lead to increased rates of depression and anxiety, but concrete evidence
is lacking.• Smoking Marijuana is the commonest method of
consumption. Pot smokers usually inhale deep and retain smoke for a
longer period of time in an effort to maximise absorption of THC. This
can lead to chronic bronchial irritation. Although there is no direct
evidence linking cannabis to cancer, tobacco use is usually concurrent
and hence the rates of lung cancer are more.• Cannabis was
traditionally considered a soft drug, a drug with low addiction
potential. But due to the increasing use of cannabis and increase in
potency of pot smoked over the years, the addiction potential of this
drug are being realised.Does Marijuana Use Lead to the Use of Other
Drugs?While most marijuana smokers do not go on to abuse other drugs,
marijuana use puts them in contact with people who use or sell these
drugs. Apart from this it is a fact that most users start smoking pot
first before going to other hard drugs.What are the medical uses of
Marijuana?Under US federal law Marijuana is a Schedule I drug. It means
that marijuana has no known medical role. But many states have laws which
permit medical use of marijuana. Synthetic analogues of THC are in common
use in oncology and AIDS.