Physical and Pharmacological Effects of Marijuana

 Introduction:

Cannabis is not just the most abused illicit substance in the United States (Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs, 2004; NIDA, 2010), but it is also the world's most abused unlawful drug (UNODC, 2010). It is classified as a schedule-I substance in the United States, which signifies that it has no medical purpose and is highly addictive (US DEA, 2010). According to Doweiko (2009), not all cannabis has the potential for abuse. As a result, he recommends using the popular term marijuana when referring to cannabis with misuse potential. This nomenclature is also utilized in this work for clarity's sake.

Marijuana is currently at the center of an international debate regarding the propriety of its widespread criminal status. It is now permitted in several Union states for medical purposes. This movement is known as "medical marijuana," and supporters cheer it while opponents condemn it fiercely (Dubner, 2007; Nakay, 2007; Van Tuyl, 2007). In this context, it was chosen to base this study piece on the topic of marijuana's physical and pharmacological effects.

What exactly is marijuana?
Marijuana is actually the cannabis sativa plant. As previously stated, some cannabis sativa plants have no misuse potential and are referred to as hemp. Hemp is commonly utilized in a variety of fiber goods, including newspaper and artist's canvas. Marijuana is Cannabis sativa with misuse potential (Doweiko, 2009). It is worth noting that, reliable mail order marijuana despite extensive research over many years, there is still much that researchers do not know about marijuana. Neuroscientists and biologists are aware of marijuana's effects, but they do not fully comprehend why (Hazelden, 2005).

According to Deweiko (2009), Gold, Frost-Pineda, and Jacobs (2004), researchers know of over sixty compounds contained in cannabis plants that are suspected to have psychoactive effects on the human brain. THC, or â-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the most well-known and strong of them. Deweiko, like Hazelden (2005), claims that while we know many of THC's neurophysical effects, the reasons for these effects are unknown.

THC, as a psychoactive chemical, has a direct effect on the central nervous system (CNS). It influences a wide spectrum of neurotransmitters and also catalyzes other biochemical and enzymatic activity. The CNS is stimulated when THC stimulates certain neuroreceptors in the brain, resulting in the numerous physical and emotional reactions that will be discussed further. The only substances that can activate neurotransmitters are those that imitate molecules produced naturally by the brain. THC's ability to stimulate brain function demonstrates to scientists that the brain contains natural cannabinoid receptors. It is still unknown why humans have cannabinoid receptors and how they function (Hazelden, 2005; Martin, 2004). What we do know is that marijuana stimulates cannabinoid receptors up to twenty times more actively than any natural neurotransmitter in the body (Doweiko, 2009).

The link between THC and the neurotransmitter serotonin is perhaps the most puzzling of all. Serotonin receptors are among the most sensitive to psychoactive substances, including alcohol and nicotine. Irrespective of marijuana's association with the chemical, serotonin is already a poorly understood neurochemical with largely speculative neuroscientific implications in functioning and meaning (Schuckit & Tapert, 2004). Neuroscientists have conclusively discovered that marijuana smokers have extremely high levels of serotonin activation (Hazelden, 2005). I believe that the link between THC and serotonin explains the "marijuana maintenance program" of attaining abstinence from alcohol and allowing marijuana smokers to avoid harsh withdrawal symptoms and cravings for alcohol. The effectiveness of "marijuana maintenance" in supporting alcohol sobriety is not scientifically proven, but it is a phenomenon I have personally experienced with countless people.

Marijuana, interestingly, replicates so many brain reactions of other substances that it is incredibly difficult to categorize. Researchers will classify it as psychedelic, hallucinogenic, or serotonin inhibitor. It contains chemical features that are similar to opioids. Some chemical responses are similar to stimulants (Ashton, 2001; Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs, 2004). According to Hazelden (2005), marijuana is classified as a cannabinoid. The intricacy of marijuana's multiple psychotropic effects, both known and unknown, buy weed online cheap is the source of this confusion. One recent client I examined could not recover from the visual distortions caused by widespread psychedelic usage as long as he smoked marijuana. This appeared to be due to the hallucinogenic qualities contained in active cannabis (Ashton, 2001). Although not strong enough to cause these visual distortions on its own, marijuana was strong enough to inhibit the brain from mending and recovering.

Emotions: Cannabinoid receptors are found throughout the brain, impacting a wide range of functions. The most crucial on an emotional level is the stimulation of the brain's nucleus accumbens, which perverts the brain's natural reward centers. Another is the amygdala, which regulates emotions and anxieties (Adolphs, Trane, Damasio, & Damaslio, 1995; Van Tuyl, 2007).

I've noticed that the strong marijuana users I work with all appear to have one thing in common: they use the drug to deal with their anger. This finding has evidence-based repercussions and serves as the foundation for many scientific research. In fact, research has established a clinically significant link between marijuana and anger management (Eftekhari, Turner, & Larimer, 2004). Anger is a defense mechanism used to protect against the emotional consequences of adversity motivated by fear (Cramer, 1998). As previously indicated, fear is a primary function controlled by the amygdala, which is strongly triggered by marijuana use (Adolphs, Trane, Damasio, & Damaslio, 1995; Van Tuyl, 2007).

THC's Neurophysical Effects: Neurological communications between transmitters and receptors not only control emotions and psychological functioning. It is also how the body regulates both volitional and nonvolitional functions. The cerebellum and basal ganglia are in charge of all body movement and coordination. Marijuana stimulates two of the most abundantly activated areas of the brain. This explains why marijuana causes altered blood pressure and muscle weakness (Van Tuyl, 2007). (Doweiko, 2009). THC eventually influences all neuromotor activity to some extent (Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs, 2004).

The use of marijuana smoking before eating is an interesting phenomenon I have observed in almost all clients who name marijuana as their drug of choice. This is explained by the actions of marijuana on the "CB-1" receptor. CB-1 receptors are abundant in the limbic system, also known as the nucleolus accumbens, which regulates reward pathways (Martin, 2004). These reward pathways influence hunger and eating behaviors as part of the body's innate survival drive, real weed online causing us to seek food and rewarding us with dopamine when we finally do (Hazeldon, 2005). Martin (2004) establishes this connection, pointing out that the activation of the CB-1 receptor directly stimulating the appetite is unique to marijuana users.

What is the difference between high and low grades?
My current client describes how he used to consume up to fifteen joints of "low grade" marijuana every day, but eventually converted to "high grade" when the low grade became useless. In the end, fifteen joints of high-grade marijuana were ineffectual for him as well. He didn't always receive his "high" from it. This entire procedure occurred within five years after the client's initial encounter with marijuana. What is the difference between high and low grade marijuana, and why does marijuana start to lose its benefits after a while?

The THC concentration of marijuana is used to determine its potency. When the street market gets more competitive, the potency on the street becomes more pure. This has resulted in a pattern of ever-increasing potency in response to demand. One typical joint of marijuana smoked now has the same THC strength as 10 average joints of marijuana smoked in the 1960s (Hazelden, 2005).

THC levels will be determined mostly by the section of the cannabis leaf used for manufacturing. For example, cannabis buds can be two to nine times more powerful than fully mature leaves. Hash oil, a type of marijuana made by distilling cannabis resin, can contain more THC than even high-quality buds (Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs, 2004).