Marijuana
Cannabis or marijuana is a term used to refer to the various psychoactive preparations of cannabis Sativa and cannabis indica. Cannabis indica and Sativa are the two strains of the drug, each with varying effects and different percentages of the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive component of cannabis. Cannabis Indica is known to produce high amounts of THC that provide intoxicating and euphoric effects; hence, it is commonly used for both recreation and medicinal purposes. Cannabis sativa produces relatively fewer amounts of THC and is commonly used as a source for various products such as seed oil and fiber and also for spiritual, recreation, and medicinal purposes.
Statistics generated by the World Health Organization indicate that cannabis is the most widely planted and used the illicit drug in the world. Over 140 million people in the world accounting for approximately 2.5 percent of the global population annually consume the drug in comparison to the 0.2 percent and 0.19 percent that consume cocaine and opiates, respectively (Bridgeman, Barna, and Abazia 180). The research findings also indicate that the prevalence of cannabis use has grown dramatically in the last ten years. The abuse of the drug has been closely associated with the youth culture, with its age of initiation being significantly lower than that for other drugs. Cannabis can also be described as a price-inelastic drug with an analysis of its markets, indicating that lower prices are directly proportional to its prevalence.
The drug is associated with both short term and long term effects, most of which are psychological. Acute effects associated with marijuana include anxiety, memory, and attention loss. The drug is also associated with psychotic symptoms and the user’s inability to think clearly. The cognitive development of the user is highly compromised both in the short term and long term, together with the associative processes such as the free recall of concepts learned in the past. The drug has also been discovered to compromise the psychomotor operations, for example, motor coordination, multitasking, and human performance on machinery: research findings have closely associated cannabis smoking to the risk of motor accidents. (Pacula, Liccardo, and Smart 399).
The effects of long term cannabis smoking have been associated with health issues such as epithelial damage of the trachea, inflammation of the lung, impaired defense of the pulmonary against infection, and airway injury. The long term use of cannabis has also been known to exacerbate incidents of schizophrenia and seizures. Research findings by the world health organization indicate that approximately fifty percent of the drug-related seizures are cannabis seizures (Bridgeman, Barna, and Abazia 180). The geographical distribution of seizures is also worldwide, covering almost every country around the globe.
Chait and Pierri highlight the impact of cannabis smoking on pregnant women.
Pregnant women who indulge in the use of marijuana are also at an increased risk of depression and hyperactivity. The use of cannabis is associated with fetal development impairment and postnatal risks of cancer. Other than psychological effects, marijuana is also associated with adverse effects on the physical health of an individual; for example, liver diseases, heart disease, and vasculature. The chronic smoking of marijuana has also been associated with wheezing and signs associated with bronchitis.
While cannabis may be associated with health benefits such as body relaxation and relief of pain, it is important that the public is sensitized, particularly about the mental implications of the use of cannabis. It is through the mental effects of cannabis, such as lack of clarity in thought and memory loss, that a person’s productivity is significantly compromised. It is the responsibility of the relevant stakeholders in the health care systems to educate the public about the effects of the drug so that we have a productive future generation that is not shackled on the negative implications of drug abuse.