Marijuanas Short and Long Term Effects On The Bra Essay Example For Students

Marijuanas Short and Long Term Effects On The Bra Essay inMARIJUANAS SHORT AND LONG TERM EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN Millions are abusing marijuana every day. In fact, 1 out of 7 high school students smokemarijuana more than once a day. Marijuana is taken very lightly and is the most highly usedillegal drug. For this reason, society should know its short and long term effects on the brain. Marijuana can effect these two areas emotionally or physically. Also in some cases physical damages causes the emotional response. Although most public information on drugs are funded by anti-drug organizations, hopefully we will still learn these true facts of marijuana in spite of that. The brain is the most complicated part of the human body. I will begin explaining certainparts and their functions. In doing this to I hope to give a better understand of our brain while implicating the possibilities of chemical induced complications The brain with its 15 billion neurons and nerve cells operates using chemical and electrical messages: (Swanson, 1975). This is how we perceive our senses. Differences in the way our brain translates these messages can impair perceptions. Hallucinogens prevent the brain from receiving all of these messages in order. All of the information that we receive is through millions of transactions of neurons, like a computer, marijuana alters these transactions. After smoking, or consuming marijuana, it is distributed in the brain. The concentration of marijuana in the brain may be governed by an active transport process in the choroid plexus network of blood vessels in the brain which regulates intraventricular pressure by absorption and secretion of cerebro spinal fluid. one scientific experiment it gave an example of how the distribution of marijuana in the central nervous system could effect man. At a high dose of 30 mg./kg. marked sedation and pronounced motor incoordination peaked at the one hour interval subsiding in 8 hours when over reaction occurred to external stimuli; man reveals incapacitation of cognitive and motor function. High concentrations of marijuana are usually found in the following parts of the brain: the frontal cortex (the general association area), and hippocampus (short term memory and oreintation). As a result, perception of time, mood and general cordination is impaired. It is apparent that marijuana intoxication effects the neurological functions and usually disappears in 24 hours, but can become a permanent malfunction. THC effects the limbic system which is vital to some every day functions. The brain is made up of 3 basic cerebral types differing in structure, chemistry and organization (MacLean, 1970). These are: 1) reptilian or brain stem responsible for instinctive (survival) behavior (and regulator of vital functions of the body) 2) old mammalian (paleocortex) or limbic brain surrounding the brain stem (like a lap or limbus) having an important role in emotional behavior and motivation (contains opiate receptors) 3) new mammailian (neo cortex) brain (thinking cap) with the capacity for symbolic (written and spoken language). The 3 subdivisions of the limbic cortical system or ring are linked by 3 pathways to the brain stem. The lower part (hippocampusi memory information) of the ring connected with the amygdala insures self-presentation (survival). The upper part is connected to the septum which is the area for pleasure. These 2 are connected to the olfactory which deals with sense. In addition, there is a third passageway dealing with sexual behaviors and visual activities. Any limbic dysfunction can result in emotional and mood disturbences alienation distortions of perceptions and paranoid states. THC can reduce the blood flow to the hippocampus, which earlier I introduced as the controller of short term memory and orientation. To make a simple conclusion to all of this confusing data, marijuana results in chemical damage effecting emotional, motivational and hormonal disturbances. After 3 months of light, moderate and heavy use, evidence of irreversible damage can be detected. The effects of marijuana are mostly short term. When I say short term, I mean damages that can restore to normal. Most symptoms from heavy usage vanish in about a year and a half of clean time. Although, not ever exactly back to normal relatively emotional and memory abnormalites are restored. Justifiable Homicide At The Hands Of The State Essay Effects physically and mentally are also recorded Tolerance to a drug develops when increasing doses are necessary to obtain the initial effect of a lower dose. Dependence may be psycholgical and/or physical. Psychological dependence refers to a craving for a drug often leading to complusive drug use. Physical or physiological dependence is a state whereby withdrawal of the drug leads to undesirable effects in mood or the physical body. I will first explain the most common tolerance with THC. Marijuana is used to experience a high and as a person continually introduces this chemical into the body, it grows accustom to it. Hence, in order to get the same high you must smoke more potent marijuana. Cells in the pleasure center of the brain are being damaged and as more are damaged, more marijuana is needed. Also, the natural high is harder to achieve. In regard to dependence and addiction there is still much controversy. Most is on the exact definition, not about marijuana at all. Is it to need the drug and obtain it by any means? Tolerance? Or simply any mental or physical dependence? The facts are that marijuana is definitely mentally addictive and possibly slightly physically addictive. Marijuana releases dopamine causing pleasure making the user most likely want to feel the same way again. One argument W. Paton, Every day I wake up and eat Kelloggs corn flakes because I like corn flakes. Does that mean I am addicted to corn flakes? Others believe that since it triggers dopamine in the brain it must be addictive. Long term damages due to marijuana are noted. Marijuana seems to have some irreversible effects, but it is difficult to prove that marijuana was the cause. The thing holding up most scientist is the question of marijuana physically effecting the brain. Many studies show that it does, but most times there are too many uncontrollable factors. Monkeys are usually used and they relate this to humans. Such as in this experiment, after having the monkey smoke marijuana for 5 months, then letting it be clean for 3 months, then see if there is differences. Abnormalities include (RER) chaos and synaptic vesicles. RER or rough endoplasmic reticulum makes proteins so that the cell can function properly. RER is in neat strands in the cells interior. But, in heavy smoking monkeys there was chaos. Synaptic vesicle activity accounts for our thinking, feeling and doing. Heavy smoking monkeys had synaptic vesicles that were clumped together. The vesticles were also filled with abnormal deposits of material. The conclusion was that this could cause the symptoms of a marijuana abused brain. Those symptoms are bad short term memory, apathy, lack of motivation and depression. Most findings do conclude after smoking marijuana for periods of time cause them afterwords to be disconnected from social activities and have noticeable differences in memory. But, most surveys or studies dont usually ask the marijuana smoker to be clean for a year. This would probably prove more of the long term effects. It is somewhat disturbing that with all of the new technology, we cannot exactly prove that marijuana has long term effects. Short term effects have been pretty much proven. Millions are abusing marijuana every day. In fact, 1 out of 7 high school students smokemarijuana more than once a day. Marijuana is taken very lightly and is the most highly usedillegal drug. For this reason, society should know its short and long term effects on the brain. Marijuana can effect these two areas emotionally or physically. Also in some cases physical damages causes the emotional response. Although most public information on drugs are funded by anti-drug organizations, hopefully we will still learn these true facts of marijuana in spite of that. Words/ Pages : 2,040 / 24