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Marijuana Effects On Brain

            Marijuana has been illegal for years because of the thought that it was a drug similar to cocaine, or heroin. Drugs such as cocaine and heroin affect the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with extremely pleasurable sensations. If a drug interferes with its production and causes too much to be produced the result is extremely pleasurable and can lead to severe abuse and addiction. It has recently been proven that marijuana is not a drug that affects the production of dopamine. .
             The average marijuana plant contains over 400 chemicals and when the plant is smoked or vaporized the heat produces many more. Receptors in the nerve cells of the brain receive these chemicals and the chemicals cause the nerve cell to change in some way. The chemical in marijuana that has the biggest impact on the brain is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). .
             THC receptors are abundant in the brain but they are concentrated in certain areas. One region of the brain where THC receptors are highly concentrated is the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the area of the brain that processes memory. When THC attaches to receptors in the hippocampus, it weakens short-term memory. The hippocampus also communicates with other regions of the brain that process new information into long-term memory. So under the influence of marijuana, new information may never register and be lost from memory completely. There is also a dense concentration of THC receptors in the basal ganglia and the cerebellum. Both of these areas affect movement and coordination. One area that does not contain any THC receptors is the medulla. The medulla controls many functions essential to life such as heart rate and digestion so the lack of receptors in this area has prevented any deadly overdoses of marijuana. .
             In addition to having significant effects on the brain and impairing memory and coordination, marijuana has effects on other viscera as well.


Essays Related to Marijuana Effects On Brain

1. The Effects Of Marijuana

... twisted at the ends. A blunt is normally an emptied cigar wrapper filled with marijuana. In a blunt you can fit much more marijuana. Though a blunt isn't always purely marijuana, it can be mixed with other drugs such as angel dust. Marijuana has different effects on people, and certain types of cannabis can cause different effects in the same person. The amount of "THC" (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) may also ... The damage to the immune system can cause the user to get pneumonia or a chest cold much easier. (Jaffe, Jerome H) Marijuana is very harmful yet very widespread. It causes struct...

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2. Effects of Marijuana

... twisted at the ends. A blunt is normally an emptied cigar wrapper filled with marijuana. In a blunt you can fit much more marijuana. Though a blunt isn't always purely marijuana, it can be mixed with other drugs such as angel dust. Marijuana has different effects on people, and certain types of cannabis can cause different effects in the same person. The amount of "THC" (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) may also ... not be as focused. (Wynder, Ernst L) Short-term marijuana use leads to a drowsiness and relaxing effect. This is why marijuana users have trouble remembering things. A heavy dos...

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3. Should marijuana be legalized?

... a great deal about how THC acts in the brain to produce its many effects. When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to organs throughout the body, including the brain. Marijuana's Effects on the Brain When marijuana is smoked, its active ingredient THC travels throughout the body, including the brain, to produce its many effects. THC attaches to sites called cannabinoid receptors ... on nerve cells in the brain, affecting the way those cells work. Cannabinoid receptors are abundant in parts of the ... ...

  • Word Count: 2773
  • Approx Pages: 11
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4. Drugs and the Human Brain

... teen pregnancies in the United States, is smoking marijuana while pregnant. Smoking marijuana while being pregnant can affect the developing endocannabinoid or communication systems of the baby which can lead to the child having problems with attention, memory, or problem solving (Health Effects of Marijuana Use, 2014). Parts of Brain that are Affected When smoking marijuana, the effects on the brain are happening almost immediately since the chemical THC ... is going directly into the bloodstream. Marijuana can be mixed into baked foods such as brownies. When marijuana is administered ...

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5. Marijuana

... , the hundreds of chemical compounds enter the body affecting the nervous system and specifically targeting the brain. All forms of marijuana are mind altering, in other words, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. Marijuana's effects on the user depend on its strength or potency, which is related to the amount of THC it contains. THC in ... marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days ... ...

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6. Legalize Marijuana

... in the psychoactive cannibinoid delta-9-THC, are not available to people who may want or need them. If all the negative side effects of marijuana are listed, it would be apparent they are similar to the characteristics of negative side effects of alcohol, legal opiates and cigarettes (all legal), which makes it hypocritical to condemn one substance, but endorse and tax the others ... , instead it is what it does that is bad. According to DARE (drug abuse resistance education), the problems are too numerous to legalize. The DARE allegations are: Marijuana overdoses could occur, use eventu...

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7. marijuana use

... to life such as heart rate and digestion so the lack of receptors in this area has prevented any deadly overdoses of marijuana. In addition to having significant effects on the brain and impairing memory and coordination, marijuana has effects on other viscera as well. Marijuana causes the heart to beat up to forty times more per minute. This can cause heart attacks or heart failure. Approximately 1% ... of all heart attack victims suffer their heart attacks on the same day as using marijuana and .2% of victims say that they smoked marijuana within one hour of their attack. The effects ...

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8. Marijuana

... issue that is discussed constantly in our world these days. Marijuana is an illegal drug in some countries, but in other countries Marijuana is legal. We carefully have to analyze Marijuana and look at the good and bad sides on the issue of legalizing Marijuana. Marijuana can lead to some bad problems, such as teenagers dropping out of school, doing badly at work, and it can ... the effects, they will want to take harder drugs. It's a fact that many of the users of hard drugs begin by marijuana. In conclusion, I think we have to remove all drugs. It doesn't have any benefit other than t...

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9. The Effects of Marijuana

... the user to not be as focused. Short- term marijuana use leads to a drowsiness and relaxing effect. This is why marijuana users have trouble remembering things. A heavy dose of marijuana can decrease the amount of blood pumped into the brain. Marijuana effects the brain's control over muscles also. Heavy usage of Page: 3 marijuana can have a lasting effect on the users short-term memory. The blood flow to ... the back of the brain is greater than the front, after smoking. This ... is believed to cause the high sensation the user is after. The short-term effect of marijuana will increase...

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10. The Benefits of Medical Marijuana

... ) and cannabidiol (CBD) (Cox). THC is the ingredient that is most responsible for the psychological effects of marijuana. THC causes these effects as it stimulates cells in the brain; these brain cells then send signals to the brain to release dopamine, creating euphoria (Cox). Dopamine plays a role in the way the brain controls the body's movements, and when there is an excess of euphoria, a state of happiness ... . The one that most adolescents and young adults may find most relevant is the case of Chase Warner (suffers from a convulsive disorder) that now uses medical marijuana in the ...

  • Word Count: 1664
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  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

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