Physical and Pharmacological Effects of Marijuana
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Cannabis is not lonely the most abused illicit drug in the joined States (Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs, 2004; NIDA, 2010) it is in fact the most abused illegal drug worldwide (UNODC, 2010). In the associated States it is a schedule-I substance which means that it is legally considered as having no medical use and it is terribly addictive (US DEA, 2010). Doweiko (2009) explains that not every cannabis has abuse potential. He hence suggests using the common terminology marijuana following referring to cannabis like abuse potential. For the sake of clarity this terminology is used in this paper as well.
Today, marijuana is at the forefront of international controversy debating the appropriateness of its widespread illegal status. In many hold states it has become legalized for medical purposes. This trend is known as "medical marijuana" and is strongly celebrated by advocates even if simultaneously loathed coarsely by opponents (Dubner, 2007; Nakay, 2007; Van Tuyl, 2007). It is in this context that it was established to pick the topic of the instinctive and pharmacological effects of marijuana for the basis of this research article.
What is marijuana?
Marijuana is a tree-plant more correctly called cannabis sativa. As mentioned, some cannabis sativa flora and fauna accomplish not have abuse potential and are called hemp. Hemp is used widely for various fiber products including newspaper and artist's canvas. Cannabis sativa taking into consideration abuse potential is what we call marijuana (Doweiko, 2009). It is fascinating to note that although widely studies for many years, there is a lot that researchers nevertheless get not know not quite marijuana. Neuroscientists and biologists know what the effects of marijuana are but they still accomplish not adequately comprehend why (Hazelden, 2005).
Deweiko (2009), Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs (2004) lessening out that of nearly four hundred known chemicals found in the cannabis plants, researchers know of beyond sixty that are thought to have psychoactive effects on the human brain. The most competently known and potent of these is -9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. once Hazelden (2005), Deweiko states that even if we know many of the neurophysical effects of THC, the reasons THC produces these effects are unclear.
Neurobiology:
As a psychoactive substance, THC directly affects the central agitated system (CNS). It affects a omnipotent range of neurotransmitters and catalyzes other biochemical and enzymatic commotion as well. The CNS is stimulated as soon as the THC activates specific neuroreceptors in the brain causing the various living thing and emotional reactions that will be expounded upon more specifically extra on. The on your own substances that can put into action neurotransmitters are substances that mimic chemicals that the brain produces naturally. The fact that THC stimulates brain be in teaches scientists that the brain has natural cannabinoid receptors. It is still wooly why humans have natural cannabinoid receptors and how they bill (Hazelden, 2005; Martin, 2004). What we attain know is that marijuana will stir cannabinoid receptors stirring to twenty grow old more actively than any of the body's natural neurotransmitters ever could (Doweiko, 2009).
Perhaps the biggest inscrutability of every is the association with THC and the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin receptors are in the middle of the most stimulated by all psychoactive drugs, but most specifically alcohol and nicotine. Independent of marijuana's association in imitation of the chemical, serotonin is already a tiny understood neurochemical and its supposed neuroscientific roles of effective and goal are yet mostly researcher (Schuckit & Tapert, 2004). What neuroscientists have found definitively is that marijuana smokers have very tall levels of serotonin protest (Hazelden, 2005). I would hypothesize that it may be this link amid THC and serotonin that explains the "marijuana maintenance program" of achieving abstinence from alcohol and allows marijuana smokers to avoid sadness invalidation symptoms and avoid cravings from alcohol. The efficacy of "marijuana maintenance" for aiding alcohol abstinence is not scientific but is a phenomenon I have personally witnessed later than numerous clients.
Interestingly, marijuana mimics fittingly many neurological reactions of supplementary drugs that it is categorically hard to classify in a specific class. Researchers will area it in any of these categories: psychedelic; hallucinogen; or serotonin inhibitor. It has properties that mimic thesame chemical responses as opioids. further chemical responses mimic stimulants (Ashton, 2001; Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs, 2004). Hazelden (2005) classifies marijuana in its own special class - cannabinoids. The reason for this confusion is the mysteriousness of the numerous psychoactive properties found within marijuana, both known and unknown. One recent client I axiom could not recover from the visual distortions he suffered as a outcome of pervasive psychedelic use as long as he was yet smoking marijuana. This seemed to be as a upshot of the psychedelic properties found within alert cannabis (Ashton, 2001). Although not strong acceptable to develop these visual distortions upon its own, marijuana was strong passable to prevent the brain from healing and recovering.
Emotions:
Cannibinoid receptors are located throughout the brain as a result affecting a wide variety of functioning. The most important upon the emotional level is the stimulation of the brain's nucleus accumbens perverting the brain's natural recompense centers. substitute is that of the amygdala which controls one's emotions and fears (Adolphs, Trane, Damasio, & Damaslio, 1995; Van Tuyl, 2007).
I have observed that the stuffy marijuana smokers who I produce a result bearing in mind personally seem to allowance a commonality of using the drug to direct their anger. This observation has evidenced based repercussion and is the basis of much scientific research. Research has in fact found that the relationship amongst marijuana and managing arouse is clinically significant (Eftekhari, Turner, & Larimer, 2004). nettle is a excuse mechanism used to guard against emotional result of adversity fueled by terrify (Cramer, 1998). As stated, anxiety is a primary comport yourself controlled by the amygdala which is heavily stimulated by marijuana use (Adolphs, Trane, Damasio, & Damaslio, 1995; Van Tuyl, 2007)
