Cannabis is not merely the most abused illicit drug in the United States (Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs, 2004; NIDA, 2010) it is certainly the most abused illegal drug worldwide (UNODC, 2010). In the United States it is really a schedule-I substance meaning it is legally considered as having no medical use and it is highly addictive (US DEA, 2010). Doweiko (2009) explains that not totally all cannabis has abuse potential. He therefore suggests utilizing the common terminology marijuana when referring to cannabis with abuse potential. For the sake of clarity this terminology is utilized in this paper as well. buy marijuana online
Today, marijuana reaches the forefront of international controversy debating the appropriateness of its widespread illegal status. In many Union states it is becoming legalized for medical purposes. This trend is called "medical marijuana" and is strongly applauded by advocates while simultaneously loathed harshly by opponents (Dubner, 2007; Nakay, 2007; Van Tuyl, 2007). It's in this context so it was decided to choose the topic of the physical and pharmacological aftereffects of marijuana for the foundation with this research article.
What is marijuana?
Marijuana is a place more correctly called cannabis sativa. As stated, some cannabis sativa plants do not need abuse potential and are called hemp. Hemp is employed widely for various fiber products including newspaper and artist's canvas. Cannabis sativa with abuse potential is what we call marijuana (Doweiko, 2009). It's interesting to see that although widely studies for many years, there will be a lot that researchers still don't know about marijuana. Neuroscientists and biologists know very well what the effects of marijuana are nevertheless they still don't fully realize why (Hazelden, 2005).
Deweiko (2009), Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs (2004) mention that of approximately four hundred known chemicals present in the cannabis plants, researchers know of over sixty which can be thought to have psychoactive effects on the human brain. Probably the most well-known and potent of these is â-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Like Hazelden (2005), Deweiko states that while we know lots of the neurophysical aftereffects of THC, the causes THC produces these effects are unclear.
Neurobiology:
As a psychoactive substance, THC directly affects the central nervous system (CNS). It affects an enormous array of neurotransmitters and catalyzes other biochemical and enzymatic activity as well. The CNS is stimulated when the THC activates specific neuroreceptors in the brain causing the many physical and emotional reactions which is expounded on more specifically further on. The only substances that will activate neurotransmitters are substances that mimic chemicals that the brain produces naturally. The truth that THC stimulates brain function teaches scientists that the brain has natural cannabinoid receptors. It's still unclear why humans have natural cannabinoid receptors and how they work (Hazelden, 2005; Martin, 2004). What we do know is that marijuana will stimulate cannabinoid receptors as much as twenty times more actively than any of the body's natural neurotransmitters ever could (Doweiko, 2009).
Possibly the biggest mystery of all is the relationship between THC and the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin receptors are among the most stimulated by all psychoactive drugs, but most specifically alcohol and nicotine. Independent of marijuana's relationship with the chemical, serotonin is only a little understood neurochemical and its supposed neuroscientific roles of functioning and purpose remain mostly hypothetical (Schuckit & Tapert, 2004). What neuroscientists are finding definitively is that marijuana smokers have very good quantities of serotonin activity (Hazelden, 2005). I would hypothesize that it may be this relationship between THC and serotonin that explains the "marijuana maintenance program" of achieving abstinence from alcohol and allows marijuana smokers in order to avoid painful withdrawal symptoms and avoid cravings from alcohol. The efficacy of "marijuana maintenance" for aiding alcohol abstinence is not scientific but is really a phenomenon I've personally witnessed with numerous clients.
Interestingly, marijuana mimics so many neurological reactions of other drugs that it's very difficult to classify in a certain class. Researchers will stick it in some of these categories: psychedelic; hallucinogen; or serotonin inhibitor. It's properties that mimic similar chemical responses as opioids. Other chemical responses mimic stimulants (Ashton, 2001; Gold, Frost-Pineda, & Jacobs, 2004). Hazelden (2005) classifies marijuana in its own special class - cannabinoids. The reason behind this confusion is the complexity of many psychoactive properties found within marijuana, both known and unknown. One recent client I saw couldn't cure the visual distortions he suffered consequently of pervasive psychedelic use provided that he was still smoking marijuana. This was consequently of the psychedelic properties found within active cannabis (Ashton, 2001). Although not strong enough to make these visual distortions on its own, marijuana was strong enough to prevent the brain from healing and recovering.