Forensic Science Drug Research Paper Marijuana
During hearings on marijuana laws in the 1 930’s, claims were made about arijuana’s ability to cause men of color to become violent and solicit sex acts from white women. These claims were used as evidence to back the Marijuana Tax Act of 1 937, which caused the ban on its sale and use. Fifty- nine years later California was the first state to legalize marijuana for medical use, now 23 states not including D. C. have legalized it, recognizing it for the pain relieving properties found in the main active chemical tetrahydrocannabinol or (THC).
Another active ingredient (CBD) or cannabidiol is recognized for its affect on the brain without giving the user the feeling of being high. Medical marijuana can help treat glaucoma, improve lung health, control epileptic seizures, prevent the spread of cancer, decrease anxiety, slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, ease the pain of M. S, control muscle spasms, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis pain, boostyour metabolism, lupus, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson tremors, PTSD, stimulate appetite, and boost creativity. As of November 2014, there are four states in which recreational usage is legal.
However, Marijuana is easily found and used illegally in every state. There are an infinite amount of marijuana strains because growers can ross breed different plants to create a stronger or different type of high. Marijuana is usually grown in a controlled environment where sunlight is available for at least 6 hours during vegetation and 12 hours during flower stages. The grower will need to germinate the seeds and plant them in an individual soil pot, when flourishing the crop needs 18-24 hours of light per day and to be kept in a room at around 70 degrees.
The sex of a plant can be determined by budding. The male plants can be disposed of because they do not produce bud. The female plants will be harvested 8 to 16 weeks after transition. Marijuana is administered through smoking or ingestion. You can smoke it using many methods including blunts and joints where the bud is rolled into rolling paper and smoked like a cigarette. You can also use pipes, bongs or bowls, which are considered to give a more direct and intense high. The bud is ground up and placed in the cavity where it is lit on fire are then inhaled through the glass.
Edibles are growing in popularity as people can achieve the same affects as smoking without the smell or judgment. Marijuana has many different street names some of which are Weed, Pot, Reefer, Grass, Dope, anja, Mary Jane, Hash, Herb, Chronic, Broccoli, Dona Juana, Junaita, Flower, Flower Tops, Ganja, Jay, Nug, Bud, 420 and my personal favorite, Devil’s Lettuce. It is distributed based on demand. In America, Marijuana is weighed in grams, ounces, and pounds. A low level dealer will usually only deal “dime bags” which costs $10. 0, their weight will differ from city to city or dealer to dealer but is some where around one gram. Distribution occurs in person with the exchange of money for drugs Most people’s experiences with marijuana differ but can have some of the same characteristics including eelings of euphoria, relaxation heightened sensory perception, laughter, altered perception of time, increased appetite, exhaustion, depression, anxiety, fear, and distrust. Marijuana can impair a person’s ability to form new memories or change areas of focus.
THC can impair coordination and slow reaction time impairing balance and posture, which makes doing complicated tasks like learning, participating in athletics and driving difficult and maybe even dangerous. According to a Connecticut adolescent substance abuse survey completed last year, 42% of high school students admit to smoking arijuana, which is compared to a nation wide 41 % of high school students. Short-term effects on the human body include slurred speech, sudden increased heart rate, dizziness, lack of muscle strength, along with the effects mentioned in the previous page.
Long term effects include cough, wheezing, phlegm production, increased risk of cancer, frequent chest illness including lung infections, impaired immune system, altered hormones, negative impact on fertility, flashbacks of drug experiences when not using, paranoia, panic disorder, and fear. Marijuana is by no means as addictive as many other drugs such as heroin or meth. There is yet to be scientific evidence to back physical addiction. However 9% of users may find themselves dependent on it. Withdrawal from marijuana is not medically considered serious.
Symptoms include depressed mood, anxiety, restlessness, and decreased appetite. These symptoms should resolve within a week or so. Users can develop a tolerance to the THC in marijuana and seek more to obtain the same high. “Cannabis use disorder” is associated with comorbid mental health problem, meaning someone “addicted” to marijuana is most likely suffering from one or more mental health problems. Marijuana is extremely prevalent in our society. With the recent changes in laws we are seeing more benefits to legalization and use.
