Mika Gabrielle V.

Morales January 14, 2018

8- J. Rizal Mrs. Catherine Santos

Title: Legalization of Marijuana

Research

What is marijuana?
Cannabis or Marijuana, a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used for medical
or recreational purposes. Marijuana is one of the most abused drugs in the world. There
is an ever-growing gap between the latest science about marijuana and the myths
surrounding it. Some people think that since it is legal in some places, it must be safe.
Marijuana comes from the Indian hemp plant, and the part that contains the “drug” is
found primarily in the flowers (commonly called the “buds”) and much less in the seeds,
leaves, and stems of the plant. Marijuana, when sold, is a mixture of dried out leaves,
stems, flowers and seeds of the hemp plant. It is usually green, brown or gray in color.
Hashish is tan, brown or black resin that is dried and pressed into bars, sticks or balls.
When smoked, both marijuana and hashish give off a distinctive, sweet odor. There are
over 400 chemicals in marijuana and hashish. Marijuana is a drug like alcohol, cocaine,
or ecstasy. And like these other drugs, it has side effects that can be harmful.

How its affects human body/mind

Different methods of taking the drug may affect your body differently. When you inhale
marijuana smoke into your lungs, the drug is quickly released into your bloodstream and
makes its way to your brain and other organs. It also affects your memory problems, it
changes how information is processed in a part of your brain called the hippocampus.
On the other hand, it can also temporarily relieve pain. It takes a little longer to feel the
effects if you eat or drink the marijuana. The impact of marijuana on anxiety differs from
person to person. Some people say marijuana helps them relax. Others say that anxiety
worsens. Babies whose mothers use marijuana while pregnant may develop problems
with memory and concentration. When smoking marijuana, it’s possible to burn your
mouth and throat. Marijuana may also ease certain symptoms of depression, but
withdrawal may advance feelings of depression. The THC in marijuana can cause red
eyes, this is due to the blood vessels in your eyes expanding. Marijuana affects your
balance and coordination. Your reflexes may be slower than usual, affecting things such
as your ability to drive. People being treated with chemotherapy may benefit from using
marijuana to reduce side effects such as nausea and vomiting.

Pros and Cons

Scientific pros:
• improves connectivity of neurons in the brain. Opens up more parts of the brain
the indulge in creativity and emotions.
• Reverses tobacco effect on lungs and improves lung capacity according to a
research in 2012 (Study: Smoking Marijuana Not Linked with Lung Damage.
• It keeps you skinny and helps your metabolism
• Protects the brain from concussions and trauma
• Also helps people form de-addiction of alcohol
Scientific Cons:
• Shit shrinks your brain overtime with long term usage. But the connectivity still
remains higher than normal humans
• Gets you aging faster
• Loss of stamina and other abilities (if no activities are done over the years)
• Addiction possibilities
Practical Pros:
• Stress reliever
• Emotional enhancer
• Creative thoughts
• Better sleep
• Better Appetite
• Smart decisions
Practical Cons:
• Slower reflection rate
• Lazy with certain Indica Strains
• Red eyes (Your parents will catch you red handed LOL)
• Tachycardia (Increased heart rate) some people might get paranoid
• Finally Paranoia

Medical forecast
States around the country - 29 of them, plus Washington DC - have legalized medical
marijuana. The American public largely supports the legalization of medical marijuana.
At least 84% of the public believes the drug should be legal for medical uses, and
recreational pot usage is less controversial than ever, with at least 61% of Americans in
support. Even though some medical benefits of smoking pot may be overstated by
advocates of marijuana legalization, recent research has demonstrated that there are
legitimate medical uses for marijuana and strong reasons to continue studying the
drug's medicinal uses. Even the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse lists medical
uses for cannabis. There are at least two active chemicals in marijuana that researchers
think have medicinal applications. Those are cannabidiol (CBD) - which seems to
impact the brain without a high- and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - which has pain
relieving properties and is largely responsible for the high. But scientists say that
limitations on marijuana research mean we still have big questions about its medicinal
properties. In addition to CBD and THC, there are another 400 or so chemical
compounds, more than 60 of which are cannabinoids. Many of these could have
medical uses. But without more research, we won't know how to best make use of those
compounds. More research would also shed light on the risks of marijuana. Even if
there are legitimate uses for medicinal marijuana, that doesn't mean all use is harmless.
Some research indicates that chronic, heavy users may have impaired memory,
learning, and processing speed, especially if they started regularly using marijuana
before age 16 or 17. For some of the following medical benefits, there's good evidence.
For others, there's reason to continue conducting research.
Outline

I. Cannabis or Marijuana, a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used for medical
or recreational purposes.
A. Marijuana is one of the most abused drugs in the world
B. Marijuana comes from the Indian hemp plant, and the part that contains the
“drug” is found primarily in the flowers.
C. It is usually green, brown or gray in color.

II. Different methods of taking the drug may affect your body differently.
A. The drug is quickly released into your bloodstream and makes its way to your
brain and other organs.
B. It can also temporarily relieve pain.
C. It takes a little longer to feel the effects if you eat or drink the marijuana.

III. There are certain specific and practical pros and cons when taking the marijuana.
A. It keeps you skinny and helps your metabolism
B. Gets you aging faster
C. Stress reliever

IV. The American public largely supports the legalization of medical marijuana.
A. Recent research has demonstrated that there are legitimate medical uses for
marijuana.
B. There are at least two active chemicals in marijuana that researchers think
have medicinal applications.
C. Some research indicates that chronic, heavy users may have impaired
memory, learning, and processing speed, especially if they started regularly
using marijuana before age 16 or 17.