Night Club News: Marijuana And Other Forms Of

Marijuana and Other Forms of Cannabis

Marijuana is a mixture of the crushed leaves and flowering tops of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). The plant contains a substance called THC (tetrahydrocannabinal) that has a combination of psychoactive properties which defy simple categorization. It produces euphoria and release from inhibition much like the depressant alcohol; the relaxation or even fatigue of a sedative; and hypnotic, sensory, and perceptual distortions like a mild hallucinogen (which ordinarily increases wakefulness). This is why marijuana and other cannabis drugs are treated as a unique category of psychoactive substance in the latest revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM III (1980). The various forms of cannabis�� differ chiefly in their concentration of THC. Of the natural forms of cannabis, marijuana is the least potent, and hashish (pure plant resin) the most potent. Recently an almost pure form of THC has been artificially synthesized in the laboratory.

Cannabis is most frequently taken by smoking it in a cigarette or pipe. It can also be eaten (Alice B. Toklas, a friend of the poet Gertrude Stein, is said to have baked delicious marijuana brownies). At low dosages, most users quickly develop a feeling of relaxed euphoria. Some become more talkative, while others become quiet and contemplative. Many describe their perceptions and sensory experiences as intensified and unusual. Previously�� unnoticed colors and sounds become vivid and important. Space and forms may appear distorted, and time slows. However, while many people feel only pleasant or interesting effects, others become anxious and irritable. The particular pattern of one's reactions depends a great deal on the particular situation and the behavior of those who are nearby.

There are physical symptoms as well. The eyes redden as blood vessels dilate, the mouth dries as saliva flow is inhibited, and the heart beats faster; appetite often increases.

As more THC enters the bloodstream, the user feels more and more drowsy. Speech may become slurred and thinking distorted. Things may seem hysterically funny and inspire long spells of giggling. Finally, the user falls into a deep sleep.

For many centuries, cannabis was used in Asia as an anesthetic and medication for maladies ranging from insomnia to rheumatism. In the mid-nineteenth century, Western European doctors began to prescribe it for neuralgia, menstrual pain, and migraine headaches. In the early twentieth�� century, its medical use was widely promoted in the United States by the drug company Parke-Davis. By the 1930s, however, doctors were prescribing such other drugs as morphine, aspirin, and barbiturates instead.
Marijuana began to be used simply for pleasure and was distributed illegally.

This period was marked by progressively harsher antidrug laws, and by 1937, marijuana, incongruously lumped with opium and heroin, was completely outlawed. During the 1960s marijuana use underwent a resurgence, with growing recognition that the harsh legal penalties seemed inconsistent with its apparent low level of danger, The National Survey of Drug Abuse (1979) reported that during 1979 more than 26 million Amercans icons used cannabis at least once, including 31 percent of adolescents under�� 18 (10 percent of all high-school seniors), 68 percent of individuals between 18 and 25, and 20 percent of those over 26. It is clear that earlier efforts to characterize cannabis as a "killer weed'' were counterproductive exaggerations. Concerning its safety, however, real doubts still remain. Some evidence suggests that it is addictive.

Chronic users may develop tolerance (Nowland & Cohen, 1977) and experience� withdrawal symptoms such as loss of appetite, running nose, diarrhea, and sweating (Jones, 1977). Also, the potency of illegally obtained cannabis has increased, and there are more instances of accidents related to cannabis intoxication (Marijuana Research Findings, 1980). Longer-term dangers may include susceptibility to lung disease (Tashkin, Calvarese, & Simmons, 1978) and reduced fertility (Hembree, Nabias, & Huang, 1979).

Did you like this article? You can write articles like this and make money from it. It is free to join and you can make money online as soon as you sign-up. Click on the link to Sign-up with Bukisa.com and starting making some good money on the internet.

More Content on the Web by Spill Guy:

How to Build Up Your Muscle

How to Build Strength

Written by Spill Guy