Marijuana and Medical Marijuana Health Risks
Yvonne Vance
Com/156
October 13, 2012
Kelly Rottman

Marijuana and Medical Marijuana Health Risks Marijuana became legalize in some states and a concern problem for some advocates because of the harmful chemicals that found in marijuana or THC. Its’ been reported that marijuana has many more harmful chemicals than tobacco products. On the other hand, advocates’ say that marijuana is beneficial to some patients that can help with his/her pain, nausea, loss appetite and other symptoms related to their illness. However, marijuana offered to patients who have serious illness and chronic pain, but marijuana is not a good source of medication because of long-term and short-term health risks. Marijuana has been around for decades in the United States. Marijuana is a chemical “called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or better known as THC”. In addition, about 400 more chemicals found in marijuana, as in tobacco, which can affect his/her, health. However, marijuana is use in many different ways, but some users smoke marijuana for many different reasons such as relaxation, feeling of high when dealing with personal issues. For example, some users who have a relationship problem feel the need to smoke marijuana to relieve the stress him/her are feeling at the time. Some think that marijuana can take away his/her problem rather than just dealing with the situation. Once the high goes down, the problem they had before is still there and this type of behavior can lead to suicidal thoughts. Alternatively, some users smoke marijuana because of his/her peers. A non-smoker constantly surrounding themselves around others who smoke marijuana can be easily peer pressure into trying the drug. He/she think if they try the drug just that one time, they cannot become hook to the drug. Untrue, because he/she may like the feeling of the drug and continue to be a user of marijuana. On the other hand, “minutes of inhaling” marijuana, the addict starts to feel great or pleasurable sensations that last one or two hours depending on what kind of marijuana, the user is smoking. There are different names for marijuana such as Cush, purple weed, strawberry Cush, and regular weed, louds and so on. Although THC (marijuana) triggers the brain cells to release the chemical (dopamine) causing a good sensation for a short time. However, there is no concrete reasons people smoke marijuana, but many supporters’ thinks that marijuana is a harmless substance, or beneficial substance that is legal for patients with serious illness. Above all, marijuana can cause long-term and short-term health risk. Smoking marijuana for a long period can cause long-term health risk and increase the risk of respiratory complications such as airway inflammation, increase in his/her cough, and wheeze. This can result in damaging respiratory track. In addition, The Brown University reports, marijuana user increases the risk for lung cancer. Consuming more than one substance in which marijuana has, can cause molecular that might lead to cancer. However, according to NIDA long-term use of marijuana can lead to addiction. It is also associated with increased rates of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Marijuana may seem to help depression before the effects of the substance wear off. Smoking marijuana may make depression, schizophrenia worse, especially in young women more likely to experience this effect. However, the link between marijuana and lung cancer remains unproven, yet chronic (marijuana) smokers have other respiratory problems. Although, marijuana can damage respiratory track, marijuana can be hard on the heart causing a heart attack within seconds of inhaling the chemical. The use of marijuana can increase the risk of a heart attack five times greater than someone who smokes tobacco. According, to Jerry Shaw, this can be danger to the user’s heart rate, blood pressure