The Myths of Marijuana: True or False? Marijuana, also known as pot or weed, is commonly-used drug made from the dried, shredded remains of the hemp plant. The drug is commonly introduced to the user through smoking, through a pipe or a blunt, and from the lungs moves through the bloodstream and into the brain. Cannabinoid receptors in the brain are affected, which begins a chain reaction. The most cannabinoid receptors are found the in parts of the brain that affect pleasure, memory, thinking, concentrating, sensory, time perception, and coordinated movement. (Herkenham, Lynn and Little 1932-1936) There are many misconceptions surrounding marijuana use, making it a relatively controversial subject. Here, I will provide evidence and statistics proving or disproving several major ideas that people have about the herb.

Marijuana is the gateway drug Many people against marijuana use claim that it is the “gateway drug,” and its use leads to that of heavier and more dangerous drugs, but is this statement true? Well, sixty percent of all drug users reported using only marijuana, according to the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). (Edwards and Gold) While data does show that marijuana has the potential to lead the user to use other drugs, there is a counterargument for this. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug out there, so it is likely to be encountered before other drugs. (Joy, Watson and Benson) While statistical evidence can be used, there is no certain, scientific evidence to prove whether or not it leads to the use of other drugs.

Marijuana causes cancer One of the current arguments regards marijuana and cancer. Namely, whether or not the drug causes it. There is a belief that marijuana smoke, like that of cigarettes, causes lung cancer. However, statistics show the opposite, as “the incidence of lung cancer in people who smoke cannabis was less than the incidence of lung cancer in people who smoke nothing at all.” In a study, which used 600 lung cancer cases, there was no evidence shown that marijuana is positively associated with cancer. Therefore, it can be stated that marijuana does not cause cancer.

You can overdose on Marijuana To this date, there has been no case of one overdosing on marijuana. In fact, tests show that the ratio of cannabinoids, the chemicals that cause the high, to make you stoned is 40,000:1. (Schaffer) Compared to the average 7:1 of alcohol, marijuana is near impossible to overdose on, as it would take