Effects of Cannabis Deregulation on College Students

March 16, 2015

Effects of Cannabis Deregulation on College Students

Scientifically Cannabis sativa popularly known by many titles such as weed, marijuana among others, has always been a drug that is accessible to many youths in spite of harsh laws that regulate its use in given countries. In most countries the use of this drug is prohibited and if you are unlucky to be caught you will serve a jail term longer enough to make you regret knowing it in the first place. Despite the stringent rules that have outlawed the use of this drug in many countries it has remained one of the highly abused drugs especially by college students and teens who are out of school.

Marijuana is currently an outlawed drug in most countries but it does not defy the saying that every dark cloud has a silver lining, it also has good effects that were once valued- this drug being rich in THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is one of the most active ingredient in cannabis that has medicinal qualities, due to its high content in this medicinal content, many researchers have opined that marijuana can be used in treatment of many diseases including cancer. However owing to the fact that it is a highly addictive drug that is prone to be abused it has attracted the attentions for all the wrong reasons making it outlawed in many parts of the world.

The use of cannabis is common despite the strict laws in fact it is on the rise among college students, thanks to its hallucinatory effects that has made it a darling to many students. Most college students begin using this drug without even knowing all the side effects that it is always associated with. Due to peer pressure and a need to belong some students also begin using this drug since some of their friends are using it. in the long run the number of college students affected grows and by the time they become aware of the dangerous effects of using cannabis they are have already become addicted to the drug so much that it can’t be easily stopped. This leads to a situation where college students become adversely affected with the drug so much that they cannot effectively study.

Cannabis and students

The use of cocaine on the rise among students

According to an article published on Michigan University News on Sept/8/2014; the use of illicit drugs has been rising at an alarming rate among American college students since 2006 when only 34 per cent indicated that they had used some illicit drugs in years prior to 2006. By 2013 the rate of those who indicated to have used illicit drugs had heightened by 39 per cent. The report also stated that marijuana is one of the drugs that are highly abused by college students. This study was done by University of Michigan scientists who conduct the nationwide Monitoring the Future study.

The report states that the use of marijuana is on the rise while that of other drugs of leisure is declining and this can be attributed to availability of this drug and affordability in comparison to such drugs as cocaine and heroin. According to this study, Daily marijuana use is now at the highest rate among college students in more than three decades. 51 percent of all full-time college students currently have used an illicit drug at some time in their lives; roughly four in 10 have used one or more such drugs in just the 12 months preceding the survey.

The results are based on a nationally representative sample of some 1,100 students enrolled full time in a 2- or 4-year college in spring 2013. The survey is part of the long-term MTF study, which also tracks substance use among the nation’s secondary students and older adults under research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The study showed that marijuana has remained the most widely used illicit drug over the 34 years that MTF has tracked substance use by college students, but the level of use has varied considerably over time. In 2006, 30 percent of the nation’s college students said they used marijuana in the prior 12 months, whereas in 2013 nearly 36 percent indicated doing so. This shows how marijuana use in colleges is rising despite the fact that it is still regulated. The question is what will happen if it is deregulated.

If marijuana would be deregulated today, the students will begin using it like some sort of over the counter drugs, without fear of authorities and deregulation in itself may sound as an approval by the state on the positive effects of the drug hence many students will use it.

Cannabis

These are some of the problems that the students will face

Inconsistence in performance- consuming alcohol doesn’t end with blowing the smoke in the air; its effects are far more than the euphoric effects that an individual may get from using the drug. When used for a long time it will result in anxiety which will not enable the student to study and perform well in exams and being that it will be unregulated the dosage may hike to a dangerous limit that over a time may cause cognitive malfunctions.

Depression- this is a threat that most people using cannabis have to face. Depression is not good for a student as it alienates him from his studies and even lecturers it may graduate to other serious problems.

Addiction to marijuana is a serious concern that needs to be duly addressed. Here at AWAREmed we are dedicated to offer the best treatment available to addicts. Contact Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) for more help in any kind of addiction you may be wrestling with.

Effects of Cannabis Deregulation on College Students

Marijuana Smoker’s Processing Emotional Information In The Amygdala

September 19, 2014

Marijuana Smokers Process Emotional Information Differently In The Amygdala

Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It contains the psychoactive which results in mind-altering chemical called the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and other compounds related to it. Marijuana is the most common illicit drug used all over the world especially in the United States. Its use had declined for close to a decade and then became very common as from 2007 as the effects associated with it are becoming more diminished. Marijuana is usually smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints or smoked in blunts-cigars that have been emptied off tobacco. The smoke has a pungent smell usually sweet-and-sour, odor. It can also be mixed in foods and drinks.

When marijuana is smoked the THC is rapidly passed from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the substance to the brain. When it is ingested in foods and drinks, this process is much slower. According to the Institute of Medicine published in Mar 1999 report titled “Marijuana and Medicine: assessing the Science Base”: the THC enters the brain, it causes the user to feel euphoric (high) by acting on the brain’s reward system which consists of regions that are responsible for governing pleasurable things like sex and chocolate as well as to most drugs of abuse. THC activates this receptors of the brain by simulating brain cells to release the chemical dopamine.

Marijuana

The users describe two stages of feeling high after intake of marijuana: initial simulation (giddiness and euphoria), followed by sedation and a pleasant tranquility. Their also reported altered perceptions of time and distance as well as heightened sensitivity to sights and sounds. Relaxation is also another frequently reported effect in users of marijuana. They tend to become more relaxed and there is a feeling of bliss and contentment. Their appetite is also greatly improved. After a while, this effects subsidized and the user may feel sleepy or depressed. On rare occasions, marijuana use may produce anxiety, fear, distrust or panic. Users may get very paranoid and anxious until the euphoria reduces.

Marijuana also affects brain development, and when it is used heavily by young people, its effects on their memory and thinking capacity may last a long time or even be permanent. According to a recent study of marijuana users, those who started using at a very young age showed greatly reduced connectivity among brain areas responsible for learning and memory. Those who started smoking heavily in their teens have lost an average of 8 points in IQ between the age 13 and 38, according to a study in New Zealand. Those who started smoking marijuana in their adulthood did not show fairly large declines in their IQ. Marijuana also impairs a person’s ability to form new memories and to shift focus. The substance THC disrupts a person’s coordination and balance by binding to the receptors in the cerebellum and basal ganglia responsible for regulating balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time.

Large intakes of marijuana makes users have acute psychosis, which is basically hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of the sense of identity. Marijuana users are very much likely to end up depressed, anxious and generally their loose the will to live and become suicidal as well as personality disturbances. One of the controversies on the same is the amotivational syndrome, defined as a diminished or absence of the drive to take part in any rewarding activity. As a result of the endocannabinoid system regulating mood, these associations make a certain amount of sense; however, this research is yet to be completed to help us better understand how marijuana use is connected to mental illness in the future. This research also shows that, individuals with one or two copies of the Val variant have a higher risk of developing schizophrenic-type disorders if they used marijuana during adolescence.

Marijuana use during pregnancy is associated with increased neurobehavioral problems in baby after birth. The baby’s endocannabinoid chemicals are mimicked by the marijuana THC and other compounds. This in result causes poor development of the endocannabinoid system in the brain of the fetus. This will in future result in poor memory, problems in attention and problem solving hence they become very slow in responding to their surrounding stimuli. THC exposure also disrupts synapses which help connect nerve cells and allow for the efficient transfer of neurotransmitters. The child is also likely to develop more psychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety, attention-deficit disorder, and schizophrenia.

Marijuana

Marijuana use for a long time causes the brain to continually make the user crave for the same as one tends to get addicted. The development of the frontal cortex is affected and as a result affect a person’s reward system leading to prolonged addiction, and ultimately affects one’s decision making. This addicts are more likely to get impaired executive function and a proclivity to choose the easier task. This may be seen in the user taking part in criminal activities and engaging in violence.

Research has shown that heavy marijuana users tend to have more problems in their daily life or it makes their existing problems worse. They report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, more relationship problems, and they also have less academic and career success compared to non-marijuana users. They tend to drop out of school more, they are the highest number of the absentees in their places of work and also are likely to get into accidents more. They have poor coordination. Marijuana users who have become addicted should seek help in rehabilitation centers. As of late, more research is being carried out to determine more effects of marijuana in the brain. It has also been introduced in the medical field as it is given to cancer patients to increase their appetite and to reduce pain.

Marijuana smokers process emotional information differently in the amygdala

THC on Neurodevelopment of Fetuses

September 17, 2014

Long Term of THC on Neurodevelopment of Fetuses

The most vulnerable state in a woman’s life is during pregnancy. This is because at this time she not only has one life to take care of but also another young life that is even more vulnerable. This therefore calls for caution. A woman who is pregnant should be wary of what passes through her mouth and proceeds right into her body. This is because whatever she eats can either make her gestation period and life after a healthy affair or a nightmare. More often than note the life behaviors of a pregnant mother impacts on the life of the foetus as well and therefore it is important for a pregnant woman to distance herself from all drugs and other risky life choices that may impact negatively on the life of her offspring. Just as good nutrition and clinical visits are emphasized to pregnant women it is also good to encourage these women to stay away from harmful drugs like cocaine, bhang and even alcohol. Unfortunately pregnant women have not seen the need to quit indulging in these risky behaviors even when they are expectant. If current research findings are to be believed, about 4% of women in the USA use illicit drugs while pregnant. Seventy five percent of these cases report the use of marijuana. Despite the widespread use of this product, the public is not aware of the potential neurobehavioral effects of this drug on the fetus or the newborn infant. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most effective compound found in cannabis sativa. Unfortunately it is effective for all the wrong reasons as it affects the neurodevelopment in fetus and newborn infants. Needless to say it has been used in few doses to avoid nausea and vomit in cancer patients. It has also been used to increase appetite in patients but when used for non medical reasons nothing good can come out of this compound.

THC

Effects of cannabis during pregnancy

Recent studies have proved that children who are exposed to marijuana prenatally encounter such problems as social and cognitive disturbances. One of these study suggested exposing children to heavy marijuana use prenatally increased the risk of giving birth to low weight babies and the reduced head circumference in teenagers is a proof to this argument. It is also exposing fetus to heavy marijuana use prenatally increased the risk of childhood leukemia. Exposing fetus to heavy use of marijuana prenatally also resulted in both long term and short term memory loss. Even as the infants grow into youths they become very poor in judgmental skills and mostly become very slow in learning and adopting new ideas.

In another study, 42 postmortem fetal brain samples from pregnant women at mid gestation (between 18 – 22 weeks old) who voluntarily underwent saline induced abortion, a decrease in dopamine receptor (D2) mRNA expression in amygdala with significant prevalence in male fetuses. 7 Extensive marijuana exposure in utero was associated with the lowest reported mRNA levels. However this study did not show whether this change is transient or permanent but still it was able to prove that exposure to heavy use of marijuana resulted in low mRNA levels.

Effects of Cannabis during breast feeding

When a woman continues to use marijuana, the THC compound in it will not quit causing the side effects it is known for to this infant but will still continue to hurt the life of the infant. The compound will not stay in the mother alone but will be passed to the infant when breast feeding since it is secreted in milk. This may cause side effects in the life of the infant as it will be absorbed and retained in the body of the infant. Researchers opine that at the point of intake into the infant the proportions of the dangerous compound in the milk is minimal to cause any clinical problems but it is sufficient enough to cause serious long-term effects in the infant. It may take time but in the end it affects the neurobehavioral functioning of an infant .Infants exposed to marijuana through breast milk will test positive in urine screens for about 2-3 weeks. One study of 16 women indicated decreased plasma levels of prolactin especially in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

thc

THC decreases IQ in children

When you are pregnant but you choose to indulge in using marijuana during your pregnancy be sure to have a child that is not very well upstairs. The exposure of a child to THC prenatally will decrease their Intelligence Quotient. This problem affects the teens as that is the period that they try to accomplish things by themselves. Most of the dangers that THC cause to infants are seen during the teen. They become poor planners which make it rather difficult to keep the pace with their other fellows.

The use of marijuana in pregnant women is a cause for concern everywhere and it is advisable that women should stay away from using marijuana not only for their health but also for the life of their offspring. The effects of marijuana that they absorb in their blood during infancy end up affecting them during their entire lives. THC is a dangerous compound and so women should avoid interacting with it to save their children from long-term neurobehavioral anomalies.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She is also dedicated to offer help to addiction patients. She founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center which is home to many people seeking health breakthrough. Call on her now and learn more on how to fight drug addiction.

Long Term of THC on Neurodevelopment of Fetuses

Effects of Heavy Use of Cannabis On the Brain and Body

August 15, 2014

Effects Of Chronic, Heavy Cannabis Use On The Executive Brain Function

What is cannabis?

This is a plant which is commonly known as marijuana and by many other names. Though this plant is sometimes used for medicinal value, it is commonly used for recreational purposes as a depressant. If the drug is taken in large doses it can be an hallucinogen.

What makes cannabis to have effects in the brain?

Heavy Cannabis There is a specific chemical which is found in the cannabis, and which is responsible for the effects that cannabis have in the brain. This chemical is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This chemical varies in quantity in the cannabis depending on factor such as the part of plant that is used, the plant variety, and the condition under which the plant was grown. This is what makes cannabis from different geographical areas to be different.

When this chemical enters in the brain, it causes the user to have a ‘high’ feeling. This is because the chemical (THC) enter the brain reward system and activates it. This occurs by stimulating the brain cells to release another chemical known as dopamine.

How does cannabis have medicinal value then?

Cannabis when taken in small doses may cause little or no harm in your body. When it is abused can have an intense negative effect on your body though. For medicinal value of cannabis, small doses are administered due to the properties of the chemical THC which emulates properties which make it have medicinal value. These properties are:-

Cannabis has shown to be effective as an anti-nausea drug.
It has also shown to be effective in the treatment of glaucoma, which is a very serious eye condition.
It has likewise shown to be valuable in stopping loss in weight, improving moods and also easing of pain. This is according to (National Task Force on Cannabis 1994:17)

What are the effects of using cannabis?

Just like we earlier mentioned, when cannabis is abused it can have effects on the user. These effects can be categorized as either short term or long-term effects. There are effects which will be witnessed after a short period of abuse, while there are others which may take quite long before they are witnessed on the cannabis user. In most cases, the short-term effects are the ones considered as effects of cannabis abuse.

The following are the general effects of cannabis abuse:-

Mood fluctuations – the person experiences mood changes occasionally, revolving around relaxed, ‘high’, sleepy, anxious depressed and many other mood forms.
Impaired memory and attention – the person faced difficulty in remembering as well as paying attention.
Stronger sensory experience
Increased heart beat rate may result
The person may be faced with dizziness and nausea
Cannabis abuse has been associated with abnormal hunger.
May cause dilated pupils and blood-shot eyes.
Other effects of cannabis abuse worthy mentioning are confusion, anxiety, hallucination, delusion, agitation and sometimes paranoia. In the long run, apart from these short term effects of cannabis, it may lead to smoking related cancers. This is in the most cases the respiratory system cancer. It may also lead to permanent memory loss and difficulty in learning.

What effects can cannabis abuse have on employees?

The effects of cannabis in employees may make the workplace an abyss. In any given workplace, teamwork is key, but how the employees relate determines whether teamwork will ever exist in a given firm. The usage of cannabis by either the employees or the CEO affects the workplace in the following ways:-

Poor interpersonal relations – the employees will not relate well, since the cannabis effect of ‘highness’ cause disrespect. The cannabis user rarely relates well with the other employees and hardly respects the authority.
Poor/ low output – the output of the employees who use cannabis decline. This is as a result of impairment in memory and retention of instruction. For instance, a person may forget how a given machine is normally operated, though he/she has been working with it before.
Activities such as meetings and time bound tasks will be negatively affected. This is especially the case with the person whose memory has been affected and cannot remember scheduled events like meetings.

Heavy Cannabis

Accident proneness – the employee who uses cannabis will be at a high risk of causing accident especially if he/she is working by use of machines which can cause accidents. For instance, if an employee was using an electrically powered machine, a small mistake may lead to shock or even loss of one’s live.
The levels of error are high- this can be a serious problem especially with doctors, where a small error may cost life of a patient. If a doctor is using cannabis, errors such as wrong prescription of drugs, inappropriate operation, misinterpretation of results etc. may occur, causing damage or loss of live of the patient. Imagine of a surgeon who is to do a surgery but he/she is in cannabis ‘highness!’ actually a serious damage may occur, since the surgeon cannot be keen with details.
Relationship with clients will be negatively affected. A cannabis user cannot maintain good relationship with the clients since his/her attention may be impaired. This causes clients/ customer decline in numbers over time and hence losses to the firm.

If you need help with cannabis addiction or know of a friend suffering from this addiction, call in live or email us and we will help you get trusted treatment and advice. We are true professionals with proven track records and are very reliable in treatment.

Effects Of Chronic, Heavy Cannabis Use On The Executive Brain Function

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