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WHAT IS WEED?

Marijuana also called weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and a vast number of other slang terms,is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa. Some people smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints; in pipes, water pipes (bongs), or in blunts (cigar wraps form).

Humans have used marijuana for hundreds of years for fiber (hemp), seed oils, seed, medical treatment, and recreationally. There is some evidence that marijuana or some of its components ,such as CBD may be useful for relieving severe pain, inflammation, nausea, and chronic conditions. However, CBD is just one of at least 120 substances (cannabinoids) found in marijuana. People have many health concerns about the use of the drug.

Another primary component of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the key mind-altering (psychoactive) substance in marijuana. It acts on specific brain receptors, causing possible mood changes, depression, suicidal thinking, memory issues, and disruption to normal learning abilities. The compound is also known to stimulate appetite (informally known as "the munchies") and induce a relaxed state, as well as other effects on sense of smell, hearing, and eyesight. In some people, THC may reduce aggression. (Debra Rose Wilson, 1 st Aug 2018)

To quote Tia Ghose from article entitled Fact about Cannabis, The amount of THC in marijuana has grown over the past few decades. In the early 1990s, the average THC content in marijuana was about 3.74 percent in the early 1990s and in 2013 it was almost 10 percent, according to NIDA.

Lastly, medical marijuana is not subject to governmental standardization, making its ingredients and potency unknown. By the 1930s, marijuana was banned in 24 states. In the 1950s, the Narcotics Control Act and the Boggs Act stiffened penalties for marijuana possession, with first-time offenses requiring two to 10 year sentences and a minimum $20,000 fine, according to PBS.org. However, numerous states have decriminalized or legalized marijuana.

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Marijuana also known as cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug. The adverse health effect make marijuana a dangerous drug to a lot of people.

Based on the article entitled “Disadvantages of Marijuana” by Nora D. Volkow, marijuana plays a role as a gateway drug as it leads the user on to more dangerous drug. The author mention that “ THC change how to brain responds to other drugs. Besides, marijuana lead to mental illness such as hallucinations and paranoia. The author says that “…regular marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression.”

Futhermore, according to the second article,“The health effect of Marijuana ” by Buddy.T, smoking marijuana can cause lung effects such as heavy coughing and lung illness. The author mention that, “ marijuana smokers can experience the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers do.”  Moreover, marijuana affect your bones. Heavy marijuana users could have a greater risk of osteoporosis in later life. “heavy users of marijuana lower body weight and a reduced body mass index (BMI),which would contribute to loss of bone density.” by Buddy.T.

Marijuana use can lead to addiction.Based on the last article entitled “What 20 years of research has taught us about the chronic effect of marijuna” by Alice G.Walton mention that “approximately between 9 and 30% of those who experiment with marijuana will become addicted…”. In addition , marijuana affects the brain and when it is used heavily by young people, it effects on thinking and memory. The author mention that, “ …marijuana may change brain structure and function”

Marijuana leads to many adverse effect in our health. We are in charge in our future, so take responsibility for knowing how marijuana can impact our health.

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Marijuana is a psychoactive drug from the Marijuana plant which is used for medical or recreational purposes. Medical marijuana refers to the physician-recommended use of marijuana, which takes place in many countries. However, in Malaysia, the usage of marijuana is strictly prohibited .A person who has committed this illegal action in Malaysia ,he or she may be subjected by death penalty without any consideration or excuses.
Although there are numerous claims that marijuana has only disadvantages by giving negative impacts to the mankind, in fact there are the advantages can be found in marijuana specifically in medical field.Marijuana can be used to treat numerous diseases especially Alzheimer’s disease.This cannabinoids in marijuana has extraordinary psychoactive effect which induced the removal of toxic plaque within the human brain and thus slower down the progression of disease. (Kevin Loria,2018)
Moreover, marijuana which contain cannabinoids named CBD and THC are the sources of medicines that can be used to treat muscle control problems and relieve pain (painkiller).However there are lacking of scientific proves which lead to disapproval of marijuana to be used in medical field by FDA. Thus, the scientists and chemists are often conducting clinical trials and researches in order to legalize the marijuana to be used as medicine.
(Powell D. Pacula RL., Jacobson M.,2018)
Lastly, marijuana can be used to treat cancer disease by reducing the growth of tumour by triggering the production of cannabinoids. The cannabinoids which synthesised from marijuana have anti-cancer effect and it often used in the form of CBD oil.The CBD oil is used as painkiller by relieving pain from cancer patients especially during chemotherapy. (Ty Bollinger,2018)
In a nutshell, there are advantages can be obtained by using the marijuana as medicine.In order to legalize the usage of marijuana in medical field, clinical trials and scientific reports should be carried out frequently by scientists and chemists.

Written By : Ng Jia Qian (JQ) (A170822) , Faculty Of Science and Technology, The National University of Malaysia (UKM), Dec 2018.

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The issues on legalization of marijuana is a trend, controversial and the landscape is changing fast. It is interesting because the legalization of it will bring huge impacts to people and the country itself. Based on the three articles, the information that had been synthesized are reasons on why marijuana should be and should not be legalized.

Based on the first article entitled “Legalization of Marijuana” by Lydia Maria Weber, the use of medical marijuana is essential. Patients need options for relief of debilitating or refractory pain-either physical or mental. Failure to legalize marijuana for medical purposes is outdated.  Besides, prohibition of marijuana diverting money away from the country. Legalizing marijuana would allow proper taxation and a market-place for creative enterprise. In addition, marijuana smoke consists of multiple chemical and carcinogens. It contributes to more direct and toxic effect on lungs than cigarette smoke.

Based on the second article entitled “Marijuana Should Be Legalized” by Luke Crocker, marijuana may pose risks to users across the life span. For example, pregnant women who ingest or inhale marijuana may jeopardize the development of their fetus’s brain and the risk of poor learning and attention deficits increased. The widespread availability of marijuana in high schools exposes adolescents to the deleterious cognitive effect of THC.

Based on the third article entitled “Marijuana Legalization: Big Changes Across The Country” by Sam Mendez, more entities were allowed to apply to become producers and distributors of cannabis for research purpose. Unfortunately, the process to get a license to research marijuana is very difficult.

In conclusion, marijuana can be considered to be legalized but with controlled usage and doses.

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The main active chemical in marijuana is THC.THC in marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days or more after a smoking session. In heavy chronic users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using marijuana.

Positive effects of marijuana are seen in medical uses and commonly used for medical benefit. Positive effects of marijuana have led to its testing and produce approved and investigational products and use in a variety of medical conditions.Both dronabinol and nabilone are approved to treat patients who have nausea and vomiting, particularly patients who do not respond to other treatments. Dronabinol (Marinol and Syndros) is also approved to treat anorexia (loss of appetite) associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS. Sativex use in treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Epidiolex (cannabidiol or CBD), is for the treatment for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome(epilepsy).

Harmful effects of weed are seen when tolerance develops and marijuana is abused. Once a user becomes tolerant to effects of a drug, they tend to increase their dosage, increasing the negative effects of weed.The negative effects of weed include dry mouth, dry eyes, increase heart rate. It has the effect on the brain result in cognitive impairment that cause difficulty in thinking, concentrating, memory and problem solving.Marijuana also may affect mental health. Furthermore, it also has the effect on lung that increase the risk of lung cancer.

In January 2018, the Obama-era Cole Memo, a guidance document that blocked the Department of Justice (DOJ) from using federal money to prosecute medical marijuana in states where it's legal, was set to expire. On January 4, 2018, the DOJ rescinded this document.In order to qualify for legal medical marijuana, patients must have a diagnosed condition that is on their state’s list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions, and receive a recommendation from their doctor. Although the conditions vary from state-to-state, top medical conditions for which patients might use medical marijuana include cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, seizures, severe pain, severe nausea.

Ontario’s new rules enacted now that recreational cannabis has been made legal by the federal government. They must be 19 and older to buy, use, possess and grow recreational cannabis. The places that can smoke and vape cannabis are private residences, many outdoor public places (e.g. sidewalks, parks), residential vehicles and boats, and provincially-funded supportive housing.The place that cannot smoke or vape cannabis are indoor common areas in condos, apartment buildings and university/college residences,enclosed public places and work places,school and place children gather,hospitals,vehicle or boat that is being driven. Medical cannabis is subject to different rules than recreational cannabis.The only way to purchase medical cannabis is from a federally licensed producer online,by written order and over the phone and delivered by secure mail.