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.

 

         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 Failure to legalize marijuana for medical purposes is outdated.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.

 

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.