Marijuana comes from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa that contains mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related substances. It is the most commonly used drugs in the world and in the United States causing dependency and marijuana addiction.
Today, THC-rich resins extracted from marijuana are gaining popularity among young users. These extracts come in various forms, including honey or hash oil, budder or wax and shatter. The potency of marijuana relies on its more than 60 related psychoactive chemicals known as cannabinoids.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the most abundant active ingredient of the drug determines how powerful the drug is. Consequently, the effects of the drug depend on the following factors: manner of ingestion, potency and quantity.
Eating marijuana-infused foods do not have an instant high effect. Foods with marijuana are slowly absorbed with 30 minutes to 2 hours effect after they were taken. Smoking marijuana produces high intensity as its side effects can be felt in a matter of minutes.
Before users succumbed to marijuana addiction, they first become dependent on the drug. Marijuana addiction produces mental and physical effects, especially if the users have abused drugs for a long period of time.
Marijuana abuse can cause cardiovascular risk as the drug makes the heart beat faster than normal a couple of hours after taking the drugs. It increases chances of stroke and heart attack and may worsen other heart problems that are already present to longtime users.
Taking marijuana causes respiratory problems as the drugs irritate the lungs. Users may become susceptible to lung infections and diseases and are prone to chronic cough.
Marijuana can also affect the user’s mental function and lowers motivation and concentration. Drug abusers with schizophrenia tend to have more symptoms.
After a long duration of use, the user’s drug dependence becomes marijuana addiction. Users tend to crave for more drugs, even for the sake of performing their daily tasks.
Abuse of marijuana is also linked to babies born with lower mental function. Pregnant mothers who abuse drugs have higher possibilities of having babies with behavioral problems later in life.
Marijuana addiction is becoming a worldwide concern as the effects of the drug have been found to be worrisome. In 2013, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) announced that roughly 115 million Americans aged 12 or older had abused the drug in their lives.
In 2006, the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) has recorded a 59 percent increase in hospital emergency admissions related to marijuana. By 2010, marijuana followed cocaine as the most common cause of emergency visits.
Marijuana addiction rehabilitation saw an increase of 14 percent in the years 2006 to 2010. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recorded over 350,000 rehabilitation cases in 2010.