Mary Jane is a family friend. She's been hanging around for years. She has caused all sorts of dissension in our family; in fact, she is not someone I particularly like. She is a downer. She brings everyone around her down. She hangs around with a young man in my family, causing him to do want to do little, other than just hang around with her. Mary Jane is the drug marijuana.
You see, many folks have the wrong assumption that marijuana is harmless. Perhaps to some, it is. However, I believe that to people with addictive personalities, which is rampant in my family, it can indeed cause a physical and psychological dependence. I think it can probably be likened to an alcoholic. Some people can drink without any problem whatsoever; but in some, a switch is turned on that causes someone to go from ordinary drinking to not-able-to-function-in-life drinking. So too, I believe, with marijuana.
I've watched as family ties were broken, things were stolen and sold off, cars were wrecked and personalities changed. The person I'm speaking of was once a cheerful, happy person. He is now morose, sullen, incredibly impatient, filled with grandiose ideas, suffers depression and has little ambition in life.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "A number of studies have linked chronic marijuana use and mental illness. High doses of marijuana can produce a temporary psychotic reaction (involving hallucinations and paranoia) in some users, and using marijuana can worsen the course of illness in patients with schizophrenia. A series of large studies following users across time also showed a link between marijuana use and later development of psychosis. This relationship was influenced by genetic variables as well as the amount of drug used, drug potency, and the age at which it was first taken—those who start young are at increased risk for later problems. Associations have also been found between marijuana use and other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances, including a lack of motivation to engage in typically rewarding activities. More research is still needed to confirm and better understand these linkages" (2014).
He is unable to get a job because he cannot pass a drug test. He attends school until he decides he has enough. He has bad credit at an incredibly young age. He is like a butterfly with a broken wing, unable to fly in a straight trajectory.
Now for some, there will be the argument, "It's only weed. It doesn't hurt you like alcohol." I would beg to differ. I now am seeing posts on Facebook about how marijuana is actually good for the brain. Here's what the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports.
"THC acts on specific molecular targets on brain cells, called cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are ordinarily activated by chemicals similar to THC that naturally occur in the body (such as anandamide) and are part of a neural communication network called the endocannabinoid system. This system plays an important role in normal brain development and function. The highest density of cannabinoid receptors is found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Marijuana overactivates the endocannabinoid system, causing the “high” and other effects that users experience. These effects include altered perceptions and mood, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory. Marijuana also affects brain development, and when it is used heavily by young people, its effects on thinking and memory may last a long time or even be permanent. A recent study of marijuana users who began using in adolescence revealed substantially reduced connectivity among brain areas responsible for learning and memory. And a large long-term study in New Zealand showed that people who began smoking marijuana heavily in their teens lost an average of 8 points in IQ between age 13 and age 38. Importantly, the lost cognitive abilities were not fully restored in those who quit smoking marijuana as adults. Those who started smoking marijuana in adulthood did not show significant IQ declines" (2014).
Think of it this way; our bodies are made up of approximately 60% water but drink too much and you die. So, the argument we have this chemical in our brain and it really doesn't hurt is crazy.
Is it addictive? Indeed it is! I have watched very real withdrawal. I do not believe it is the drug we were led to believe it was in the 60's. In fact, as I hear it, it is much more potent now. What other drug would drive you to go buy incense to smoke because it is a 'legal' marijuana? Here's what the facts are according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
"Contrary to common belief, marijuana is addictive. Estimates from research suggest that about 9 percent of users become addicted to marijuana; this number increases among those who start young (to about 17 percent, or 1 in 6) and among people who use marijuana daily (to 25-50 percent). Long-term marijuana users trying to quit report withdrawal symptoms including irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving, all of which can make it difficult to abstain" (2014).
You might ask, why am I writing an article on marijuana? And why now? Because, I am watching someone I love self-destruct and it is hard to watch. I hope that he can get his life together before it is too late. I know because I have watched a slow decline of a beautiful mind and a happy-go-lucky person. I hope that if you know someone who is smoking weed, you will show them this article. I am also posting the link for the article where I did my research. This is serious stuff. It is not a rite of passage but rather a walk down a slippery slope.
No comments:
Post a Comment