Marijuana Legalization Essay

Submitted By sydney4645
Words: 364
Pages: 2

Marijuana

Marijuana is a mixture of the dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the Cannabis sativa plant. Marijuana can be smoked, or mixed into food or drink. It is the most commonly used illicit drug, with the active ingredient, THC, responsible for many side effects. The most common side effects from marijuana are a euphoric feeling, relaxation, and a heightened sensory perception. These feelings can often subside into sleepiness, depression, anxiety, and fear. Marijuana is similar to legal substances such as alcohol, as many people use it as a form of relaxation. It it common to smell the noticeable scent of marijuana at concerts and parties. Unlike alcohol though, it is illegal to posses with out a medical marijuana card. Alcohol is widely available on almost every street corner. Alcohol overdose has also led to many deaths, while a marijuana overdose has never been linked to death. Since marijuana is a plant based drug, many people consider it to be natural. Many other illegal substances like meth are manufactured by people and include many toxic materials. While other substances can be added to marijuana, it is most commonly used just as it is grown. Like other illegal substances, marijuana is also illegal for it’s mind altering effects. THC disrupts coordination, balance, and reaction time in the brain. According to the Surgeon General, there are many more known negative side effects from marijuana use, including memory impairments and slowness of learning, impaired lung function, decreased sperm count, interference