Positive And Negative Effects Of Marijuana Research Paper

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To start, marijuana has several negative mental and physical health effects. It can impair your memory, concentration, and learning, which will affect how you do everyday activities, and how well you perform them. Marijuana will also increase your risk for schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. These mental disorders are very serious and will prevent people from being able to live their lives freely. Marijuana is carcinogenic as well, which means that it will cause cancer. Cancer is a treacherous disease that can cut your life short. Also, marijuana can cause chronic cough and bronchitis, which are respiratory illnesses that can make your life uncomfortable and complicated.

Secondly, marijuana is addictive. Many users of marijuana start using it in high school, and 1 in 6 users of marijuana who start in their teens will develop an addiction. Furthermore, people who start using marijuana before the age of 18 are 4 to 7 times more likely to develop an addiction than others who start using marijuana after 18. From just from these stats, you can already tell that marijuana is a drug not to be taken lightly, not to mention 67% of substance abuse treatment admissions for adolescents are for marijuana! These facts truly show just how addictive marijuana can be.
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First of all, continued of marijuana builds up tolerance, and the high will gradually feel less and less potent. Then, they will turn to ‘harder’ drugs in order to receive the same high as before. People are also 85 times more likely to use cocaine if they have used marijuana. In addition, only 13% of cocaine users had not used marijuana, tobacco, or alcohol before cocaine. All of this data is clear evidence that the name marijuana has earned itself as a gateway drug is indeed

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