Short Term Effects Of Marijuana Essay

Marijuana is an illegal drug that comes from varying forms of the plant Cannabis and when smoked or consumed with food it can cause major health issues. Marijuana is used for recreational and medical purposes since it’s main active ingredient ,THC, has the effects of relieving pain and anxiety. It is a major misconception among marijuana users and others that marijuana is a healthier option for a drug over other drugs since it is derived from a plant. This statement is false since marijuana has been linked to many negative short-term and long-term effects similar to other drugs. Recreational marijuana use is becoming steadily popular amongst people of all ages and the popularity of the drug increases as the age of the person increases. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Past-month use of marijuana remained steady among 8th graders at 6.5 percent, among 10th graders at 16.6 percent, and among 12th …show more content…
Some of these short term effects include lessened pain, reduced anxiety, and an initial “up”, which are typically reasons why people use marijuana recreationally. However, some may use marijuana for medical purposes for the effects of reduced nausea, pain, and depression from chemotherapy and increased appetite for AIDS patients. Even though some may use marijuana for the short term benefits, marijuana also comes with some negative short term effects such as poor coordination, lowered reaction time, panic, and depression after the “up”. Another misconception about marijuana is that after a person is done smoking marijuana they are no longer affected by the chemicals. This is a false statement because the chemical THC found in marijuana can be stored inside body fat for as long as 45 days after marijuana has been smoked. This can put people at risk for their health because the THC stored in the fat of some bodily organs can make those organs more susceptible to