Marijuana Abuse Street Drugs

Cannabis is one of the most abused street drugs in the 21st century; a psychoactive substance which acts to alter the brain function of one. Cannabis, also known as “marijuana”, “hemp”, “weed”, “pot” and “grass” is one of the most illicit drugs used in today’s society (Jung, 2010, p.18). It is voluntarily consumed for social and recreational purposes to alter ones mood and conscious state opposed to being used medical purposes. Routes of administration include smoking, where absorption is much higher in response in comparison to eating, where absorption is much lower in response. This plant was originally found in 2800 BC in Ancient China, who then later introduced it to Europe in the 19th century (Jung, 2010, p.9). In this time loop hemp was
Second hand smoking causes just as much damage as it would to the primary smoker, such as coughing, wheezing, and airway inflammation. Studies show an increase of drivers under the influence of marijuana who have gotten into accidents and sent to trauma centers. (Brookoff). This may be due to the direct link between marijuana and its effects, - mood and behavior alteration. Under the influence of marijuana, individuals may believe they are following the rules and regulations of the road but however, that may not be the case. Furthermore, this also impacts other drivers on the road, as the individual who is under the influence is now driving in an inappropriate manner, others around him/her will have to adjust the way they are driving as well to ensure their own safety. Another negative impact of marijuana is the impact it has on children when mothers smoke marijuana during pregnancy. A study shows that children of mothers who have consumed marijuana during pregnancy were shorter in length and also weighed less upon birth, thus impacting the growth of the fetus (Coggans, 2004). The final societal concern this essay will focus on is the link between the high school dropout rate and marijuana. According to three researchers from Research Triangle Institute there is a 2.3 times higher chance of a high school student deciding to drop out of high school compared to an individual who does not consume marijuana. They further discuss that there has been sociological and psychological research linking marijuana to lower educational success (Bray, 2000). All these factors impact not only on the individual using and/or abusing marijuana but also on the society as a whole, not allowing growth and success, making it evident that marijuana should not be