Marijuana Within Today's Society Essay Example

Marijuana within today’s society There has been a long term controversy over the legalization of Marijuana in the United State. Some believe it should be legal in the United States because it could “create a source of additional tax revenues and police and courts would be freed up for more serious crimes”. Others believe it should be an illegal drug because of its health risks. Marijuana should remain illegal in the United States as a schedule I controlled substance due to the many physical and psychological effects it has on it’s users as well as the harmful effects it has on today’s society.

Marijuana acts on the brains reward system which governs the response to pleasurable things. Users of marijuana seek the euphoric feeling or “high” caused by the drug. THC enters the body and creates the high the marijuana user seeks by stimulating brain cells to release dopamine, which is a chemical found in the brain. Marijuana has many effects on the body, both short and long, though there is limited research on the long lasting effects of marijuana use.

The acute effects present during intoxication may include but are not limited to impairments to the short memory, attention, judgment, coordination, balance and other cognitive functions. Smoking marijuana may also distort the user’s depth perception. The heart rate of a person during their intoxication increases as well as their blood pressure. Just seconds after inhaling marijuana smoke the persons bronchial passages enlarge and relax. Blood vessels in the eye expand which commonly makes the user’s eyes look red or bloodshot. Users begin to feel relaxed, have heightened sensory perception, and altered perception of time. A User may laugh and have an increase in appetite after smoking marijuana.

Large doses of marijuana sometimes lead to acute psychosis including hallucinations, delusions or a loss of sense of personal identity. Some users may have psychotic episodes such as anxiety,