Is Marijuana Good or Bad for the Brain?
By Katy Henkels
Do people smoke or consume marijuana to be rebels because it’s illegal in the state of Minnesota, or do they smoke it just for fun? With medical marijuana being legalized in many states, people believe that it is okay to smoke or consume marijuana in Minnesota, even though it remains illegal recreationally. The states that have legalized recreational marijuana have provided that people abuse the drug a lot. They use the drug because it is legal and they don’t need to hide the fact that they do use it. They may be aware of side effects that happen while they use the drug but may not be aware of the overall effects of the drug on the brain. The Black Market became a very important system since recreational marijuana has been legalized, which seems to make the usage go up in states where recreational marijuana isn’t legalized. This could cause more major problems around the United States. Some of the states that haven’t legalized marijuana seem to have more recreational use than states than have legalized recreational marijuana use (CBS, n.d.).
People seem to use marijuana because of the effects they feel during it, such as reduced anxiety. They may also like the relief of pain and relaxation that goes with it as well. Knowing that people smoke marijuana just for wanting to get a “high” is a problem for the person smoking, and the society surrounding him/her. Smoking marijuana comes with benefits, but also comes with side effects that alter the brain in numerous ways.
Marijuana is said to be a “Gateway Drug,” meaning that it leads to use of harder drugs and there are multiple opinions on if it is or isn’t. People who believe that it is a “Gateway Drug” are the ones who start using marijuana earlier in their life, showing that they are more likely to become addicted to harder drugs such as heroin or cocaine later on. There is also a study showing that people who have started using marijuana earlier are 3 times more likely to use heroin than any other drug. However, people who start using the drug later in life tend to not become addicted to any other drug (NIH, 2018).
The positives could be a good way to deal with anxiety, and anyone who struggles with anxiety may desire to use marijuana as a relief for their symptoms. Marijuana can also slow down the effects of Alzheimer’s. It does so by slowing down the formation of amyloid plaques and blocking the enzyme that makes them (Gratton, 2018). Marijuana is also known to treat epileptic seizures. People with epilepsy who have tried marijuana show that symptoms aren’t as bad as they usually are after use (Gratton, 2018).
There may be some benefits, but the negative components seem to outweigh some of the positives. Although marijuana can be a good way to deal with anxiety, it might also make you feel worse due to strong side effects (Village, n.d.). Hallucinations and paranoia are a negative symptom that comes with smoking marijuana and could actually make your anxiety worse. Marijuana can become very addictive even though people believe that it doesn’t. In fact, 30% of marijuana users end up getting an addiction called Marijuana Use Disorder. This usually happens when a person uses marijuana too early in their life, which may start in middle school or high school (NIH, 2018).
There are various short-term and long-term effects on the brain. A few of the short-term effects include impaired memory, delusions, and difficulty thinking and problem solving. These effects are what give the brain a “high” feeling. Long-term effects include a decline in general knowledge, slower reaction times, and verbal ability decreases (NIDA, 2018). There are also other long-term effects being considered, such as a smaller hippocampus and fewer neural fibers, but they both remain uncertain to scientists (Rettner, 2014).
Using marijuana is something to look into before using for safety of your own brain health, the side effects of it, and the trouble that it is possible to get into if you are caught with marijuana. The acceptable time to use marijuana in Minnesota is for health purposes. Trying to be a rebel and making yourself think you are cool because you have smoked or consumed marijuana is not a good reason to use it. Marijuana use is something that needs to be thought about for your own health in the long run because it could come back to bite you and that isn’t something a person wants for themselves. So, prior to using marijuana, consider the short-term effects and the long-term effects of using and abusing recreational marijuana?
References
CBS. (n.d.). 17 stoner states: where’s marijuana use highest?
Gratton, S. (2018, December 6). The positives and negatives: how marijuana affects your brain and body. Retrieved from Fit Yourself Club.
NIDA. (2018, June). Marijuana. Retrieved from Drug Abuse.
Rettner, R. (2014, June 4). How marijuana affects health. Retrieved from Live Science.
Village, R. (n.d.). Marijuana and anxiety: does marijuana help anxiety or cause it? Retrieved from The Recovery Village.