Neutral Report on Weed

[grassisfree]

I wrote this report with the help of a ton of pro-cannabis and anti-cannabis sources I consider it to be a neutral source including both positives and negatives.


Cannabis
Who uses it?
Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in Western society. Nine to Twelve million Americans are thought to be daily users
How long has it been used?
The hemp (Cannabis sativa) plant has been recognized as having great utility for thousands of years. It is included in a compendium of medicines complied for the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung (circa 2727 BC).
How long has it been used in America?
Cultivation began in America at the Jamestown, Virginia settlement. Not long after 1611, money, charts, maps, and canvasses for oil paintings used hemp fiber. George Washington grew the plant at his Mount Vernon home; it has been suggested, after careful study of his diaries that the first president separated the potent female plants for his personal medicinal use
What was the first American law pertaining to cannabis?
The first American law pertaining to cannabis was passed by the Virginia Assembly in 1619; it required every farmer to grow it. Hemp was a valuable commodity as well as a strategic necessity. Its fibers were used to make sails and riggings. Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland allowed hemp to be exchanged as legal tender
What did the first Americans use it for?
By the end of the nineteenth century, cannabis preparations were used to treat coughing, fatigue, rheumatism, asthma, delirium tremors (DTs from alcohol withdraw), migraines, and painful menstruation
Why was it restricted in America?
-Mexican immigration after 1910 led to a reaction both against the immigrants and the marijuana they smoked. Police officers in Texas claimed that marijuana aroused violent crimes, a lust for blood, and gave its users superhuman strength.
-In 1914, El Paso, Texas enacted what may have been the first U.S. ordinance banning the sale or possession of marijuana.
-By 1931, twenty-nine states had outlawed cannabis. These efforts were enhanced by headlines of the day, for example: "Deadly Marijuana Dope Plant Ready for Harvest that Means Enslavement of California Children." Harry S. Anslinger, in public appearances and radio broadcasts asserted that the use of this evil weed led to killings, sex crimes, and insanity. He wrote a magazine article entitled "Marijuana: Assassin of Youth."
-In 1937 Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act effectively criminalizing the possession of marijuana throughout the U.S.
-The AMA initially protested the loss of a therapeutic agent but soon fell into line
-In 1944, when the New York Academy of Medicine, after years of research, reported that marijuana did not cause violent behavior, provoke insanity, lead to addiction, or lead to opiate use, Anslinger denounced the authors as dangerous and strange. It was not until 1970 that the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act finally differentiated marijuana from other "narcotics" and reduced federal penalties for possession of small amounts.
-Then came the Reagan years. The Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, and the Anti-Drug Abuse Amendment Act of 1988 raised federal penalties for marijuana possession once again
-Marijuana (cannabis) is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance.
About the Plant
-All marijuana preparations derive from the cannabis plant
-The cannabis plant is dioecious
- The male (staminate) plant and the female (pistillate) plant have essentially equivalent psychoactive potency. Traditionally, however, the resin-covered flowering tops of the female plant are considered more desirable.
-The younger, topmost leaves have the highest drug content
-the stalk, roots, and seeds are virtually drug-free
-THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the most psychoactive chemical in the cannabis plant, is found in the plant's resin.
-The resin is most concentrated in the flowers.
-When the plant is harvested at the peak floral stage, the psychoactive effect is described as clear or clean; the associated high has relatively little sedative effect.
-When cultivators allow the plants to mature past the peak floral stage, the marijuana produced has a heavier, more sedative effect. This has been described as the difference between being high and being stoned
Grades
-(SWAG)Low-grade marijuana (one percent or less THC)
-Low-grade marijuana is made from all the leaves of both sexes of the plant.
-(Mids)Medium-grade marijuana (2 to 5 percent THC),
-Medium-grade marijuana is made from the dried flowering tops of female cannabis plants raised with and fertilized by male plants
-(Kb)High-grade marijuana - sinsemilla (4 to 11 percent THC),
-Sinsemilla is made from the flowering tops of female plants raised in isolation from male plants.
-Hashish (7 to 14 percent THC),
Hashish is produced when the resin of the cannabis plant is separated from the plant material.
-Hash oil (up to 50 percent THC)
Hash oil is produced by boiling the plant in alcohol and filtering out the solids

Plant types
=It is the traditional view that all cannabis plants are members of the genus Cannabis sativa. Botanists have argued that sativa is but one species of the genus and that there are two others -- Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis
-Cannabis sativa , is a tall plant, generally between 8 and 12 feet. The leaves have long thin fingers and are light green. The more equatorial varieties have more yellow pigments to protect the plant from intense light. Sativa buds are long and thin and turn red as they mature in a warm environment. In cooler environments the buds may be slightly purple. Sativa plants smell sweet and fruity and the smoke is generally quite mild. It is a source of fiber for rope and other products and it contains THC which gives smokers the psychic effects they seek. The leaves of this plant are smoked but the most highly prized part of the plant is the top.
-Cannabis indica, is plentiful in the Mideast, India, and Central Asia especially Afghanistan, Kashmire, and Pakistan. It is a short plant, generally between 3 and 6 feet, and its leaves have short broad fingers. The leaves are generally dark green sometimes tinged with purple. As they near maturity, the leaves may become significantly more purple. It is a strong smelling plant with a "stinky" or "skunky" smell. The smoke of indicas is generally thick and more prone to cause coughing when inhaled. Indicas are the traditional source of hashish.
-Cannabis ruderalis is a debated third variety of cannabis found in Russia, Poland, and other eastern European countries. Schultes classified cannabis as having three species: sativa, indica, and ruderalis based on the formation of the seed pods. There is some debate as to whether there is justification for this third category. Some features of ruderalis are large seeds, short weedy plants (4-6 feet tall) and a lower level of THC than sativas or indicas.
Pharmacology
How its used?
-Marijuana is generally smoked although it can be ingested. After smoking, effects begin within 30 to 60 minutes and last 5 to 12 hours
-Effects begin after oral ingestion within 30 to 120 minutes. Eating THC produces a more variable plasma level than smoking. The amount of drug absorbed is about one-third of that which would be absorbed by smoking
-Fatal overdoses due to marijuana alone have not been reported

Brain
-Recently, researchers have discovered a cannabinoid receptor in the brain.
-The brain has its own compound - anadamide - which binds with cannabinoid receptors.
-Another compound called 2-AG also activates the THC receptors in the brain
-The hippocampus of the brain has a very high concentration of cannabinoid receptors
-Marijuana alters perceptions and heightens sensory awareness like hallucinogens. However, in contrast to hallucinogens, marijuana is generally smoked; its consciousness-altering properties are less profound; and it is sedating, rather than activating
-Chemists have been able to isolate and characterize the chemical structure of more than 20 compounds peculiar to Cannabis sativa. These compounds are referred to collectively as the cannabinoids. Two of the cannabinoids exhibit psychoactive activity; several exhibit sedative or antimicrobial activity, and remainder are biologically inert.
Body
-THC (the most prevalent psychoactive compound in cannabis) is highly lipid soluble and quickly passes from the blood to the brain and other lipid-rich tissues. It is metabolized in the liver. However, the liver is not able to metabolize the THC in the body very quickly; the unmetabolized THC binds to the fat cells in the body. Between periods of active marijuana use, the fat-bound THC is slowly released back into the blood
-THC is estimated to have a half-life of five days; it diffuses widely throughout the human body and remains there for quite some time. An occasional user may fail a urine test (test positive) three days after smoking a single joint. A heavy user may test positive after abstaining from marijuana for more than a month
Positive Effects
-Many people do not get high the first few times they use marijuana. It appears that the user has to learn how to perceive the high that the drug provides
-The effects of marijuana vary according to expectation and setting. Psychoactive effects are variable and dependent on the personality of the user
-In general, smoking marijuana first relaxes and then elevates mood. These effects are followed, after about a half hour, by drowsiness and sedation
-For some individuals, this is experienced as stimulation followed by relaxation and tranquility
-Many marijuana users report an altered sense of time and a feeling of being on the threshold of a significant personal insight that they are unable to put into words
-The user feels intoxicated but typically reports that the feelings of intoxication can be voluntarily suppressed far more easily than can the equivalent effect produced by alcohol
-Some users say cannabis extends sensory range and influences them to do a double-take on reality. Cannabis was described by Terence McKenna as having a mitigating effect on competition; it causes people to question authority and reinforces the relativity regarding the importance of social values.
-Users report that cannabis causes feelings of uninhibitedness, dreaminess, and heightened awareness of sound, color, and textures.
-Heightened Perception/Appreciation of Music is common
-Profound thoughts may come about easily
-When users relax physically there will be a sense of exquisite lightness and airiness.
-Most users report mentally there will be a wonderfully keen perception of the ludicrous in life.
-Higher doses can lead to a paralysis of the imagination and a reluctance to move at all
-When cannabis is eaten rather than smoked, there will be a high that is more often described as a body experience; there will more sub-LSD hallucinations -- with objects swelling and shrinking
Medical
-cannabis can relieve nausea especially associated with chemotherapy
-Prevent blindness induced by glaucoma
-serve as an appetite stimulant especially for AIDS patients
-act as an anti-epileptic
-ward off asthma attacks
-help control the pain of migraine headaches
-control chronic pain
-reduce muscle spasticity that accompanies multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and paraplegia
*Dronabinol, a synthetic form of delta-9-THC, has been available for years

Negative Effects
Short Term
-The most common acute, adverse effect of marijuana is anxiety
-Panic attacks, they are usually brief and never persist beyond the period of intoxication
Short Term (High Dose especially when taken Orally)
-cannabinoids have psychoactive effects that can be similar to those of hallucinogens
-mild to severe anxiety
-paranoid ideation
-delusions and hallucinations
-Episodes of depersonalization and derealization have been reported
*** The most serious acute reaction when attempting high doses of cannabis is toxic psychosis, also called acute brain syndrome, it has been described as much like the delirium of a high fever (no fever in cannabis users) in which the patient is disoriented, confused, troubled by visual and auditory hallucinations, and experiences feelings of depersonalization and derealization. Toxic psychoses are self-limited and end when the THC is metabolized
Brain
-Prefrontal Cortex
-Impulsive Behavior with out reguard of long term consequences
-Cerebral Cortex
-Paranoia
-Slow movements
-Limbic System
-Short attention span
-Lack of Motivation
-Hypothamlamus
-Increased appetite
-Sleep disturbances
-Increased sweating
-Cerebellum
-Decreased Fine-motor skills
-Decreased balance and coordination
Long Term (Smoking Only)
-Heavy marijuana use increases the heart rate and affects the lungs in a way that is similar to that of cigarette smoking, can easily be avoided by purchasing potent marijuana, there for less has to be smoked. Additionally vaporizers do not produce smoke.
Long Term
-Addiction
-Heavy use can precipitate or exacerbate latent or existing physiological disorders (Risk increases with heavy or frequent use)

Brain
-Cerebral Cortex
-Dulled Senses




Addiction
-Dependence is characterized by compulsive use that is continued despite knowledge of physical problems or psychological problems associated with that use. Cannabis abuse refers to difficulties with performance at work or school, legal or marital problems associated with cannabis use.
-Self-Medication is when users use in attempt to cover up physiological problems, common self-mediators are people living with OCD or anxiety, although it was once thought that depression was covered up by cannabis it is now known that Psychedelics, being mental amplifiers will precipitate or exacerbate depression
-Some researchers have reported an "amotivational syndrome" from chronic marijuana use marked by apathy, dullness, diminished goal-directed activities, impaired concentration and deterioration in personal appearance (Frances, 1998). Tyler (1995) suggests that amotivational syndrome be referred to as chronic cannabis intoxication. Chronic cannabis intoxication is described similarly to amotivational syndrome; these individuals tend to "live in a fog;" lethargy sets in; they become dull and ponderous in conversation, with thoughts trailing away mid-stream. Chronic cannabis intoxication takes weeks to clear after the drug is discontinued.
Withdrawal
-Cannabis is not physically addicting, meaning that their does not have to be a certain level of THC in the blood stream
-A mild withdrawal syndrome occurs after cessation of high-dose, chronic THC use. It is characterized by 4 to 5 days of irritability, restlessness, nervousness, decreased appetite, weight loss, and insomnia
-For detoxification their is nothing needed other than support and reassurance

Tolerance
-Significant tolerance develops to the physiological effects of THC
-Tolerance to the psychoactive subjective effects is variable
-Smoking three times a week is enough to begin to build tolerance




Bibliography

ARF (Addiction Research Foundation). http://www.arf.org

"Cannabis Vault." The Vaults of Erowid. http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis.shtml

Drug Enforcement Agency. http://www.usdoj.gov/deal

"Drug Module: Marijuana/Cannabis." Resources for Co-occurring Addiction and Personality Disorders. 23 Dec. 2000. http://www.toad.net/~arcturus/dd/ddhome.htm.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (1994). Washington, D.C.: The American Psychiatric Association.

Kuhn, Cynthia, Ph.D., Swartzwelder, Scott, Ph.D., and Wilson, Wilkie, Ph.D. (1998). Buzzed, The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

NCADI. http://www.health.org/catalog/index.htm

NIAAA. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov

NIDA. http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDATOC.html

Schlosser, Eric (September, 1994). "Marijuana and the Law," The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 274, Number 3.

Tyler, Andrew (1995). Street Drugs. The Facts Explained. The Myths Exploded. London, England: Hodder & Stoughton.

[bumtildeath]

finally a report, unbiased, good job +rep


clean it up a bit though
some of your facts ive seen elsewhere to be untrue.
other than that, good job

example: "Marijuana use increases the heart rate and affects the lungs in a way that is similar to that of cigarette smoking"
they have never found that to be true
nor:"-Lack of Motivation
-Depression and/or withdrawal; can lead to suicide
-Teens who use cannabis heavily have a three times greater chance of thinking about suicide or death"
they found that to be only true in CERTAIN teens, with certain brain chemistry and since its in such a small amount they couldnt count it as being true.

[WookiesAreCool]

i like it
but nothing is neutral
but yah thats ill... like Bum said, just clean it up and shit and it will be a great source...

[told]

i propose you clean it, and paste that shit on a nice resin covered thread.

[Hazed]

Long Term
-Addiction
--Heavy users of marijuana at age 18 increased their risk of schizophrenia later in life by six times.


wtf?

[just_a_girl]

Originally Posted by Hazed

Long Term
-Addiction
--Heavy users of marijuana at age 18 increased their risk of schizophrenia later in life by six times.


wtf?

that's true, but only if you have a prediction to schizphrenia

and i would like to add to the CB receptors .. they're called CB1 and CB2 .. the CB1 receptor is in the brain - hippocampus (short-term memory), cerebellum (coordination), substantia nigra in basal ganglia. CB2 receptors are situated in cells of imunite system. cannabis in the brain blocks or copys the activity of neurotransmitters (they enable communication between neurons) - so when you're high, your brain creates connections between neurons that otherwise woudln't exist

[Terpsichore]

Originally Posted by just_a_girl

that's true, but only if you have a prediction to schizphrenia

Not to dog you, cause you know I ya, but I think you mean predisposition.

The report was good... Like the others have said, do some final editing and you'll be fine... good job. + Rep.

~ Terpsichore

[just_a_girl]

no it's ok, i was looking up the word in the dictionary (cause english isn't my native language) .. perhaps i took the wrong one, so thanks for correcting me .. ya too

[streetpharmacy]

the only person who is ever gonna get skitzo from weed would be charlie mansons son look at his pic his eyes sum it all up hes that one serial killer cult hippie dude

[grassisfree]

i cleaned it up a bit i took out all the biased skito and suicide, all my sources including erowid said heavy use can precipitate or exacerbate latent or existing mental disorders but only if u have them or are going to have them, i re-read the loss of motivation and found it not to persist beyond the period of intoxication, also in my friends and my experiences we never really lost motivation except while stoned thanks for the suggestions feel free to add more

[Cornflake]

Cultivation began in America at the Jamestown, Virginia settlement

That's cool, I always knew that was where the jimson weed incident happened but I never knew the first place it was grown in the states.

Bang up job on the report

[Liquidtruth]

Uh... No addiction, unless you want to be addicted. Seriously, weed is not cigarettes. As for those who use weed having an increased risk of schizophrenia... I highly doubt that. Based upon knowing many long term users and never actually hearing of such a case.

[grassisfree]

Its a neutral report
-Some people can get addicted to anything
-Weed does not cause schizophrenia if u already have it, you can bring it out more, or if your going to have it when your 25 it can be diagnosed earlier but in no way does bud make a normally mentally stable person schizophrenic.
-My anti-drug sources tried to manipulate the words in such a way it would make it look like weed causes mental illness, it has been proven that any drug can worsen peoples psychological illnesses

[4ction]

yo if you edit it post the edited version again.. it's a good source of info.

also, in Positive effects, you can make it seem more neutral. Instead of "Music will sound magnificent" say "Hightened Perception/Appreciation of Music is common" and instead of "Thoughts will be profound" say "profound thoughts may come about easily" or something around those lines. Basically take out "will be" because i can see an anti-weed guy dismissing the whole paper if it seems like you really advocate the positive effects.

[grassisfree]

I'm not sure what your trying to say??? your saying i should put may before everything like may cause lung problems if smoked improperly, may relax user, user may laugh??