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| | Cannabis, most know by the name marijuana, is a plant that's both
prohibited and admired in most countries. There's also a big
discussion whether it should be legalized. Current American laws vary
from state to state, but most consider marijuana to be a drug,
classified pretty much the same as other heavier drugs. Thus it's
possession and distribution is outlawed in most states - some will
allow possession of small amounts for personal consumption only. Most
people who use cannabis argue that this is no more of a drug than
simple tobacco, and smoking it is no more of a crime that cigarettes
which are legal and sold everyone over legal age. The Netherlands has
been the first country to make it legal for the above reasons and
also several for medical reasons. It's been clinically proved that medical
marijuana use helps patients get over pain and depression from AIDS
and cancer chemotherapy treatments. Further research also proved that
marijuana stagnates growth of cancer in lab animals.
People have been growing marijuana since ancient times. Its leafs and
seeds were found in the old tombs of Incas and Egyptian pharaohs.
Many tribes in Africa and
Australia still grow it and use it in their celebrations, weddings,
and burials, claiming that smoking marijuana helps them hear the
spirits and talk to the dead. Some tribes still make massive bonfires
burning the leaves of the "dragon grass" as they call it, for over 24
hours, thus exposing all members of the tribe including children to
the smoke with hallucinogens in it. Such bonfires are usually
accompanied by the dancing and all night long celebrations of
important holidays and events in the life of the tribe.
Scientists claim that cannabis is native to central Asia, where
travelers usually got marijuana seeds to bring to other countries.
Many famous songs and paintings were created under the impression of
this drug, which opens the boundaries of imagination and helps release
the mind of the stereotypes and chains of modern society.
Effects in short period:
Effect appears almost immediately after smoking marijuana and reaches peak within 30 minutes and continues from 2 to 4 hours. Effect of orally taken drug continues from 5 to 12 hours.
Large portion of metabolites of cannabinoids is released from organism after 3-4 days. They cannot be identified in blood on the third day and in urine — on eighth day of abstention after single dose. In case of long-term regular abuse, metabolites of cannabinoids can be found in urine upto several weeks.
Physiological effects:
The following are the main physiological developments due to the effect of marijuana on the organism:
* Conjunctivitis of eyeballs (reddening);
* Tachycardia (increase in speed of heartbeats) and as consequence — increase in blood pressure;
* Mouth dryness.
Psychological effects of cannabis (general term for designating psychoactive products of hemp) include euphoria, oneiroid condition, calmness and drowsiness (or sleeplessness, which depends on person to person). This frustration is classified as intoxication by cannabis.
Marijuana increases the sensitivity to external stimulus, allows to remember the details, which passed earlier unnoticed, makes colors brighter and rich and also increases perception of music and arts. Time as if is slowed down and it seems that much is taking place every moment.
Concerning identification of new details, which were unnoticed earlier —is possible, it takes place due to changes in perception of priority system. So, for example, it can appear that, under the influence of marihuana, it is much more pleasant to contemplate natural phenomena rather than activities of people.
Increased sensitivity to the sounds and to everything that takes place around the person, taking hemp, is also often observed. Set of fine details and particulars are given the same importance as in the case of other events.
Inexplicable panic fear ("treason") was sometimes observed. In this case, effect of marijuana does not exclude possibility of sufficient assessment of ambient conditions, which is explained by possible normal behavior of people, who take marijuana in public places.
Some researchers consider that the last effect (episodes of panic fear) is consequence of stimulation of brain sections, responsible for imagination and creativity thus not leaving place for self-control.
Consciousness breakdown is often observed; though feeling the effect of drug, people, smoking marijuana, at the same time, notice that they in changed consciousness condition. Paranoid ideas may arise in them but at the same time, they laugh over these ideas. De-personalization and de-realization can occur. This ability to retain objectivity is explained by many cases, when smokers manage quietly to behave in public places even when they are in strong intoxication condition.
Except for the aggravated attention to ambient details and episodes of fear or fun, intoxication by marijuana is usually characterized by increased raised appetite: usually, person under the influence of marijuana is capable of eating his usual daily (or several) portions of meal in a single go (“Swine”) and experienced smokers usually control their behavior better. In this case, sensitivity of flavor receptors increases and the meal seems to be several times tasty than usually. |
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April 20 is celebrated by marijuana smokers because of iconic 420 numbers in the date. Statistics shows that most Americans have smoked marijuana in various ways. Bill Clinton did not inhale. Don Imus obviously did.
