Smoking cannabis can have many different effects on the body. These effects run the scale from good to bad, but there are many more on the good side for this plant. Many other substances may give more potent highs than marijuana does, but the negative side effects caused by them are downright awful. Now don’t get me wrong, over a long time of abuse, marijuana can lead to some negative side effects too like lung disease and heart problems. The thing is that these side effects occur at a much slower rate than one would experience if using a harder drug. No matter what the substance one is using, it should be used in moderation so as not to form bad habits. If you enjoy your marijuana only every now and then, you can still live a long and healthy life.
The Problems with Marijuana
Just like any other substance, the long term use of cannabis can have adverse effects on the body. The most obvious of these effects are problems with the respiratory system. As you may already know, smoking is not a healthy habit to get into as it damages the lungs. Though smoking tobacco can accelerate these effects further, smoking marijuana can have much the same effects on one’s body in the long run. Coughing and the production of phlegm are some of the first signs one can see with marijuana abuse. Past that, there are all kinds of lung diseases that could be caused like emphysema. Apart from the lungs, weed can have other adverse effects on the body as well.
Marijuana has also been linked to problems with the heart as the drug can cause rapid heart beat and heart palpitations. One study suggested that users were much more likely to have a heart attack within the first hour after they smoked. Even apart from these problems with the heart, marijuana can still cause other side effects that most would prefer to avoid. The first of these is short term memory loss and this is also the most well known of the side effects of marijuana. Smoking cannabis can also cause loss of motor skills and slower reaction times in any situation throughout the day. Some marijuana users also drive while intoxicated which is not only illegal, but also dangerous to the community as a whole.
The Good Side
With all of these negative side effects, one would think they would have to be crazy to try this plant! But apart from all of these things, marijuana does indeed have a positive side that makes it worth smoking. Marijuana provides a very euphoric high that ranges from the couch lock of indicas to the silly head high of sativas. The drug is thought of as a downer while most dangerous drugs are considered uppers. Dependency is not really a factor with cannabis and neither is overdose or death. In fact, the user would easily pass out from being so high before they could smoke a lethal dose: about eight hundred joints. With so many problems being discovered with other drugs these days, it is no wonder that many people stick with marijuana. When used in moderation, cannabis is a relatively harmless plant that can still get you your buzz at the end of the day.
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