Don't Touch Marijuana: Environmental Effects

Name: Instructor: Institution Affiliation: Date: Don’t touch marijuana Introduction In today’s society, a growing number of people reject what is absolutely right and wrong. Therefore, discussing wrong and right with regards to marijuana raises a lot of emotions and reactions. However, since its inception in ancient China, marijuana was only used for medicinal purposes and not pleasure or entertainment. Hence, it is only morally correct to use marijuana for its initial purposes. Nonetheless, legalization of pot in regions such as Colorado, Washington, and in some countries has already created a hot debate on the impact of the drug in our societies. The adverse effects attached to the use of marijuana range from health factors, environmental damage, and escalating crime rates. Hence, while critics argue that pot is essential in the development of today’s world, I argue that we should not touch marijuana through favorable laws. This is because the effects associated with marijuana consumption in our society are detrimental. Health effects of marijuana Firstly, the use of marijuana may result in a society that is not mentally fit. Marijuana consumption leads to both short term, and long term mental effects. Marijuana has tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a chemical substance that is responsible for many mental problems. According to Volkow (2014), usage of marijuana at an early age leads to mental illness such as psychosis and schizophrenia. Furthermore, the drug causes hallucinations which results to anxiety and a sense of paranoia if taken in large quantities. In addition, marijuana causes memory lapse. For instance, the inability of people to remember something that just happened a few minutes ago. Therefore, marijuana leads to short term memory lapse. More so, Marijuana leads to lack of concentration and panicky feelings. Long-term use of marijuana has negative effects on the brain function which include an inability to learn and massive depression. Secondly, another effect of marijuana on the health of users is the redness of the eyes that occurs immediately after consuming it. THC; a chemical component in marijuana dilates the blood vessels in the eye by reducing the blood pressure. This is because marijuana impacts the dilation of the pupil. High doses of marijuana impact the peripheral vision. This may even cause total blindness in the long-term to the users of marijuana. As a result of marijuana usage, there has been an increase in the rate of accidents on our roads. The number of collisions reported to insurance companies in Colorado, Washington and Oregon, increased by 3% after commercialization of marijuana, (Solommonsen-Sautel et al, 2014). Therefore, legalization of marijuana in areas that are still to legalize it will lead to more accidents and blindness. Marijuana and cancer Marijuana plant has 4000 known chemicals that break down into extremely many sub chemical substances once it is used. Only a few of the sub-chemicals like THC create the actual “high” in people. However, the other many sub-chemicals are toxins and poisonous, that scientists have proved they are directly related to cancer infection. One of the hazardous chemicals is carcinogen which breaks down the gene that enhances cells development. Therefore, carcinogen increases the vulnerability of lungs to cancer in the long-term. During marijuana smoking, holding the smoke in lungs leads to great exposure to the hazardous chemicals in marijuana. Furthermore, scientific evidence has revealed that chronic marijuana users develop larynx and mouth cancer. Their lips become black and black spots appear between fingers, (Marks, 2015). In addition, scientists indicate marijuana usage increase the potential of one getting neck and head cancer. If marijuana can be directly attributed to certain types of cancer, why should it be legalized? * Other health problems related to marijuana Marijuana users have a black strain on their hearts although scientists do not know if it is as a result of THC or the other chemical substances. However, it may be substances in the inhaled smoke such as particles from the burnt plant or as carbon dioxide, which negatively affects the heart. Marijuana leads to fluctuations in blood pressure, reduce the ability of blood to carry oxygen, and increased heart rates. In this situation, the heart has less oxygen but needs to work harder, increasing the chances of heart attack, (Thomas et al, 2014). In people with artery disease, the drug damages the cholesterol plaque that protects the artery that transport oxygen to the heart, thus, leading to heart attack. In pregnancy women, marijuana affects both the women and the unborn child. Mothers, who smoke marijuana during their pregnancy, have increased the risk of giving birth to babies with anencephaly. This is a state of brain malfunction that develops in babies even before they are born. Additionally, such babies tend to have small heads and low birth weight, (Hayatbakhsh, 2011). Consequently, the babies end up in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) rather than their parent homes. However, it is very unfair for the babies to undergo such pain because of actions committed by their mothers. Nevertheless, this can be remedied by not touching and using marijuana. Environmental effects of marijuana The environmental consequences of marijuana are very detrimental. Marijuana planting in remote areas leads to forest fragmentation, Soil erosion, stream modification and huge landslides. Water that passes through marijuana plantations into rivers and streams absorb chemicals that threaten the life of amphibians, salmon, and other water animals. For instance, In California, which is the highest producer of marijuana in the U.S.A, it was revealed that pesticides and herbicides used in marijuana plantations have the potential of making river streams to dry up, (Thompson et al, 2016). In addition, the smoke from marijuana smokers pollutes the air, which also can cause health problems to passive smokers. If marijuana would be used frequently, the effects of marijuana on the environment would worsen leading to an unfriendly environment for human beings. Marijuana effect on crime Frequent use of marijuana may make the users move to hard drugs, which are associated with predatory crimes. Most of the users will engage in crime as a way of feeding their habits. Legalization of marijuana wi...