Sonia Gutierrez

HLTH 1050-004
Marijuana Journal
Marijuana is a dry, shredded green-brown plant that contains THC, a chemical that binds
with cannabinoid receptors and produces the high. It has been used throughout history and
different cultures because of its medical properties. Professor Raphael Mechoulam is viewed as
the father of medical marijuana because of his research into its properties and discovering the
endocannabinoid system. He also discovered that it has cancer killing potential. Some of the
areas that show promise include research into inflammation, anxiety, nausea, glaucoma, MS and
epilepsy. Some medical uses for marijuana include pain relief, control of nausea, increasing
appetite and decreasing ocular pressure.
Today, marijuana is a Schedule I drug in the US. There is still a lot of controversy surrounding
medical marijuana but that is mostly because it can be a gateway drug that leads to harder drugs
in the future. Some of the effects of non-medical marijuana are impaired thinking, distorted
perception, impaired coordination, difficulty thinking and problem solving, as well as learning
and memory problems. Marijuana can be used in so many ways, from smoking a joint to eating it
in a brownie or drinking a tea.
Although it is unlikely, its possible to become addicted to marijuana. One long term effect is amotivational syndrome or losing the motivation to do anything except smoke weed. There is also
research showing that brain cell and intelligence can be affected by the long-term use. Many
people will testify that their friends who smoked marijuana fried their brains. Regardless of the
pros or cons, marijuana has been here for thousands of years and its not going anywhere any
time soon.