...Marijuana and Sports Performance Marijuana is an illegal drug that’s made from the dried leaves, stems, and seeds of the hemp plant, cannabis sativa, and it is usually smoked by the user. There are many names for marijuana, such as; weed, pot, grass, and Mary Jane. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering drugs. The main chemical that causes the effects in the brain is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The effects of the drug depend on the strength of the THC, which is only one of the 400 chemicals in the drug. Within minutes of inhalation of marijuana smoke, blood levels are already achieved, with peak effects happening in 20 to 30 minutes, while minor effects lasting two to four hours. Marijuana is the most widely used drug in the United States. Some effects of marijuana on sports performance include; the impairment of skills requiring eye-hand coordination and fast reaction time. Marijuana can also reduce motor coordination, tracking ability, and perceptual accuracy. It also impairs concentration. These effects may last up to 24 to 36 hours after usage. The drug doesn’t provide and performance enhancing potential. Marijuana is stored in the body fat, which causes the long lasting effects. It has been shown that performance skills can be impaired up to 24 hours after marijuana usage. There are many short term health effects due to marijuana. These include, memory and learning problems, difficulty concentrating, and increased heart rate and drop in blood pressure. Marijuana...
Words: 267 - Pages: 2
...evidence that shows that marijuana is dangerous that it is safe. According to Marty Nemko’s article ‘Legalize Pot? You Must Be High’, the intensive research that has been done to find out the harms that derive from the drug “may cause far greater damage than once thought” (Nemko 1). Studies have been conducted and found that marijuana can result in dependence in 9-10% of users. While this figure is low, and the validity can be questioned, it is still a potential harm. It may be the basis for something worse that scientists have not yet discovered. Other research suggests that marijuana negatively affects the ability too learn and remember new information, and can lead to “significant abnormalities in two key brain regions” (Nemko 1). Furthermore, users of marijuana can experience severe anxiety, panic, or distressful thoughts like nightmares. Nemko stresses the change in the world that...
Words: 747 - Pages: 3
...MA 9/15/2014 Differences of Medical and Recreational Marijuana Introduction A total of 20 states around the country have been legalizing medical and recreational marijuana. Researchers are studying the medical use of the drug and better understanding how it impacts the body and the motivation of the use of marijuana. Medical Marijuana A. Positive The use of marijuana as a medicinal usage is available to individuals suffering from pain, glaucoma, wasting syndromes associated with HIV and AIDS, nausea from chemotherapy, and a host of other medical conditions like people who are bipolar, have depression, and anorexia nervosa has become more widely accepted. There is research relating to medical marijuana that focuses on the history of the use of cannabis as a medicine, current scientific and medical reasoning of marijuana's role in human studies of their health, and the safety and usage of medical marijuana. B. Negative 1. No research has compared or contrasted the practices and characteristics of dispensaries in different states but, The laws vary in many important ways, including limits on how much of the marijuana that they have possessed or cultivated, authorization to sell marijuana through dispensaries, regulation of dispensaries, approved conditions of use, regulation of use, including location of use, responsibilities of physicians regulation of caregivers, ability of local governments to set additional controls on cultivation...
Words: 527 - Pages: 3
...Legalization of Marijuana Maurice Gonzalez PHI103: Informal Logic Instructor Craig Thompson 8/7/15 Marijuana is dried leaves, flowers stems, and seeds that comes from a hemp plant called Cannabis sativa. It contains a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that affects the brain system. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States (SAMHSA, 2014). People smoke marijuana in many different ways. Some method of choice are in hand rolled cigarettes referred to as Joints, water or non-water pipes known as Bongs or emptied cigars known as Blunts. People also bake Marijuana in sweets such as cookies candies and cakes. When an individual smokes marijuana short term the toxic chemicals immediately rushes from the lungs and into the blood stream. The blood steam immediately distributes the chemical to the brain and the rest of the organs in the body. The parts of the brain containing the highest amount of receptors are affected by THC that involves altered senses, sense of time, mood change, impaired body movement, memory, difficulty thinking, and solving problems. Long term use also affects brain development. For example if a teenager use the drug it can negatively affect the building of the brains connections between spaces needed for thinking memory, and learning. These affects could last a long time or perhaps may become permanent depending on the body. For example, a study showed that people who started smoking marijuana heavily in their...
Words: 640 - Pages: 3
...billion dollars? How could the nation get this much money in one year? The legalization of marijuana would bring such profit. Replacing “marijuana prohibition with a system of legal regulation would save approximately $7.7 billion in government expenditures of prohibition enforcement --$2.4billion at the federal level and $5.3 billion at the state and local level.” (Miron). The money generated from this could be used for so many needs of the nation. For example, one immediate use would be to help restore the foundation of bridges and roads. The United States economy is currently suffering and the simple act of legalizing marijuana would help stimulate the economy. This act also will help struggling citizens with life threatening conditions reduce their suffering. There are numerous benefits to legalizing marijuana including eliminating a portion of the wasteful War on Drugs, stimulating the United States economy, and helping many patients relieve their pain. In order to truly understand the benefits of the legalization of marijuana, it must be discussed why it was made illegal in the first place. In 1914, the Harrison Act “represented the first time drug use had ever been defined as a crime” (Goodwin 42). This law set the precedent for twenty-seven states to make marijuana illegal. There states made marijuana illegal because they mistrusted the incoming Mexican immigrants who brought marijuana with them. (Goodwin 42-43) Therefore, the laws were not enacted for safety or health reasons...
Words: 2151 - Pages: 9
...In 1996, medical marijuana became legal in California, which inspired Richard Lee to open businesses associated with the usage of marijuana. Lee was a medical marijuana provider and activist with a dream to legalize marijuana; as a result, he created Proposition 19 in 2010 by using his own funding to the sum of $1.45 million. The creation of Proposition 19 was to legalize marijuana in California through regulation and taxation. In essence, passing of the bill would legally allow individuals that are 21 or older the ability to harvest and use marijuana. However, Proposition 19 would only grant legal rights related with marijuana under the state of California and not under federal law. As a result, federal law must still firmly enforce drug laws against harvesters and distributors of marijuana in California. Although Proposition 19 was unable to pass in 2010, Lee ensures that effort to pass this bill will never stop. Proposition 19 protesters argue that legalizing marijuana creates abuse among adolescents. In the article “Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana”, Dr. Robert L. DuPont stated, “Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the U.S. and around the world.” The United States Drug enforcement Agency has classified marijuana as a drug that has an extreme potential for abuse. They categorized marijuana as a schedule I drug which is under the same category as cocaine, heroin and morphine. Parents fear that the legalization of marijuana enables easier access...
Words: 727 - Pages: 3
...history about medical marijuana has been found in the Chinese history, which was used in Taiwan for fiber starting more than 10,000 years ago. People of that time, used the seeds of marijuana in the food, and it was natural for them. Later on they found medical properties of the plant. The oldest Chinese surgeon Hua Tua was the first recorded person who used marijuana by mixing it with alcohol, for “anesthesia”. Nowadays in the US society, people have started to use marijuana for recreational purposes, and it is responding to obvious abuse damages of human health. Whether the use of marijuana for recreational use should be legalized or not is still a question that bothers many generations of human society. In my paper, I will be against...
Words: 1405 - Pages: 6
...be bad” is one of the many lies marijuana users tell themselves in order to indulge themselves on this so called “medicine.” Marijuana users claim the drug makes them feel good, it makes them calm down. They also say marijuana is not a drug, and not nearly as harmful as other drugs and alcohol. But, are these claims correct? Of course not. These are some of the many lies marijuana users tell others in order to spread the use and legalization of this drug. According to recent statistics from “DrugFreeWorld.org,” cannabis is the number three in the top five harmful substances which account for admission into drug treatment facilities in the United States. Although users may argue marijuana is not nearly as harmful as it has been perceived through the media, the drug wreaks havoc on a person’s health, destroys families and leads to prolonged and free drug abuse. The risks of using marijuana far outweigh the “benefits” of the drug as it can lead to health issues regarding the heart, lungs, and brain. According to “AddictionBlog.org” the most common reasons people use marijuana are to relax, curiosity, and its deceptively low perception of harm. Yet, most of the users of marijuana are so ill informed of what the drug actually does to their bodies. Admittedly for most users of marijuana, it does “relax” the user in distorting their perception of the world; however, this temporary fix only leaves permanent damage. Prolonged use of marijuana has proven to be linked with loss...
Words: 974 - Pages: 4
...As President, I want to create more problem solving issues on Abortions, Death Penalty, and Drugs. As president, I am more concern for the people and only want to make these problems disappear or at least start to be resolved. I think abortions are unnecessary and if you cannot for any reason keep your child, it is a smart decision to put your child up for adaption and someone who wants to take care of them can have the opportunity to do so. I also think the death penalty is unnecessary because this is bringing murder upon a criminal who has done something bad. The death penalty should be eliminated and non existing. Last, I would like to change the ability of people consuming these dangerous drugs and how some drugs should and should not be illegal. First, Abortions should be illegal and demolished because having an abortion is very unnecessary. If a person don’t have the ability to take care of her baby, then it is best to put the baby up for adaption. I think the only reason for n abortion is if it is a serious or dangerous cause for the mother to not have the ability to have the baby. I also think that if a parent decide to have an abortion, it needs to be a limit on how many weeks the baby is in order to do so. Abortions cost approximately $300 to $800 dollars. I think the cost for an...
Words: 774 - Pages: 4
...legRunning Head: Should marijuana be legalized? Should marijuana be legalized? Should marijuana be legalized? There are various reason why people smoke or have smoked marijuana. The reasons may range from extracurricular drug use medicinal uses and anywhere in between. The positive effects medical research states marijuana can assist with cancer patients and terminally ill individuals, but only for pain reduction and appetite increases. In the case of glaucoma the pressure from the eyeballs are reduced by the blood flow changing with the effects of THC. While there may be some positive effects for use of marijuana, the negative effects outweigh positives effects. It is a known fact that marijuana has more tar in the leaf than tobacco accompanied with the mind altering affects of THC in the blood stream are enough to make anyone want to avoid the life altering risks. Marijuana is also know as a gateway drug. Legalizing marijuana would not be as beneficial as some may believe. For those individuals who may still be undecided on whether to support the legalization of marijuana or not, below are a few key points to aid in their decision making. While some suggest the benefits of marijuana outweigh the negative, not enough research has been conducted to determine this. The immediate and long term effect could be substantially dreadful. Some of the immediate effects of marijuana are hallucinations, paranoia, and psychotic episodes. Also, stimulant psychosis may also...
Words: 2064 - Pages: 9
...Medical marijuana refers to the use of cannabis to treat disease or improve symptoms. It also refers to using the whole unprocessed marijuana plants or its basic extracts to also treat a disease or systems. Medically prescribed marijuana has a beneficial effect on patients who suffer from diseases. It treats the disease symptoms while alleviating the unfortunate side affects. As a result of improving a patient’s quality of life and help to promote a positive response to treatment. The following several sources are supported by factual details in which subsidize the thesis: websites by health.harvard.edu, Drugabuse.gov, Livescience.com,drugpolicy.org, raysahelian.com,norml.org,mayoclinc.com ,Wikipedia.org. A. ` With Medical marijuana being new in the drug industry, legalizing thee drug has been a problem but it helps out ways the pros for the drug. For example, the movement to legalize marijuana for medical use in the U.S. has renewed discussion about how this drug affects the brain, and whether it might be useful in treating psychiatric disorders. With that research has been done to expose that medical marijuana can be used for psychiatric disorders and as a replacement to many remedies for diseases. In the comprehensive 1999 review, for example, the Institute of Medicine(IOM) concluded that marijuana may be modestly effective for pain relief, appetite simulation for people with AIDS wasting syndrome, and control of chemotherapy- related nausea and vomiting. Although, there...
Words: 1933 - Pages: 8
...Decriminalization of Marijuana. Marijuana is a drug that comes in many forms and strains. The decriminalization of marijuana could have outstanding effects on our country. Decriminalization is to make something no longer a criminal act but was marijuana always illegal. The benefits of decriminalization are double to triple the negatives of decriminalization. Four groups of people would be hurt by this. You may be wondering can this be regulated by government. The answer may shock you but California already has it well regulated. I believe it best we decriminalize it when the time is right and some states are already seeing that the time is right. We can’t talk about why something needs to be decriminalized without first discussing why it was criminalized in the first...
Words: 1709 - Pages: 7
...DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA ******* English 112 ********** April 18, 2012 Presently, Marijuana is illegal in the United States due to the racially motivated Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. This law was proposed by Harry J. Anslinger the acting commissioner of Federal Bureau of Narcotics. In his testimony to Congress he stated, "There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others" (ukcia.org, (n.d), para. 1). Since this time, the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 has spawned more strict laws that have many unintended side effects. After many decades, effective federal propaganda has won public support for these laws. Only recently, U.S. citizens have started to question why marijuana is illegal. I feel that it would be beneficial to discard these laws and beliefs of the past. We need to analyze how the legalization of marijuana would positively affect the United States and its citizens in the following fields: medical, criminology, and financial. I support the legalization of marijuana not because I use this herb, because I do not and would not even if it was legal much like a majority of our populous. I have taken this stance because of the benefits that would arise from legalization. Marijuana has been criminalized for private citizens since 1930’s bringing...
Words: 1787 - Pages: 8
...but is this the most rewarding use of marijuana? Would the development of a medical marijuana industry prove more beneficial to Jamaica? Would the decriminalization of marijuana in order for such an industry to be enacted be economically viable? Other questions to ask ourselves are, what is Decriminalization and how would decriminalization of marijuana help with enacting a medical marijuana industry? According to the Merriam-Webster decriminalization means “to remove or reduce the criminal classification or status of; especially: to repeal a strict ban on while keeping under some form of regulation”. Marijuana currently is a banned drug in Jamaica and for Jamaica to develop a medical marijuana industry which would therefore means large scale production of the drug for scientific research and medicine production. The drug would have to be legalized on a certain level to facilitate such. Note in the above definition for decriminalization it made mention of the drug being kept under some form of regulation which for this research basically means certain punitive usage of the drug would still be rendered as illegal. The scope of this research paper will cover areas such as, the economic state of the country and its ability to facilitate and withstand such an industry, the illicit use of the drug, implementations of stringent control measures and use of the substance, inabilities to export due to certain treaty and acts and the negative effects of the recreational use of the drug. ...
Words: 1628 - Pages: 7
...Critical Thinking Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them. A well cultivated critical thinker: * Will frame different questions and predicts the problems in the long run process, formulating them clearly and precisely; * collects and analyze relevant information, using abstract thoughts to illuminate it effectively comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant situations, basic scenarios and standards; * thinks open-mindedly and thinks about the other systems, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, suggestions, and practical results; and * Interacts and communicates effectively with team members in work, fellow students in school or college or within the family etc. in figuring out solutions to complex problems. Benefits of Critical Thinking At Work: Critical thinking makes employees and managers to look at a situation and analyze all possible solutions before taking a final decision. It can be a long process that requires ideas from different experienced people within the business organization. The benefits to critical thinking make it a valuable practice for any small business. * Produces New Ideas * Promote the development of Teamwork * Promotes Options * Uncovering...
Words: 1088 - Pages: 5