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Speak Up! - View Question #507 |
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Question: What is Marijuana?
Answer: The term 'marijuana' refers to the leaves and flowering tops of the cannabis plant. Marijuana is a tobaccolike substance produced by drying the leaves and flowering tops of the cannabis plant. Marijuana contains a natural chemical called THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) which gives users of the drug a 'high' when smoked. Marijuana leaves are usually smoked in the form of loosely rolled cigarettes called joints or cigars called blunts.
A number of other drugs including phencyclidine (PCP) may be used in making joints and blunts, substantially altering their effects and deadliness. Some common names for marijuana include pot, grass, weed, mary jane, acupulco gold, and reefer.
Marijuana users experience the same health problems as tobacco smokers, such as bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Some of the effects of marijuana use also include increased heart rate, dryness of the mouth, reddening of the eyes, impaired motor skills and concentration, and frequent hunger. Extended use increases risk to the lungs and reproductive system, as well as suppression of the immune system. Occasionally, hallucinations, fantasies, and paranoia are reported.
(Source: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration information page about Marijuana http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/marijuana.htm)
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| 36 thru 40 of 98 comments |
On 07/05/06
TT from WV said:
The first time i smoked pot, But then I realized that everything that made me paranoid or worried was coming from myself. Weed will open your mind up whether you like it or not, just stay calm and enjoy it. As for a "gateway" drug, weed actually is, but not in the way u think. Because weed stays in your system for a long period of time.
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On 06/06/06
Marie from MI said:
all drugs had no real scientific basis when they we're outlawed. They were all due to racial basis. Marijuana is not bad. I function fine and I smoke at least once a day, I do my work, I bike ride, I read, etc. all the time while I smoke. I'm a good person, I don't destroy property. I'm told of my creativity, etc all the time. Marijuana is not a gateway drug, it depends solely on the person. Look at how those people got the statistic, its because 80% of people that do cocaine have smokeed marijuana. It's not addictive either, it would bring money to us and many other things!!
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On 06/01/06
from TX said:
To everyone who says that smoking pot is just a way of escaping problems - people will escape their problems some way, whether it be through overeating or denial.
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On 05/15/06
NurseG from AZ said:
YES you CAN get sick from smoking pot. The mold that grows on it can make you get pneumonia and other lung problems. You kids who think pot should be legal should think about how you'd feel if you were in an accident and a doctor, nurse, or paramedic came to save you, but they were stoned. Also it makes you SOOOO unmotivated. And I am speaking as a former pothead. After years of smoking it, you become a burnout and you are no longer your old self.
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On 05/11/06
_JP_ from NJ said:
I dont see what the big deal is about pot. There are really no serious haelth issues involving this. Alcohol is legal, and it kills people with car accidents, abuse, violent behavior. All weed does is calm people down. Smoking causes lung cancer, emphesema and stuff like that. Weed just kills ur brain cells and makes u slow, but it doesnt make u stupider or anything. There are like 5 potheads in my class, and im in the advanced proficient program and they are really smart.
I think it should be legalized, it might as well be, people do it anyway. Why get arrested for it.
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