Hidden Dangers of Marijuana Abuse

What most Marijuana abusers don't realize is that they suffer from both long and short term side effects of smoking Grass, and that the substance is as addictive as any other illegal drug. In That spirit, i have dedicated this lens to listing the known symptoms and side effects of drug abuse.

A drug is a chemical substance which affects both body and mind. The substance especially affects the central nervous system, compiled by the head center (at the skull) and the spinal cord. The nervous system "communicates" by moving chemical signals (neurotransmitters) between the nerve cells.

Each cell has a receptor that receives the chemical transmission and passes it on to the next cell. There are over 10 different neurotransmitters known to man, However 2 of those are especially affected by drug abuse: Dopamine and Serotonin.

Dopamine's main function is in the "reward system" which means it controls sensation and feelings received by physical stimulus of any sort. Moreover, Dysfunction of the Dopamine can cause severe schizophrenia or Parkinson's disease. Serotonin is equally important as it plays a critical role in determining Mood, sleep/wake cycles and body temperature.

Drugs damage the neurotransmitters in many ways; it can increase or decrease the neurotransmitter's activity levels or even completely dissolve and replace it in extreme circumstances. The pace and effectiveness of the drug's influence over the nervous system is largely determined by the method by which it is taken (injection is the quickest method).

Not all substances affect the brain, and some are even naturally blocked. Researchers discovered a unique function of the human brain which enables it to block certain harmful substances and prevent them from entering and damaging the brain- This is called "Blood-Brain barrier".

While little is known yet regarding the Blood-Brain barrier, it is known that most popular illegal substances can breach it quite easily. The faster the drug passes by this barrier, a smaller dosage is required to achieve the "high" sensation and subsequently cause brain damage.

Here are all the key terms regarding drug abuse:

1. Absorption: The rate in which the drug leaves the area where it was injected into the body and how much it spreads from there. Drugs absorb well in soft tissue areas such as the nasal or digestive systems. However, as mentioned the fastest method is by injection directly into the muscle/blood stream. Codeine is the only substance that is known to be most effective when swallowed.

While Absorption level is determined by many varying factors, the key factors are: Solubility (liquid is always superior to solid), Dosage and Blotting surface size.

2. Distribution: Each drug distributes itself differently throughout the human body. Generally speaking, most drugs first impacts the heart, kidneys, liver and brain. Some drugs distribute themselves into skin, fat cells, the abdominal cavity and the muscles as well. While this process takes longer, usually between a few minutes to few hours, it is this process which causes long term devastating effects.

3. Tolerance: Repeated drug abuse manifests itself through increased substance tolerance. This means the user requires larger amounts in order to reach the desired sensation. There are two different kinds of tolerance in the human body, both hold a direct link to drug abuse.

Functional Tolerance- related to the central nervous system. This occurs when the brain adapts to the substance and requires larger doses to experience any stimulation or sensation. Drugs with similar effect over the nervous system can pass functional tolerance between each other. For Example, if you are addicted to sleeping pills, you are very likely to obtain an improved tolerance to alcohol.

Dispositional Tolerance- related to the metabolic system. Repeated use of certain substances can make your metabolism to speed up, causing the drug to leave your body faster. Similar drugs can pass this type of tolerance as well.

4. Drug Dependence: a situation in which a drug, taken by someone by his own free will, cause distinct harm to that person or his surroundings.

Physical Dependence manifests itself through a user's tolerance level and his inability to function properly without consuming the drug. Physical dependence usually appears in withdrawal and can cause severe symptoms ranging from pain and muscle cramps to death in extreme circumstances.

Mental Dependence occurs when a person feels the need to re-live the sensation and experience invoked by the drug. This can cause Depression, anxiety and discomfort- occasionally leading to mental diseases.

Here are all the body functions harmed by continual drug abuse:

1. As mentioned above, the central nervous system is greatly affected by drug abuse. Most common symptoms include: Numbness of the body and the inability to experience any sensory stimulus, Euphoria, Sedation, Severe Vomiting, Rigidness and depression of the coughing mechanism which leads to increased Mucus and heavy breathing.

2. The Blood system isn't affected directly, but in rare instances drug abuse can lead to lower blood pressure.

3. The Digestive system can experience constipation and extreme abdominal muscle cramps which cause serious pain in the upper right region of the stomach.

4. The reproduction system: Drug abuse can lead to sexual incompetence in males or prolonged labor time for females due to damaged Uterus muscles.

Also other common symptoms of drug abuse include itching, sweating and rapid changes in body temperature.

These are all the symptoms and effects of drug abuse, I hope you pay close attention and realize how much damage and pain you may be causing yourself and your surroundings. Remember it's never too late to stop smoking weed or any other drug, You must take action before it becomes too late.

My friend and i both quit smoking weed a while ago. I managed to stop cold turkey, but he took it rough and was really struggling with it, probably since he was smoking alot more and longer than i was.

Eventually he found a really great system that helped him fix his addiction and go back to leading a normal life. When he heard i was doing this, he asked me if i would tell people who strugle how to Stop smoking weed