Legalization of Marijuana

Legalization of Marijuana

Lets us first describe what marijuana is, it is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the female hemp plant. Marijuana is called by street names such as pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic (National Institute on Drug Abuse). All marijuana contains THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana (National Institute on Drug Abuse). 

In 1988, it was discovered that the membranes of certain nerve cells contain protein receptors that bind THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana. Marijuana's effects on the user depend on its strength or potency, which is related to the amount of THC that it contains (The National Institute on Drug Abuse). Researchers have found that THC changes the way in which sensory information gets into and is processed by the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a component of the brain's limbic system that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integration of sensory experiences with emotions and motivations. Investigations have shown that THC suppresses neurons in the information processing system of the hippocampus and the activity of the nerve fibers in this region. In addition, researchers have discovered that learned behaviors, which depend on the hippocampus, also deteriorate via this mechanism. Recent research findings also indicate that long-term use of marijuana produces changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term use of other major drugs of abuse (The National Institute on Drug Abuse).