Substance abuse is a subject that has affected negatively the society, economies and health. One of the commonly abuse substance in United States is marijuana. Marijuana is a drug that is obtained from cannabis sativa, which is rolled and smoked. However, the use of marijuana is under a great debate others arguing that marijuana do not have negative effects while others argue that it has negative. Nevertheless, there are effects that are associated with marijuana and they come in terms of social, economical and health orientations.
In the perspective of health, marijuana has effects on the brain, lungs, heart and other crucial body parts. Marijuana contains an active ingredient that is termed as delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol and it negatively affects the cannabinoid receptors that are in the brain, a place that influences memory, thought, pleasure, sensory, concentration, coordinated movement and time perception. Thus, excessive use of marijuana results in impaired memory, delusions, disorientation and hallucinations.
Moreover, marijuana is attributed to be an important factor that causes heart attack because it increases the heart rate (Iversen 194). This is because smoking of marijuana increases the heart rate by 20 – 50 beats per minute compounded by the lower blood pressure it thus increases the chance of heart attack. Marijuana also contains carcinogenic hydrocarbons, which causes irritation, stinging and burning pf the throat and the mouth resulting in heavy coughing. Moreover, marijuana inhibits immune system of the body and influences negatively pregnancy or babies that will be born.
Moreover, it influences negatively reproductive system since it decreases the level of testosterone from men and increases the amount of testosterone levels for women, which usually increases the risk of infertility (DuPont & Ford 144). Marijuana brings turmoil to the society. Most people who smoke marijuana are seen as unsuited for the society and are viewed negatively. Marijuana negatively affects social skills and affects learning abilities of the people who smoke. It usually creates problems in their daily lives and compounds their current problems.
It is attributed that heavy use of marijuana contributes to anxiety, depression and personality disorders. Moreover, the effect of marijuana brings social perspective into the economical perspective in that it affects negatively the productivity of the workers (Hanson et al 56). Less productive workers reduce the amount and quality of tasks that are completed. Thus, the workers who smoke marijuana experience increased tardiness, absences, job turnover, accidents and workers’ compensation claims. Hence, the use of marijuana affects career development and relationship between the workers.
Nevertheless, smokers of marijuana are reckless drivers. The people who use marijuana contributes less to their respective families and the requirements of industries that the work (Iversen 195). It is assumed that people who smoke rarely contribute to their respective families or their own needs. They will tend to concentrate on purchasing marijuana rather than caring of their personal needs. Generally, people who smoke marijuana affect negatively the way that they accomplish their tasks. It affects these people in terms of social, economic and health.
In terms of social and economic perspective, it creates anxiety, depression, personal disorders and job turnover. On the health perspective, it affects negatively the lungs, brain, heart and reproductive system.
Works Cited
DuPont Robert & Betty, Ford. The Selfish Brain: Learning from Addiction. London: Hazelden Publishers, 2000. Hanson Glen, Peter Venturelli & Annette Fleckenstein. Drugs and Society. London: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2005. Iversen, Leslie. The Science of Marijuana. London: Oxford University Press, 2000.