The side effects of marijuana usage can vary and are dependent on a variety of factors. Tolerance to THC, the main psychoactive chemical found in marijuana, will usually determine what effects are felt and for how long. The mindset of the user, as with all psychoactive drugs, also plays an important part in deciding how the user will feel after consuming marijuana.
Short-Term Side Effects
The main reason people use marijuana in the first place is to feel a sense of relaxation, euphoria, and for the overall shift in consciousness. Marijuana users usually report feeling happy and carefree when under the influence, but in some cases unpleasant experiences called "bad trips" or "bummers" can result, especially from a strong dose. Marijuana is seen by users as a mental stimulant, making ludicrous thoughts seem much more ingenious than they may actually be. While on marijuana, some people report a loss of their sense of time, making minutes feel like hours or vice versa. Users also report that everyday events and chores may become very entertaining. Marijuana affects a person's short term memory as well. While high, it is not uncommon for a user to forget what they were doing or why they were doing it in the first place. Another bad side effect of marijuana use is a feeling of paranoia. Large marijuana doses taken orally are especially well known for causing panic attacks, although these can take place after smoking the drug also.
The physical effects experienced with marijuana can also vary widely. Although the main reason some people use the drug is for relaxation purposes, many other changes in behavior and appearance might take place. In some cases, relaxation can lead to lethargy and unwillingness to do much of anything. Marijuana is a powerful appetite stimulant, resulting in the use of the term "munchies". This has led to marijuana being prescribed to people who have trouble holding down their food, usually chemotherapy patients. Marijuana also numbs the sense of touch, and some stronger varieties of the cannabis indica species are used as painkillers both recreationally and as a prescription.
As with any other smoke, it is harmful to the body to inhale smoke from marijuana. Respiratory problems may arise from continued use as well as the usual coughing and wheezing associated with smoking marijuana. Other common side effects of marijuana are decreased motor skills, light headedness, and redness of the eyes.
Long-Term Effects of Marijuana Use
After prolonged marijuana use, many changes in a marijuana user's overall mood, and, in some cases, mental health can occur. After periods of frequent use, a user's memory, both short and long-term, is affected tremendously. Marijuana users may find themselves desiring to use more and more if they are unable to get high as their tolerance to THC rises.
Withdrawal symptoms from frequent use of the drug may include indifference to events in life, difficulty sleeping, and a desire to use marijuana. While marijuana is not considered to provoke mental instability after usage has stopped, some studies have shown that marijuana users are slightly more likely to develop psychosis or another related mental illness than non-users. Although not many side effects from using marijuana can be viewed as life threatening, it is profoundly unwise to use marijuana unless you have been instructed by a licensed professional in a state where medicinal marijuana can be prescribed legally.
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