Marijuana....a rite of passage?

For many years there has been controversy over marijuana use and whether it should be legalized.  We are now seeing several states opening up pot shops across the country.   While most states restrict the sale for medicinal reasons, as does Illinois, pot can be easily purchased in most schools and neighborhoods. Medicinal cannabis has been altered to have more or less of certain ingredients such as THC according to the condition being treated.  It has made a radical impact for those living with severe seizure disorders.   So how does THC impact the brain?  Initially euphoria occurs, stimulating dopamine production.  The user may feel more relaxed, have a higher sense of sensory perception or get the munchies.  As euphoria subsides, users may experience sleepiness, depression, anxiety, paranoia or other psychological conditions. THC effects on the brain can disrupt a person’s balance, coordination and reaction time.  The medical journal “Addiction” reports in a new study that drivers who have pot in their system have more than twice the risk of being involved in accidents.   Those who start using cannabis in their formative years have a 1 in 6 chance of becoming dependent and the risk of teens dropping out of school and experiencing cognitive impairments and psychoses in adulthood doubles. New research confirms that the developing brain up to the age of 22 or 23 years will be permanently affected. Many of these ...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news