You've definitely heard of it, or it's many slang references such as “pot”, “w**d”, “reefer” or any of its other 200 slang terms that has been used for this drug. It's a plant grown all over the world, in 171 different countries (Study World Mgt). The plant itself can grow almost anywhere with a temperate climate. It's first recorded being used in 2800 BC, in Taiwan, Korea and China. You have prob
ably heard of medical ma*****na on the news recently and the controversy surrounding it. This is not a new idea, Medical ma*****na was first used by a physician in China as a pain reliever and anesthetic during surgery (Random Facts). It wasn't recognized as a recreational drug until thousands of years later around the 1900's. The most confusion now about w**d, is the confusion between medical ma*****na and street ma*****na which is dealt all over the world. Medical ma*****na is regulated and distributed in a conrolled environment, where as street ma*****na isn't necessarily screened and in some area's (particularly in the city) and can be laced. (Laced w**d is where the dealer will sprinkle in illegal drugs like crack-cocaine to give the user a bad experience that can sometimes be very dangerous.) Ma*****na has been proven to be a pain reliever and is prescribed for people with cancer, arthritis, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, severe or chronic pain, anorexia, migraine headaches, restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, spasticity, and many other diseases, disorders, and sicknesses. Recreational ma*****na is the second most popular drug next to alcohol. Another usage for ma*****na is H**p. H**p is one of ma*****na's uses, which is made to make a very durable rope, twine, paper and clothing material. There is a widely believed “H**p Conspiracy” which is believed to be the true reason ma*****na was banned. It was said that many of the paper companies would go out of business because h**p was such a hard competitor (Oakwood Mgt). The first two drafts of the Declaration of Independence were made from H**p. Our first President and Founding Father George Washington, made Ma*****na the primary crop of Mount Vernon, and many other farm's around the entire country (Random Facts). There are many different ways to feel the many effects of ma*****na. The most common being smoking it. This would be just like if you were to smoke a natural non-proccessed cigarette. You can smoke ma*****na out of pipes, bongs, rolling papers, apples, snowballs, you name it they've smoked out of it. There is also other ways to have the effects without smoking. You could use a vaporizer, put it into an edible form, or even turn it into a liquid as an alternative to many harmful affects of smoking. These are the most popular methods but there are many other way's and tool's used to medicate with ma*****na. Despite widespread belief, there has been no proven long term effects from ma*****na, other than the harm smoking in general can cause. Although there is short term memory loss of 1 to 3 hours which can sometimes occur but does not inflict on memory outside of the user's “high.” Like alcohol, and even like over-the-counter drugs, there is a chemical inside the drug that affects the mind in different ways for a short period of time. This chemical is called THC, which is short for tetrahydrocannabinol. The most common effects of the THC is increased hunger, increased imagination, relaxation, and sometimes a rapid heart beat. The “high” or intoxication of the drug usually lasts between 2 to 4 hours. Traces of the THC can still be found in your bloodstream for up to 3-4 weeks after your initial “high” (TeenHealthFx). Surprising to some nearly 50% of seniors in highschool have tried ma*****na in their lifetimes. But only about 24% of seniors are regular users (once in the month before the survey) (Ma*****na Statistics). There are many statistics that at times can seem misleading relating to ma*****na being a gateway drug. By saying that 90% of drug addicts have smoked ma*****na, does not mean 90% of all ma*****na smokers are drug addicts. You could also say, 90% of drug addicts have smoked cigarrettes. 90% of drug addicts have drank alcohol. 96% of drug addicts have drank coffee. 99% of drug addicts have laced sugar into their food. 100% of drug addicts are current water drinkers. 97.6% of all drug addicts have watched public broadcasting in their lifetime. Ma*****na addiction is not a hoax put on by alcohol and to***co companies, or even paper companies. It is important to know that ma*****na can be addictive, but to also understand that addiction could exist in just about anything you enjoy. It is just the same as saying I am addicted to playing guitar or snowboarding. I do not feel complete if I went a week without playing my guitar, and I know for a fact that I would go through withdrawals if I went a winter without snowboarding. You can become addicted to anything that releases endorphins inside your brain. So to say you can't be addicted to ma*****na, is simply not true. That doesn't mean that patients prescribed medical ma*****na are addicted.
“Lastly, many people wonder how ma*****na will affect your future. Well this is all based on you as a person. How will taking aspirin twice-a-day for headaches affect your future? How will reading this informational essay affect your future? No matter what happens in your life, you are in control. You are the captain of your ship. Whether or not distractions blow you off course is whether or not you let them affect you. This is true with mostly everything. So how ma*****na could affect your future is a question you need to ask yourself, not a question you need to google on Wikipedia” (http://en.wikipedia.org/search=how+will+ma*****na+affect+your+future+response).
