Weed or marijuana is the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant. The plant has the mind-altering chemical THC in it and other similar compounds. Marijuana can be consumed in many forms. Some people smoke it or mix it into foods. Weed can also come in stronger concentrated formed resin or oil.
According to The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIH):
Marijuana is the most commonly used addictive drug after tobacco and alcohol. Its use is widespread among young people. In 2018, more than 11.8 million young adults used marijuana in the past year. According to the Monitoring the Future survey, rates of past-year marijuana use among middle and high school students have remained steady, but the number of teens in 8th and 10th grades who say they use it daily has increased. With the growing popularity of vaping devices, teens have started vaping THC (the ingredient in marijuana that produces the high), with nearly 4% of 12th graders saying they vape THC daily. In addition, the number of young people who believe regular marijuana use is risky is decreasing.
How Does Marijuana Affect A Person?
When a person smokes weed, the effect is almost immediate. A euphoric and relaxing effect is what most people feel. Other common effects, which differ from person to person, include a heightened sense of perception, laughter, and increased appetite. You may laugh uncontrollably or feel a sense of paranoia. You may forget things, feel slow, and like you are in a fog.
Now there are different reasons people choose to use marijuana. Some use it to get “high” and others, especially adults, use it as a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of diseases.
Is Legal Marijuana Very Potent?
Back in the day, levels of THC in marijuana, the psychoactive chemical that makes people high, were typically well below 10 percent. But in the first state to legalize marijuana, Colorado, it’s legal marijuana, the average THC level is 18.7 percent, and some retail pot contains 30 percent THC or more, according to recent research.
There has been talk of making THC caps to protect unwitting consumers from ingesting highly potent products without significantly infringing on the rights of marijuana enthusiasts. However, there’s also a deeper concern that kids and young adults will have access to ever more potent products. Brain development typically continues until the age of 25, and chronic marijuana use has impacted that process.
Marijuana Can Be Addictive. Find Help at ARIA FL
Addiction Recovery Institute of America is a comfortable and evidence-based drug and detox center based in West Palm Beach, Florida. ARIA can free you or your loved one from the physical symptoms of addiction and start you on the path to recovery. They offer detox from drugs and alcohol on a medical basis so that you can safely resume the life you once lived, the life you thought was lost forever. Addicts emerge from ARIA healthy, sane, and prepared for a lifetime of recovery. Start your recovery today.