There are three factors that are combining to make marijuana the most commonly used illicit drug in America. 1. The popular press. 2. The devotion and militarism of marijuana smokers themselves. 3. The progressive legalization of the drug. Skipping the rhetoric of legalization, an individual’s right to abuse themselves etc., I believe it is more productive to look at scientific evidence. Is marijuana dangerous to a person’s health? The scientific facts unequivocally say it is. Skip the socio-politico debate, your body is not designed to operate under the influence of marijuana. Short-term effects of marijuana usage: The chemical in marijuana that actually gets a person high isdelta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. It acts on cannabinoid receptors in the brain. The location of these receptors is important in determining what affects marijuana smoking has on behavior. These cannabinoid receptors are most numerous in the parts of the brain that affect pleasure, memory, concentration coordination and time perception. This makes sense since these are the typical behavioral indicators of someone who is high on marijuana. THC is a poison. Long-term effects of using marijuana: Research has shown that marijuana’s adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off. Marijuana contains approximately triple the amount of tar found in cigarette smoke and marijuana smoke contains 50–70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. Marijuana.

Original Source of Marijuana, Did You Know Is The Most Commonly Used Illicit Drug In America?