Weed has numerous effects on your health, including increased heart rate.
Weed is the slang or street name for marijuana. Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drugs in the United States, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. It is derived from the cannabis sativa hemp plant, and is usually smoked in the form of a cigarette. Marijuana has been legalized in numerous states for medicinal purposes.
Identification
Weed is a dry, shredded mix of flowers, stems, leaves and seeds from the hemp plant known as Cannabis. Marijuana is typically green and brown in color. The active ingredient is a chemical known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Weed is normally rolled into cigarettes or smoked in a pipe, and is often mixed with tobacco products. It can also be use in cooking foods, particularly baked goods.
Teen Use
The National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, indicates that nearly 7 percent of seventh graders, 16 percent of tenth graders and 21 percent of twelfth graders used weed in 2009, though the number of teen users had decreased drastically from the previous 10 years. Teens may use weed slang such as joint, bong, blunt or nail.
Brain Function
Weed has a number of effects on your brain. The THC rapidly moves from your lungs into your bloodstream, and eventually ends up in your brain as well as other organs. Marijuana can interfere with your memory, concentration, coordination, movement, timing, sensory perception as well as your ability to learn. Driving while under the influence is dangerous due to impaired judgment and slowed reaction times. The hippocampus, cerebellum, basal ganglia and cerebral cortex are affected by weed use.
Heart Function
Marijuana can also affect your heart. Inhaling marijuana causes your heart to beat more rapidly, and heart rate can increase anywhere from 20 to 100 percent, according to the NIDA. These effects can last for hours. Excessive use of marijuana can cause irregular heart rhythms.
Lung Function
Since weed is generally inhaled, it can have an affect on the health of your lungs. The NIDA indicates that marijuana contains 50 to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than regular tobacco smoke. This increases the chances of developing lung cancer as well as respiratory conditions.
Medicinal Use
Medicinal marijuana is legal in some areas -- including California and Oregon. In order to be eligible to receive medicinal marijuana, you must be qualified for the program and present a special card along with ID. Proponents of medicinal marijuana indicate that marijuana can be beneficial in treating some of the side effect from cancer and AIDS treatments, according to the University of Utah. It may also benefits those with neurological disorders and chronic pain.
Tags: Drug Abuse, effects your, graders percent, heart rate, hemp plant, indicates that