"Cannabis is a psychotropic plant whose use is still illegal in Indonesia. This is because this plant can have a number of negative impacts on the health of the body."
Marijuana or better known as cannabis is a type of psychotropic. This one plant can stimulate the nerves and affect brain function. As a result, someone who uses marijuana will feel the effects of euphoria, illusions, and hallucinations.
This plant consists of three types, namely Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Cannabis sativa is the most commonly abused type of cannabis. Usually, how to use it by making cigarettes to be smoked.
In Indonesia alone, this plant is still illegal considering the negative impact. However, various countries have legalized cannabis for health purposes.
Cannabis Use Controversy
In various countries, such as Thailand, the United States and the United Kingdom, the use of cannabis is legal so that it can be used as an alternative treatment. There are various ways to use it, such as heating it, distillation or going through a distillation process to make it concentrate.
Some countries also use it for medical purposes. In the United States, for example, this plant is often used as a medicine to control pain.
Even so, you cannot minimize severe pain such as pain after surgery or broken bones by using marijuana. According to Peter Grinspoon, a doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital, this plant is considered safer than opium.
He revealed that the use of cannabis in a controlled manner will not lead to an overdose or addiction. Therefore, this plant is able to replace non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Even though it is legal in several countries, Indonesia itself has not legally legalized it, either for medical or other reasons. This is because the use of this plant without medical indications and not under the supervision of a doctor can have a negative and detrimental impact.
The reason is, this plant contains 100 different chemicals called cannabinoids. Each of these chemicals has a different effect.
Apart from cannabinoids, this plant also contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These chemicals can indeed be used by doctors in medicine. However, the compounds in THC can make a person drunk.
Actually, the body produces cannabinoid compounds naturally to help with body movement, appetite, focus, pain, and sensation of the five senses. Unfortunately, in cannabis, these compounds can have very strong effects so that they are prone to causing serious health problems if used incorrectly.
Law (UU) Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics also lists cannabis as a type of narcotic class I. Therefore, anyone who consumes this type of psychotropic can be subject to legal sanctions.
Negative Impact of Cannabis Use
Here are a series of negative effects of cannabis use that you should be aware of:
1. Disturbing brain function
Too much cannabis use can interfere with the ability to think. You can also experience memory loss until brain function is hampered. The reason is, this plant is able to trigger certain structural changes in the brain.
According to research, brain structures that can experience changes due to this psychotropic, namely the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and cerebellum. The effects include decreased cognitive function, deficits in verbal learning, decreased memory (memory).
2. Damage the lungs
So far, tobacco in cigarettes is predicted to be the main factor in lung damage. This effect comes from the tar content, namely chemical particles that arise during the burning process of cigarettes.
In fact, the tar content in this plant was almost three times higher than in tobacco cigarettes. The smoke created from burning cannabis also has a much higher cancer-causing substance than regular cigarette smoke.
As a result, the risk of lung cancer can be higher in people who use cannabis for a long time.
Lung problems due to cannabis use include airway obstruction, lung hyperinflation, chronic bronchitis, respiratory infections and pneumonia.
3. Disturbing mental health
Excessive cannabis use can also interfere with mental health. Because, this plant is proven to trigger symptoms of psychosis, such as hallucinations, illusions and euphoria. Gradually, these symptoms can develop into schizophrenia.
Not only that, the wearer also tends to be anxious and prone to panic attacks. In the long term, this effect can make it difficult for a person to sleep, experience mood swings and reduced appetite.
In very severe cases, the wearer can develop bipolar disorder and suicidal behavior.
4. Lowering the immune system
Marijuana can make the immune system weak. Research also shows that cannabis can increase the risk of diseases that weaken the immune system, such as HIV/AIDS.
Decreased immunity can make it more difficult for the body to fight infection. As a result, users of these psychotropic plants are prone to contracting diseases and having difficulty recovering from an illness.
5. Circulatory system problems
Did you know that your heart rate increases a few moments after smoking marijuana? This effect can even last up to three hours.
This is certainly dangerous for those with heart disease. Because, this irregular heartbeat can increase the risk of heart attack.
In addition, marijuana also causes blood pressure to rise and makes the eyes red because blood vessels dilate.
6. Inhibits the growth of the fetus and baby
Just like cigarettes, smoking marijuana during pregnancy also affects the development of the fetal brain. Not only that, this psychotropic can also slow the growth of the fetus, cause disability, increase the risk of premature birth and increase the risk of leukemia in the fetus.
Beware of the Effects of Long-Term Cannabis Use
You can feel the effects of cannabis on your health right away. While the long-term effects depend on several factors. Starting from the age of the user, how to use it, how much is used and how often to use it.
Here are some of the long-term effects of cannabis that can occur in the body:
- Memory loss.
- Lung irritation.
- The risk of lung cancer increases, although research doesn't fully support this.
- Development of cannabinoid hypnomesis syndrome causing nausea and vomiting.
- Concentration and memory problems due to exposure that occurred while in the womb.
That's all the information about cannabis that you need to know. Instead, never try this plant. This is because psychotropics are generally easy to make someone addicted to so hard to get rid of them.
Someone who has been addicted to narcotics also needs to undergo a rehabilitation process. The rehabilitation procedure also consists of a number of stages with different durations.