What is marijuana

Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant,Cannabis
sativa. The plant contains the mind-altering chemicaldelta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and
other related compounds. Extracts with high amounts of THC can also be made from the cannabis
plant

PRO
It is unconstitutional to ban it
According to the first amendment everyone has the right to the pursuit of happiness. What if someone is only
happy if they are using marijuana? If that is the case then the United States gov't is taking away the pursuit of
happiness for Americans which is not what the founding fathers wanted to happen.

Yes, drugs should be legalized

I believe that drugs are positive here is why

Cannabis has been used for over 10,000 years and not one single death has EVER been recorded.
It is not addictive and is actually far less addictive than caffeine
If legalized, far less more minors would be using Cannabis
or weed would be sold in stores, valid ID must be given and the user must be at least 21 years of age. After
customers start buying from these weed dispensaries, drug dealers would vanish and the ones that stick around
would be most likely dealing hard drugs
Marijuana is not a gateway drug, it's just the dealers persistently persuading their customers to try harder drugs
because they know marijuana is not addictive. If they were to get them to at least try the harder drugs, they would
get addicted and come back for more, giving the dealer never ending business
Marijuana cures and prevents Alzheimer and Glaucoma, helps relieve stress, anxiety, depression, slows down
tumor growth, and helps relieve pain for chemo/radiation therapy patients as well.
If legalized, marijuana can be taxed which would produce billions of dollars annually in profit which in turn would
help our nation get out of debt. Cannabis farms can be set up as well, and growing and harvesting marijuana can
become a profession thus lowering the unemployment rate.
Does not lead to or cause lung cancer

Marijuana can save lives

I am 13 years old and I am more informed about marijuana than any of you Anti- Cannabis supporters are. Here are
some major facts that help support my claim.1) Cannabis has been used for over 10,000 years and not one single
death has EVER been recorded. It is not addictive and is actually far less addictive than caffeine. 2)If legalized, far
less more minors would be using Cannabis. Why you ask? I believe if weed would be sold in stores, valid ID must be
given and the user must be at least 21 years of age. After customers start buying from these weed dispensaries,
drug dealers would vanish and the ones that stick around would be most likely dealing hard drugs
(Meth,Cocaine,Heroine). 3)Marijuana is not a gateway drug, it's just the dealers persistently persuading their
customers to try harder drugs because they know marijuana is not addictive. If they were to get them to at least

try the harder drugs, they would get addicted and come back for more, giving the dealer never ending business.
4)Marijuana cures and prevents Alzheimer and Glaucoma, helps relieve stress, anxiety, depression, slows down
tumor growth, and helps relieve pain for chemo/radiation therapy patients as well. 5)If legalized, marijuana can be
taxed which would produce billions of dollars annually in profit which in turn would help our nation get out of debt.
Cannabis farms can be set up as well, and growing and harvesting marijuana can become a profession thus
lowering the unemployment rate. It also does not lead to or cause lung cancer.

It is GREAT.

Why not? If everyone smoked pot this world would be at peace. I mean, I'm a smoker and I see nothing wrong with
it. I love it.. It makes me wanna do stuff, like work. Makes me wanna get up and clean the whole house, go do yard
work, anything. It puts me to ease when I'm stressed. I just love it

Marijuana should be legalized because it improves students' lives.

It should be, because everyone at Massey High School smokes weed during interval and lunch! Which means
everyone's on a good buzz. When it comes to class, everyone is sleeping, therefore the teachers won't have to
worry about anyone acting up. Then at interval and lunch, everyone's on the munchies and eats their lunch. That
way, none of their food is put to waste!

Marijuana is less harmful then any other drug.

Marijuana is less harmful then any other drug. Like cigarettes, it messes with your lungs. I mean, marijuana would
do a little damage, but not that much. Drinking is bad too. Drinking is worse than anything, but people still drink
knowing that it does harm. Marijuana should be legalized. That's what I think.

Of coarse it should.

Last time I checked this was a free country. The people that immigrated to this country, did so to escape tyranny. If
you don't know what that means, it means oppressive power over the people in a particular group by it's leaders.
Why should the majority of us suffer, because the super rich feel a certain way about a particular issue? This is not
the makings of a free country, this is tyranny. We as humans should have the option to put whatever we want in
our bodies; this is not to say that children should have that right. They are young and we need to protect our
young. But as for adults, we should never be refused this right. If you can demand for us to fight in battle and die
for you. Then, we should be able to choose what we put in our bodies.

The only drug I would say yes to

Why, There are many factors why, This drug is helps with eye sight, In the mean time it still does the same damage
cigarettes do, I never heard of cigarettes helping in any way shape or form. But it's legal. This drug is empowered
to drug dealers to make high wages for it. Also it is very dangerous while dealing with a drug dealer because they

are a wild card. Who know's what they did to it, laced it with other things, etc. Legalizing it would reduce the
prices, it'd be taxed making a lot of money from that alone. Also set a age limit on buying or use of it just as
cigarettes. Then put a limit on how high you can be like alcohol. It's funny, Weed makes you mellow out and happy
and it's illegal. But alcohol leads to drunk driving accidents, deaths in the process and rapes of women, etc. and it's
legal.

It's hardly harmful.

Although there are some negative side effects such as impaired short-term memory and increased risk of lung
cancer, it is relatively harmless in comparison to other drugs. It is less harmful than cigarettes and alcohol as well.
Furthermore, have you tried weed? It's awesome! If weed were taxed, it would bring revenue into the system. Right
now, the government is using the tax-payers' money to keep harmless stoners and dealers in jail. Prison is for
hardcore criminals, not smokers.

Id rather have all the freedom in the world and not be safe than to have all the safety in the
world and not be free

what people put into there own bodies is thier own business
if you want to eat castor beans its your own business and to respond to the second opposing argument everything
you just said can be from alcohol also,and i am not selfish because i believe in freedom for everyone no matter
what thier drug of choice is and people driving high are no where near as dangerous as people driving drunk,
alcohol also slows down your reflexes and im well aware of what im doing when im high, so your argument is
pointless and how often do you see accidents where the user was high at the time, not very often, you hear more
about drunk drivers. People that smoke pot aren't going to be showing up to work high everyday if pot was legal
the same rules would apply as alcohol you would get fired if you came to work high. and making marijuana legal
wouldn't make it more accessible to minors, if a minor walked up to a drug dealer right now and said can i buy
some weed he's not going to say can i see your ID he going to sell the minor the drug and make an untaxed
income for himself but if we put it in gas stations or something the minor would walk up to the cashier (not drug
dealers with guns) and ask can i buy some weed and the cashier will say can i see your ID and the minor wont be
able to buy it. but if someone of age bought some he would also pay taxes on it and the drug cartels won't be the
ones profiting there will be companies like marlboro who grow and sell the product instead.

Crime is Down
Since Colorado implemented its legal recreational cannabis market, violent crime in the state has decreased
by 2.2%, burglaries are down 9.5%, and overall property crimes decreased by 8.9%.

Taxes are Up
Revenue from retail cannabis sales amounted to at least $40.9 million by October 2014, with an allotted $2.5
million to increase the number of health professionals in Colorado public schools. In fact, Colorado is
generating so much tax revenue from retail cannabis sales that another $30.5 million will be going straight
back into the pocket of the Colorado taxpayers.

CONS

Making something legal, doesn't make it right.

The biggest arguments I always hear, is that it will lower crime, boost the economy, and help with medical
purposes. that's the biggest load of BS I have ever heard. First regarding crime. Just because you legalize
something won't lower crime. All you are doing is not calling it a crime anymore. We might as well legalize breaking
and entering and grand theft auto, this way everyone will have a car and we'll have less crime. It's absurd. Second,
the economy will not get a boost. Imagine how many lazy people there will be. They won't be able to work,
because they're completely stoned. Pot heads barely have the energy to get off the couch to do anything. And
third, medicinal purposes, so instead of finding the chemical or whatever it is in marijuana that helps people get
better, why not just extract that or synthesize it and give that to people who need it... not smoke pot. What
saddens me is how much time is wasted on debating this topic. It's no where near as important and so many other
things. You want to lower crime, stop doing drugs. There will be no more drug dealers if you educate people to not
use but stay away. You want to help the economy, don't throw your money away on drugs. Buy good things for
your body, like healthy foods. Which then leads to medicinal purposes, eat well, live well, stay healthy, use money
to make better medicine. This whole argument is to justify the unhealthy, addictive, lazy pot smokers so that they
don't get arrested or feel guilty that they are stupid enough to smoke marijuana. Alcohol and tobacco should be
illegal too.

You're all brainwashed!

First off, I have done weed before and never plan on doing it ever again. I used to smoke multiple times a day
everyday, and I used to think it was great, but my opinion changed after it almost ruined my life. I always hear that
marijuana does not affect your health in any way negatively. Well you're wrong. It's just common sense that
inhaling something into your lungs is unhealthy. It also affects the brain. Not only will it affect you physically in the
future, but it will affect you emotionally too. Most people smoke weed because they are stressed or depressed. Well
you might feel great while you're high, but as soon as it wears off, your sober life is going to seem horrible again. If
you get caught with it, your loved ones will be very disappointed in you. You'll most likely lose all your friends
because the only thing you'll care about is getting high. It may also affect you financially. Once marijuana becomes
your new obsession, you'll spend all of your money on it. Unless you are selling it on the side, you'll become broke.
I had a really bad trip once on weed and I saw what my life would be like if I continued using it, and it wasn't
pretty... I have other reasons why I disapprove of it being legalized, but I won't get into that... I just feel there are
too many teens out there that keep believing all this BS about how marijuana is so great. The majority of the
people in this world are brainwashed on this subject. If you ever ask someone that has smoked weed before and
quit, ask them why. I'm sure they'll tell you that it almost ruined their life. When our parents and teachers told us to
stay away from drugs and marijuana, they weren't kidding, and there's a reason why they said it! OPEN YOUR EYES
AND WAKE UP AMERICA!

Marijuana is much more harmful to your body that alcohol or cigarettes.

Marijuana is an addicting substance that damages your health and judgement. It is way worse for the respiratory
system than any cigarettes. It damages your brain so that one is not capable of making good judgements. Only
people are addicted to Marijuana already would argue for the legalization of it!

Posted by: tpj24

HARMFUL!

Many people believe that marijuana is harmless, but that is completely not true. Marijuana can cause cancer and
leads to lung damage, brain damage, and violence. No matter what people say, the government can't legalize
marijuana, as it would be dangerous to society. Most states are doing the right thing by keeping it illegal.

NO it should not be legalized

Globally, 1.3 billion people smoke. Each year marijuana causes five million premature deaths.
Half of them will die in middle age.
And it will affect your brain and make you crazy , and Legalization of marijuana would worsen schools
performance .
Do you admit that marijuana has medicinal benefit beyond its application as a pain killer ?

No because it causes deaths.

Marijuana is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths in Europe alone. It is a gateway drug that leads to the use
of much more hard core drugs including heroin. One in every 10 marijuana users end up using heroin within 5
months and one in every 2 of these heroin users end up dead within 3 years.

Don't do it

I don't understand what is wrong with people don't they understand how stupid this is. I mean are you kidding,
they are so whacked out they cant even tell the difference of good and bad. What is the point to get happy for an
hour? It is useless and dumb.

Absolutely 100% not.

Pot is a gateway drug. One study found that youth (12 to 17 years old) who use marijuana are 85 times more likely
to use cocaine than kids who do not use pot, and that 60% of the kids who smoke pot before the age of 15 move
on to cocaine. Moreover, it causes a higher death rate due to being high while driving, we have already learned
from the legalization in Washington state that this is true. America must keep it illegal.

Kill marijuana

I've seen a couple studies which suggest that if marijuana is legalized, regulated and then taxed, we could have an
additional revenue source up to $14 billion a year. Additional revenue is good right? Sure, so long as there aren't
other costs which may offset it. Based on state & local tax revenue for alcohol sales in 2010, we made roughly $6
billion dollars. But also in 2010 we spent approx $132 billion dealing with drunk drivers (National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration FARS data, 2010). Recent studies suggest that individuals that have smoked marijuana
within several hours prior to driving have an increased risk of getting into an accident. I'm not particularly
interested in seeing the country lose additional billions (not to mention lives) in dealing with drivers under the
influence of marijuana. While it can be said that the vast majority of users are responsible with their drinking
and/or marijuana use, there needs to be a threshold on how much we're willing to tolerate the irresponsible. Clearly
their is a financial cost associated with them and the country doesn't have deep pockets.

Regulations?

They say legalize it because then it can be regulated and create taxes and what not. I call bull. What is going to
stop people from buying from illegal drug dealers, drug dealers with more potent cheaper weed? Absolutely
nothing. They say it will help keep it from adolescents. My question is what's the difference in finding a dealer
down the street or having a friend buy it at a store? I'm not seeing the advantage here.

There are Limited Places for Legal Consumption

A rising issue with legalization is that recreational consumers, tourists in particular, have no place to legally
consume the product they're acquiring because it's only legal to consume in a private residence. So far
Colorado officials have issued 668 public cannabis consumption citations, a 471% increase compared to the
same time last year. Perhaps more cannabis-friendly accommodations could be a solution?
Even when you weigh the pros and cons of Colorado's historic legal recreational market, cannabis appears
to easily come out on top. Thank you, Colorado, for proving that the world does not collapse when cannabis
is legalized.
Berikut ini beberapa manfaat mengejutkan dari tanaman ganja :
1. Untuk mengobati dan mencegah penyakit mata glaukoma
Glaukoma merupakan gangguan penglihatan yang disebabkan oleh meningkatnya tekanan pada bola mata, merusak
saraf optik dan dapat menyebabkan kebutaan
Dalam hal ini penggunaan ganja dimaksudkan mengurangi tekanan di dalam mata, memperlambat perkembangan
penyakit, mencegah kebutaan. Menurut National Eye Institute yang melakukan Studi pada awal tahun 1970
menyatakan bahwa ganja dapat menurunkan tekanan intraokular (TIO) pada orang-orang dengan tekanan normal dan
orang-orang yang menderita glaukoma.
2. Dapat meningkatkan kapasitas paru-paru
Sebuah penelitian dalam Journal of American Medical Association pada Januari 2012 menyatakan bahwa ganja
tidaklah mengganggu fungsi paru-paru, tanaman ini justru dapat meningkatkan kapasitas paru-paru, jika digunakan
pada dosis yang tepat.
3. Mencegah serangan epilepsi
Menurut sebuah penemuan ini dipublikasikan dalam Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
menyatakan bahwa, penggunaan ganja dapat mencegah serangan epilepsi, yaitu dengan cara mengikat sel-sel otak
yang bertanggung jawab untuk mengendalikan rangsangan dan mengatur relaksasi.

Baik untuk mencegah epilepsi :

Khasiat daging kuda

Manfaat daun ciplukan

4. Dapat mengurangi gejala kejang (sindrom dravet)
Para dokter merekomendasikan pengobatan dengan cannabidiol dalam tanaman ganja untuk menenangkan aktivitas
yang berlebihan di otak yang menyebabkan kejang.
5. Zat kimia dalam ganja dapat menghentikan penyebaran penyakit kanker
Menurut sebuah penelitian yang diterbitkan dalam jurnal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, menyatakan bahwa sel-sel
kanker dapat mengubah sifat sel-sel non kanker menjadi sel kanker dan membantu menyebarkan sel tersebut ke
seluruh tubuh. Lalu sebuah penelitian menyatakan bahwa penggunaan ganja dalam pengobatan dapat menurunkan
sel-sel kanker dan mengurangi penyebarannya.
Hal yang sama juga pernah diutarakan oleh para peneliti di California Pacific Medical Center di San Francisco yang
dilaporkan pada tahun 2007. Beberapa penelitian di Amerika Serikat, Spanyol, dan Israel juga menunjukkan hal yang
sama bahwasannya senyawa dalam ganja bisa membunuh sel-sel kanker.
baik untuk mencegah kanker:

Manfaat kulit manggis

Manfaat daun sirsak

Manfaat lidah buaya

Manfaat kunyit
6. Ganja dapat menurunkan kecemasan
Penggunaan ganja dunia kesehatan dapat membantu mengurangi rasa sakit dan menekan mual, ganja juga dapat
digunakan untuk meringankan efek samping dari sebuah kemoterapi. Ganja juga dapat bertindak sebagai obat
penenang dalam dosis rendah. Namun penggunaan pada dosis yang lebih tinggi dapat meningkatkan kecemasan dan
mengakibatkan paranoid.
7. Memperlambat perkembangan penyakit Alzheimer
Sebuah studi yang dipimpin oleh Kim Janda dari Scripps Research InstitSute menyatakan bahwa ganja dapat
membantu memperlambat perkembangan penyakit Alzheimer. Sebuah penelitian yang diterbitkan dalam jurnal
Molecular farmasi tahun 2006, menemukan bahwa bahan kimia aktif dalam ganja (THC), dapat memperlambat
pembentukan plak amiloid yang membunuh sel-sel otak dan menyebabkan Alzheimer dengan menghalangi enzim
dalam otak.
8. Meredakan Sclerosis (Kejang otot)

Sebuah penelitian yang diterbitkan dalam Canadian Medical Association Journal Mei menunjukkan bahwa ganja
dapat mengurangi gejala nyeri pada gangguan sclerosis. Kandungan THC dalam ganja dapat mengikat reseptor pada
saraf dan otot-otot untuk menghilangkan rasa sakit dan dapat membantu mengontrol kejang otot.
9. Meredakan Kejang otot diafragma
Ganja dapat digunakan untuk mengobati kejang diafragma yang tidak dapat diobati dengan obat lain, karena dapat
menenangkan otot-otot diafragma.
10. Dapat mengurangi efek samping dari pengobatan hepatitis C dan meningkatkan efektivitas pengobatan.
Sebuah penelitian di European Journal of Gastroenterology dan Hepatology 2006 menemukan bahwa ganja dapat
mengurangi efek samping dari pengobatan penyakit hepatitis C seperti kelelahan, mual, nyeri otot, kehilangan nafsu
makan, dan depresi yang berlangsung selama berbulan-bulan. Selain itu penggunaan ganja juga dapat meningkatkan
efektivitas pengobatan penyakit tersebut.
11. Pengobatan radang usus
Peneliti dari University of Nottingham pada tahun 2010 menemukan bahwa bahan kimia dalam ganja, termasuk THC
dan cannabidiol, berinteraksi dengan sel-sel dalam tubuh yang memainkan peran penting dalam fungsi usus dan
respon imun.
Baik untuk pengobatan radang usus :
12. Mengurangi arthritis
Pada sebuah penelitian yang dilakukan di tahun 2011 menyatakan bahwa ganja dapat membantu mengurangi rasa
sakit, mengurangi peradangan, dan meningkatkan tidur,sehingga dapat membantu mengurangi rasa sakit dan
ketidaknyamanan bagi orang-orang yang sedang menderita rheumatoid arthritis.
13. Membantu proses metabolisme
Sebuah study menyatakan bahwa, penggunaan ganja dapat digunakan untuk membantu sistem metabolisme. Tubuh
memiliki respon yang lebih sehat terhadap gula.
14. Meringankan gejala lupus
Bahan kimia dalam ganja memiliki efek menenangkan pada sistem kekebalan tubuh, mengurangi gejala sakit dan
pada gejala Lupus.
Baik untuk lupus :
15. Meningkatkan kreativitas otak
Penggunaan ganja memiliki beberapa efek mental yang positif, terutama dalam hal meningkatkan kreativitas. Hal ini
berasal dari pelepasan dopamin di otak, mengurangi hambatan dan membuat orang merasa lebih santai, memberikan
kemampuan untuk melihat hal-hal yang berbeda. Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ganja dapat merangsang kinerja
otak.
16. Meringankan gejala penyakit chron

Penyakit Chron adalah gangguan radang usus yang menyebabkan rasa sakit, muntah, diare, penurunan berat badan,
dan lain sebagainya. Sebuah penelitian menyatakan bahwa ganja secara signifikan mengurangi gejala penyakit Chron
dan membantu usus mengatur bakteri dan fungsi usus.
17. Menenangkan tremor pada penderita Parkinson
Ganja secara signifikan dapat mengurangi rasa sakit , tremor, memperbaiki tidur untuk pasien, serta meningkatkan
keterampilan motorik pada penderita Parkinson.
18. Melindungi otak pada serangan stroke
Penelitian dari University of Nottingham menunjukkan bahwa ganja dapat membantu melindungi otak dari kerusakan
yang disebabkan oleh serangan stroke, yaitu dengan mengurangi daerah yang terkena stroke. Selain itu ganja juga
memberikan perlindungan otak setelah peristiwa traumatis lainnya, seperti gegar otak.
19. Menambah nafsu makan
Zat kimia yang terkandung dalam ganja ternyata bisa membantu menambah nafsu makan, terutama bagi pasien yang
baru saja menjalani kemoterapi.
Baik untuk menambah nafsu makan:
20. Dapat membantu resiko kecanduan alkohol
Sebuah penelitian di Harm Reduction Journal menunjukkan bahwa kandungan ganja lebih aman jika dibandingkan
dengan alkohol.
Adapun bahaya dari penggunaan ganja adalah sebagai berikut :
1.

Ganja merupakan penyebab kanker. Jika dibandingkan dengan asap yang dihasilkan tembakau, asap ganja
memiliki resiko 50 hingga 70% sebagai kanker. Ganja mengandung zat karsinogen dan THC yang menghasilkan
benzyprene penyebab kanker.

2.

Dapat meningkatkan resiko gangguan paru-paru. Asap ganja mengandung konsentrasi karsinogenik
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) lebih tinggi dari asap tembakau. Perokok ganja umumnya menghisap lebih
banyak asap dalam tempo waktu yang lebih lama, serta menyimpan 4 kali lebih banyak tar di paru-paru mereka
sehingga dapat meningkatkan risiko terkena penyakit paru-paru secara signifikan.

3.

Masalah jantung. Risiko serangan jantung meningkat pada satu jam pertama setelah menggunakan ganja.
Merokok ganja bisa menyebabkan denyut jantung lebih tinggi dan mengakibatkan ketegangan pada jantung
penggunanya. Pada saat jantung berdetak lebih cepat, pengguna mungkin akan mengalami irama jantung yang
abnormal.

4.

Menurunkan kemampuan kognitif. Para pengguna ganja dapat mengalami gangguan kemampuan untuk
memahami sesuatu serta tingkat konsentrasi mereka. Hal ini bisa mengakibatkan para pengguna ganja lebih mudah
mengalami kecelakaan ataupun cidera.

5.

Paranoid. Paranoid merupakan salah satu efek samping yang biasa ditimbulkan akibat menggunakan ganja
selain efek kecemasan, panik, dan ketakutan. Namun, efek ini bisa hilang dalam beberapa jam setelah penggunaan.

6.

Penyakit skizofrenia. Penggunaan ganja yang berlebihan dapat memicu munculnya penyakit skizofrenia, yaitu
gangguan mental yang biasanya ditandai dengan gangguan proses berpikir dan tanggapan emosi yang lemah, yang

biasanya dimanifestasikan dalam bentuk halusinasi, paranoid, serta adanya keyakinan atau pikiran yang tidak sesuai
dengan dunia nyata.
7.

Kehilangan kendali. Seorang pengguna ganja biasanya akan mengalami beberapa efek samping seperti
kehilangan kendali, gangguan pada memori, kesulitan dalam berfikir dan memecahkan masalah, serta terganggunya
koordinasi pada otot-otot tubuh.

8.

Sakit jiwa. Hilangnya sistem kendali seseorang akibat penggunaan ganja secara berlebih akan membuatnya
depresi dan akhirnya mengalami gangguan jiwa. Mereka sering berhalusinasi, mengaggap sesuatu yang tidak ada
menjadi ada, dan begitu pula sebaliknya.

9.

Gangguan kesuburan / fertilitas. Penggunaan ganja dalam periode waktu jangka panjang dapat menekan
produksi hormon yang membantu mengatur sistem reproduksi. Untuk pria, penggunaan ganja dapat menyebabkan
penurunan jumlah dan motilitas sperma, serta dapat mengalami disfungsi ereksi. Dan pada wanita, bisa
menyebabkan gangguan menstruasi, sehingga memungkinkan terjadinya masalah-masalah yang akan
mengakibatkan penurunan kemampuan untuk hamil.

10.

Kecanduan. Zat aditif yang dimiliki ganja dapat mengakibatkan penggunanya kecanduan. Ia ingin lagi dan lagi
menggunakannya. Karena jika berhenti pengguna bisa merasakan siksaan fisik seperti sakit kepala, mual yang terus
menerus, badan terasa lelah dan lesu.

11.

Meningkatkan kriminalitas. Kecanduan ganja seringkali menimbulkan tindakan kriminal bagi penggunanya,
terutama bagi mereka dari kalangan ekonomi menengah ke bawah. Mereka dapat melakukan tindakan apapun agar
kebutuhannya akan ganja bisa terpenuhi.

12.

Dikucilkan. Seseorang yang diketahui sebagai pecandu akan dikucilkan dalam kehidupan bermasyarakat. Ia
akan dianggap sebagai pembawa masalah yang bisa saja mempengaruhi orang-orang di sekitarnya

Undang-undang No. 22 1997 tentang narkotika mengklasifikasikan ganja; biji, buah, jerami, hasil olahan atau
bagian tanaman ganja termasuk damar ganja dan hasil sebagai narkotika golongan I yang berarti satu kelas
dengan opium dan kokain.

(drugabuse.gov)
Short-term effects
When a person smokes marijuana, THC quickly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream. The
blood carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. The body absorbs
THC more slowly when the person eats or drinks it. In that case, the user generally feels the
effects after 30 minutes to 1 hour.
THC acts on specific brain cell receptors that ordinarily react to natural THC-like chemicals in the
brain. These natural chemicals play a role in normal brain development and function.
Marijuana overactivates parts of the brain that contain the highest number of these receptors.
This causes the "high" that users feel. Other effects include:

altered senses (for example, seeing brighter colors)

altered sense of time

changes in mood

impaired body movement

difficulty with thinking and problem-solving

impaired memory

Long-term effects
Marijuana also affects brain development. When marijuana users begin using as teenagers, the
drug may reduce thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds
connections between the areas necessary for these functions.
Marijuanas effects on these abilities may last a long time or even be permanent.
For example, a study showed that people who started smoking marijuana heavily in their teens
and had an ongoing cannabis use disorder lost an average of eight IQ points between ages 13 and
38. The lost mental abilities did not fully return in those who quit marijuana as adults. Those who
started smoking marijuana as adults did not show notable IQ declines (Meier, 2012).

Mental effects
Long-term marijuana use has been linked to mental illness in some users, such as:

temporary hallucinationssensations and images that seem real though they are not

temporary paranoiaextreme and unreasonable distrust of others

worsening symptoms in patients with schizophrenia (a severe mental disorder with

symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized thinking)

Marijuana use has also been linked to other mental health problems, such as:

depression

anxiety

suicidal thoughts among teens

Is marijuana addictive?
Contrary to common belief, marijuana can be addictive. Research suggests that about 1 in 11
users becomes addicted to marijuana (Anthony, 1994; Lopez-Quintero 2011).This number

increases among those who start as teens (to about 17 percent, or 1 in 6) and among people who
use marijuana daily (to 25-50 percent) (Hall, 2009a; Hall, 2009b).