Introduction of Is Smoking Marijuana Harmful for Your Brain by Delaying Brain Development and Causing Structural Damage?

Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a greyish green powder which is obtained from the plant Cannabis Sativa. It is obtained mostly from the flowers and flowering buds of the plant, but can also be obtained from the stems, seeds and leaves of the plant. Cannabis has many other names and is known with different names in different parts of the world (Schweinsburg, Schweinsburg, & Nagel, 2011). Most of the people smoke (vape) marijuana, but it is also eaten, brewed and vaporized. Joints are the hand rolled cigarettes of marijuana used by people, Blunts are cigar wraps of marijuana (L.Schauer, King, & Bunnell, 2016). It is also ingested and consumed as an ingredient of foods for example, by adding it in candies and cookies (Jacobus, Joanna, Tapert, & Susan, 2014). Concentrated resins such as hanish and sinsemilla are two of the most potent forms of marijuana. Capsules of marijuana, topical cannabis and oral sprays are some other forms of marijuana (Hart, Ilan, & Genvis, 2010).

Cannabis is getting attention all over the world and is an important topic of discussion and controversy due to its various effects on human mind and body (Nora D. Volkow, Baler, Compton, & Weiss, 2014). It is noticed that if marijuana is taken on the daily basis and if it is taken with or without the food then there could be bad effects on the human health as lungs can be affected and in very short it can affect human being mind. The quality and quantity of consumed marijuana can affect people or consumer (Lisdahl, Gilbart, Wright, & Shollenbarger, 2013). Regarding the effects of marijuana, it is focused that that are long-term as well as the immediate effects of marijuana. (L.Schauer, King, & Bunnell, 2016).

Marijuana consumption has many beneficial effects on the body and is used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. However, it is also proven to have many harmful effects on the human body when used for recreational purposes. Marijuana use is also used legal in many regions of the world like many states of U.S and Canada due to its positive effects on the body (Smith, Longo, Fried, Hogan, & Cameron, 2010).

Marijuana has many effects on the body including the brain. It is said to be harmful for brain by slowing development of brain and damaging its structure. (Nora D. Volkow, Baler, Compton, & Weiss, 2014).

Harmful effects of marijuana on brain by Smoking

Argumentation#1:

Marijuana has many active components two of which are:

THC

CBD

THC stands for delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol.It is the psychoactive component of the brain and is released in the bloodstream when cannabis is smoked, and then goes to brain. In brain, THC increases the release of dopamine and causes the activation of pleasure and arousal centers (Ziva D Cooper, 2013).

CBD stands for cannabidol and is an important component of cannabis. It balances the effects of THC by counteracting its effects (Lisdahl, Gilbart, Wright, & Shollenbarger, 2013).

Endocannabinoid is the system of brain associated with cognition, emotions, stress and neurodevelopment. This system is affected by THC (Ziva D Cooper, 2013). This system is also involved in the modulation of other neurosecretory systems. According to a research, repeated marijuana exposure can bring down the activity of the cells of this system. Developing and immature brain is especially more prone to the damage by marijuana (Schweinsburg, Schweinsburg, & Nagel, 2011).

Although these THC and CBD regulate each other, but use of marijuana is not risk free which means that THC levels can become higher and patient can become prone to harmful effects of THC due to overdose (Hanson, et al., 2010).

Argumentation #2: Harmful effects of marijuana on brain by Smoking

Marijuana consumption by teenagers and adolescents has many harmful effects including the developing delay and defects of brain. According to a research conducted in Newzealand, neurophysiological functions of the brain are shown to decline by persistent use of marijuana. Neurophysiological functions are physiological and functional condtition of brain which depends upon the structure of brain (Smith, Longo, Fried, Hogan, & Cameron, 2010).Teenagers who consumed marijuana showed a decrease in IQ level. This is due to the fact that in adolescence and teenage brain is undergoing neurodevelopment and marijuana hinders this development of brain (Schweinsburg, Schweinsburg, & Nagel, 2011). Also, marijuana affects the frontal lobe of the brain. Frontal lobe is highly associated with planning, decision making, judgment and personality of a person. (Hart, Ilan, & Genvis, 2010)

Argumentation #3: Harmful effects of marijuana on brain by Smoking

Marijuana is one of the most commonly used substances worldwide. Its consumption is especially high in adolescents and teenagers (Smith, Longo, Fried, Hogan, & Cameron, 2010). It affects not only the social but also the occupational and educational well being and functioning of a person. Brain maturation of human beings occurs in early adulthood which includes mylenation and neural maturation (Jacobus, Joanna, Tapert, & Susan, 2014). In addition, number of cannabinoids receptors also increases in the adulthood. These receptors are involved in the modifications of neurosecretory systems, genetic functions of neuronal cells and have many other functions (Jacobus, Joanna, Tapert, & Susan, 2014). These receptors are affected greatly by the use of marijuana leading to impairment of structure of brain which in turn results in altered brain functioning. (Ziva D Cooper, 2013)

Marijuana leads to macro structural as well as micro structural changes in brain, as shown by many studies. Marijuana causes changes in the grey matter of brain by reducing the number of neurons and is shown to damage the synapses of brain (Jacobus, Joanna, Tapert, & Susan, 2014). Cortical and subcortical grey matter is especially damaged by the persistent use of marijuana .It is due to the fact that these areas are studded with cannaboid receptors which are under influence of marijuana (Hanson, et al., 2010).

No proven harmful effects on brain and benefits

Argumentation #1: No proven harmful effects on brain and benefits

In the argument one it is concerned that Cannabis also has the proven medical purposes for decades. Cannabis has many beneficial effects due to which its use is made legal in some regions of the world. However, many scientists are focused on the aspect that cannabis is more harmful to human brain than its beneficial effects and stop its use (Smith, Longo, Fried, Hogan, & Cameron, 2010). But there are many studies who contradict the results of their researches by proving that cannabis has minimal effects on brain (L.Schauer, King, & Bunnell, 2016).

According to a study conducted by Delisi and colleagues and Block and colleagues it was claimed that no differences are seen in the grey matter of marijuana users among adolescents and elderly. (Lisdahl, Gilbart, Wright, & Shollenbarger, 2013).

Argumentation #2: No proven harmful effects on brain and benefits

In response to the research conducted in Newzealand which showed that cannabis use effects the Intelligent Quotient (IQ) of the users, two longitudinal studies were conducted which contradicted the results of previous studies. According to this research, no direct relationship is seen between cannabis use and IQ (Lisdahl, Gilbart, Wright, & Shollenbarger, 2013). According to this research decreased IQ, most probably, is due to the use of other recreational substances in addition to marijuana which blurs the effects of marijuana. (Hanson, et al., 2010)

It is also argumentated that, the effects of cannabis does not last long and cognitive impairment is very unlikely even among the chronic pot users. This idea is also supported by the study published by AMA (American Medical Association) (Nora D. Volkow, Baler, Compton, & Weiss, 2014). According to this study, significant by very mild cognitive effects were seen in persistent users of cannabis. But, it was not shown that in case of abstinence from cannabis even for more than 72 hours showed any different results (Lisdahl, Gilbart, Wright, & Shollenbarger, 2013).

Argumentation #3: No proven harmful effects on brain and benefits

Cannabis use I the elders do not cause the decreased volume of the brain. This is also proven by study of America Medical Association. According to this study, difference in the shape or volume of the brain occurred after cannabis use due to the pre dispositional factors. (Jacobus, Joanna, Tapert, & Susan, 2014)

Cananbis is considered safe as it has harmful effects on the brain. It is noticed that cannabis can do the structural brain changes but there cannot be worst impacts on the human brain (Smith, Longo, Fried, Hogan, & Cameron, 2010).

Comparison of Is Smoking Marijuana Harmful for Your Brain by Delaying Brain Development and Causing Structural Damage?

In comparison, marijuana has many beneficial as well as quite worrisome effects. Marijuana is said to shrink the brain volume in young and growing people; which if true can prove a havoc in near future as its use is increasingly being made legal in many countries including Canada. People using marijuana in their teenage suffer memory impairments even after they stop consuming it. In contrast, people over twenty one years are believed to have no memory impairment by its use. (Smith, Longo, Fried, Hogan, & Cameron, 2010)

According to a study, conducted by university of Montreal, school dropout ratio is more in students who use cannabis. Furthermore, cognitive impairment was much more prominent in marijuana users. In contrast, students who started smoking marijuana after the teenage or even after seventeen years of age showed much lesser fashion of impairments. (Schweinsburg, Schweinsburg, & Nagel, 2011)

Scientists still do not understand completely how marijuana affects the developing brains of children and teens much more than those of mature persons. However, people with any mental illness like schizophrenia, depression, anxiety etc are more prone to get addicted to cannabis use. Same is the case with bipolar disorder as people suffering from bipolar disorder are more attracted to marijuana than healthy individuals. So, it is not clearly understood whether it is the marijuana which causes mental illnesses or it’s the mental health issues which make people more attracted to marijuana (Nora D. Volkow, Baler, Compton, & Weiss, 2014).

Conclusion of Is Smoking Marijuana Harmful For Your Brain By Delaying Brain Development And Causing Structural Damage?

To conclude, marijuana can cause cognitive impairments by damaging the structure and function of the brain and developing, immature brains are more receptive to the hazardous effects of cannabis. Benefits of marijuana in the field of medicine overweigh its risks. In my opinion, cannabis has many beneficial roles in the field of medicine, however, it should not be easily accessible to the teenagers and children. Its use in medicine should not be stopped or discouraged at all. However, its use should be limited as long as the researchers and scientists do not agree completely on the point that marijuana is a hundred percent safe substance for adolescents.

References of Is Smoking Marijuana Harmful for Your Brain by Delaying Brain Development and Causing Structural Damage?

Hanson, K. L., Winward, J. L., Schweinsburg, A. D., Medina, K. L., A.Brown, S., & F.Tapert, S. (2010). Longitudinal study of cognition among adolescent marijuana users over three weeks of abstinence. addictive behaviour, 970-976.

Hart, C. L., Ilan, A. B., & Genvis, A. (2010). Neurophysiological and cognitive effects of smoked marijuana in frequent users. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behaviour, 333-341.

Jacobus, Joanna, Tapert, F., & Susan. (2014). Effects of cannabis on adolescent brain. current pharmaceutical design, 2186-2193.

L.Schauer, G., King, B. A., & Bunnell, R. E. (2016). Toking, Vaping, and Eating for Health or Fun: Marijuana Use Patterns in Adults, U.S., 2014. American Journal of preventive medicine, 1-6.

Lisdahl, K. M., Gilbart, E. R., Wright, N. E., & Shollenbarger, S. (2013). Dare to delay? The impacts of adolescent alcohol and marijuana use onset on cognition, brain structure, and function. Frontiers in psychiatry, 53.

Nora D. Volkow, Baler, R. D., Compton, W. M., & Weiss, S. R. (2014). Adverse Health Effects of Marijuana Use. The New England journal of medicine, 2219-2227.

Schweinsburg, A. D., Schweinsburg, B. C., & Nagel, B. J. (2011). Neural correlates of verbal learning in adolescent alcohol and marijuana users. society dor the study of addiction, 564-573.

Smith, A. M., Longo, C. A., Fried, P. A., Hogan, M. J., & Cameron, I. (2010). Effects of marijuana on visuospatial working memory: an fMRI study in young adults. Psychopharmacology, 429-438.

Ziva D Cooper, S. D. (2013). Comparison of the Analgesic Effects of Dronabinol and Smoked Marijuana in Daily Marijuana Smokers. Neuropsychopharmacology.