Running head: MARIJUANA AND ITS CONTENTS 1

Marijuana and its Contents

Esther X. Pham

Cedar Valley College

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Abstract

Marijuana are being legalized in the USA, but there are many others who are against the

legalization of marijuana. Marijuana has two active components, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol

and cannabinols. There are three different cannabises, and the mostly used ones are sativa and

indica cannabis. Sativa has more THC while indica has more CBD.

Keywords: Marijuana, cannabis, cannabinol, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, CBD

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Marijuana and its Contents

Marijuana was called one of the safest drugs off most of them, even if the person is being

overdosed, but how come there are deaths that includes marijuana? Marijuana causes dizziness

and unfocused mind, which makes the person unaware of their surroundings, so it has its own

link towards car crashes. What makes them like this?

Marijuana

Marijuana is being used by young adults more than ever—11.8 million in 2018 and still

counting. But the use of marijuana can be used medically, not only for pleasure for oneself. The

use of marijuana can help treat multiple conditions like cancer, HIV/AID, Alzheimer’s disease,

and much more. Even though marijuana can help those with those conditions, marijuana being

legalized stirs up some controversy whether marijuana should be legal or not. The discussion of

marijuana should be investigated more, and the products and chemicals inside it. Why was it

illegal at first, and why is it now being used medically, despite the benefits and challenges of

marijuana is a controversy, as its benefits should be taken advantage of, but not used in an

abusing manner. Some would argue how addictive marijuana can become, and how much it

could destroy one’s lives because of it destroying the body, but a better understanding of

marijuana can help those highly to realize the benefits of marijuana being used medically and see

the bright side of marijuana instead of the dark side.

Marijuana was banned in 1937 because its unknown benefits were not discovered. Marijuana

was a drug that makes people mindless. That is it. When scientists began discovering how

marijuana can be used medically, marijuana began being legal first in California, and now more

than half of the USA has legalized marijuana.

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What is the first thing that comes to most people’s mind when someone says “marijuana”?

Maybe they would think of the green plant, as seen in many photos. However, the plant is not

actually called marijuana, but cannabis. There are three different types of cannabis: sativa,

indica, and ruderalis cannabis. Each of these plants has its own effects. The two most popular

and mostly used cannabis plants are sativa and indica. Sativa cannabis gives the person a more

uplifting and energetic feeling while indica cannabis gives a more calming and serene

experience, making its uses best in the morning or night, which is mostly why the CBD has the

production of oil while THC does not. Sativa, on the other hand, is best used in the daytime.

Sativa contains more THC compounds (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) compared to CBD

(cannabidiol), while indica contains more CBD than THC. These two plants can be used

medically, but for different disorders and symptoms.

Before the 1989s, the benefits of marijuana were not looked at closely, but in 1990, after an

investigator discovered how marijuana affects the brain’s receptor, scientists began researching

marijuana more and more. Even though there was evidence that medical marijuana can help

certain conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, HIV/AIDS, cancer, severe chronic pain, and

more (De Pietro, 2020), there was not enough evidence that 100% confirms its benefits, but

scientists are still investigating marijuana and understand how the human body interact with the

compounds.

Aside from the benefits, what are the downsides of marijuana? Marijuana can be addictive, cause

nausea, physical discomfort, and more. People mainly oppose marijuana because they were

afraid of others using it and abusing its beneficial use. They were also afraid of the car crashes

that happened because of marijuana. Legalizing marijuana would just encourage people to take

these marijuana without a problem, which can cause some problems.

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The main active ingredient in the cannabis, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (or d-9-THC),

produces psychoactive effects, which means the effect of the mind in the drugging way. THC

contains THC is insoluble in water, which is mostly why it is easier to smoke marijuana than

cigarettes (Iversen 2000). It alters the mind and consciousness, making it difficult for the person

to control themselves. The abundance of THC in the marijuana is enormous. When the

compound joins itself with the receptor, it triggers and changes the cell’s activity (Mayo Clinic

Staff), altering the brain’s activity. A sense of relaxation or a pleasant feeling will overcome the

person. THC is the compound used for psych activity, and not CBD (U.S. Food and Drug

administration). Too much marijuana would make an uncomfortable feeling and even a possible

long term psychotic disorder. THC formula is C21H30O2 and its molarity is 314.47 g/mol.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol structure

As has been said before, CBD, short for cannabidiol, makes the person calmer rather than THC,

but why is this the case? In the USA, there is a prescription cannabidiol, Epidiolex, that helps

cure Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, according to what the U.S Food and Drug

Administration. According to Zagic Stockings, they stated that “CBD was more likely to produce

>50% reduction in seizures than placebo.” In other words, CBD is, in a way, better than placebo

at reducing seizures. The same article even mentioned that CBD improved the quality of life up
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to 55.8%.  From the structure below, CBD contains C21H30O2 and its molarity is 314.47 g/mol.

Both structure of CBD and THC is almost the same.

Cannabidiol Structure

Does marijuana really bring any

good benefits? Cannot other

medicines or prescriptions help

more than just marijuana? Again,

the investigation of marijuana is

continuing, but according to German Lopez, there is substantial evidence that marijuana can be

beneficial for chronic pain.

Marijuana can bring great benefits for people who need it for their disease, but it should not be

abused. The legalization of marijuana means that people can buy their own marijuana and raise it

in their own home. There are some problems with this since this means more chance of abusing

the use of marijuana. One could use it to smoke marijuana for their own fun and not because they

need the marijuana for their health. Legalizing marijuana is fine, but there should be strict

regulation of its use, as people should not freely use it and raise it in their own home.
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Reference

Atakan, Zerrin. (2012, December). Cannabis, a Complex Plant: Different Compounds and

Different Effects on Individuals. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of

Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736954/.

De Pietro, M. (2020, July 2020). Medical Marijuana. Health line.

https://www.healthline.com/health/medical-marijuana#risksg.

Iversen LL. (2000) The science of marijuana. [Review]. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

U.S Food and Drug Administration. (2018, June 26). FDA Approves First Drug Comprised of an

Active Ingredient Derived from Marijuana to Treat Rare, Severe Forms of Epilepsy. U.S.

Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-

announcements/fda-approves-first-drug-comprised-active-ingredient-derived-marijuana-

treat-rare-severe-forms.

Lopez, German. (2017, January 14). The Benefits and Harms of Marijuana Explained By The

Most Thorough Research Review Yet. Vox. https://www.vox.com/science-and-

health/2017/1/14/14263058/marijuana-benefits-harms-medical.

Mayo Clinic Staff. Medical Marijuana. Medical Clinic Staff.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/medical-

marijuana/art-20137855#:~:text=Medical%20marijuana%20%E2%80%94%20also

%20called%20medical,)%20and%20CBD%20(cannabidiol).

NIDA. (2020, October 21). Is marijuana safe and effective as medicine?. National Institute of

Drug Abuse. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-

reports/marijuana/marijuana-safe-effective-medicine.
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Stockings E, Zagic D, Campbell G, et al. (2018) Evidence for cannabis and cannabinoids for

epilepsy: a systematic review of controlled and observational evidence. Journal of

Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.