Cannabis - Assignment Example

Download file to see previous pages 2). The history of use of the use of cannabis goes to time immemorial where it was used in the ages ranging from 2737B.C. to date. In ancient China, it was for medicinal purposes and its medicinal uses spread from china to India and then to North Africa. It had official recognition by Chinese emperor Shen Nung who acknowledged its ability in treating certain conditions such as gout, malaria and rheumatism. During this entire time, individuals, institutions and medical practitioners have used the drug both medicinally and recreationally. In the United Kingdom, it administered to Queen Victoria to relieve her period pains while Scythians used it recreationally by inhaling it in the form of vapor. The drug’s penetration into modern civilization was widely as a result of trade among nations and individuals, as well as exploration. This is evident in America where it was brought by the Spanish and introduced as a cash crop by the English in the early 17th century. In the time, it was used to produce medicines that were patented despite containing; only a small percentage of the active ingredients; while others were combined with cocaine and opium.
The effects of cannabis on a user depend on the dose that one consumes, mode of administration, previous experience with the drug and the affective expectations of the user. The effects cover a wide range of areas ranging from reproductive, psychosocial, nervous and chronic. The drug is mainly used by the youth for recreational purposes in order to experience a mild feeling of euphoria, relaxation and perceptual alterations these effects cause experiences that they go through more intense, such as watching films or listening to music. In this way, it causes hysteria in that consumers become highly sociable and more talkative; while these effects, usually, set in after approximately 30 minutes after consumption and last for close to two hours. Acute effects of cannabis manifest themselves in the form of anxiety, panic attacks and psychotic symptoms (Hall & Dagenhardt, 2009, p. 1384). The impairment is coupled with variance in response time, information processing, perceptual-motor coordination and variation in attention and tracking behavior. These lead to increased risk of accidents for users who participate in certain activities, such as driving, while under the influence. This is because users have lapses in reaction time and impairment in judgment. Use of cannabis has a profound impact on the immune system as it lowers resistance against infections due to the nature of its active ingredient. The smoke of cannabis is also carcinogenic and mutagenic thus increasing the risk of contracting cancerous growths. In addition, smoking cannabis impairs the immunological competence of the respiratory system so that they are more prone to respiratory infections (Hall & Dagenhardt, 2009, p. 1386). In regard to reproductive effects, high doses of cannabis lead to retardation of growth in children born of mothers who are users. This is because; such mothers pass on the effects of carbon monoxide to their unborn children thus resulting in slow development of sight after ...Download file to see next pagesRead More