Cannabis or marijuana has gained immense popularity in recent years, with over 33 of the US states decriminalizing it for recreational or medicinal purposes. Cannabis industry stakeholders have created a whole new industry around cannabinoids found in cannabis, which are responsible for causing different reactions in our bodies. CBD is the most famous cannabinoid, followed by THC and CBG. There are different uses of complete marijuana strains as well. Research has shown that if consumed in a well-regulated manner, marijuana can play a productive role in your wellness journey. In this article, we shall explain in detail amazing marijuana reports that might surprise you.
Let’s get started!
What is the role of marijuana?
Around 4 percent of the world’s population uses marijuana in one form or the other. Around 10 percent of those users develop daily consumption habits, meaning they become habitual. Marijuana is a plant that’s growing on earth for thousands of years. Humans have also used it in varied forms. All its body parts, including stems, seeds, leaves, and flowers, have a plethora of uses for medical as well as recreational purposes. Some people like to smoke it, while others like to drink in the form of hash tea or pot cake. Some people use the more nuanced approach and like to use separate cannabis extracts — like CBD or THC — to get special effects. Marijuana comprises around 500 chemical compounds or cannabinoids that come into play when you try it out in complete form. The widespread use of cannabis has led to a growing acceptance or legalisation of the herbal plant.
Some facts about marijuana as per CDC
According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Marijuana is the most commonly used as an “illegal drug” in the United States, with around 22.2 million users each month. Only one out of 10 people will ever be addicted to marijuana. The functions of the brain that are affected due to consistent marijuana use are memory, learning, attention, decision making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time. If you are exposed to marijuana at a young age, you may likely experience the adverse effects of marijuana in later stages of your life. Smoking marijuana consistently can have greater risks than consuming it via different foods or beverages. In most adverse cases, marijuana overuse can cause an increased risk of psychosis or schizophrenia. In case a pregnant woman is consuming marijuana regularly, it could lead to developmental problems among babies.
Some other amazing marijuana reports
- If you think you are alone or among the minority of people who use marijuana, think again. A lot of people try it. However, most of them don’t develop a dependence on it. Even though there’s still a lot of confusion over its legality in many states of the US, around 42 percent of Americans have tried marijuana once in their life.
- Marijuana is safer than alcohol. This has been proved via various studies. Those into regulated use of marijuana will benefit from its medicinal properties, while it’s not the case with alcohol. Alcohol’s overuse can cause real damage to your liver, among other problems.
- Most people talk about Colorado and Washington when it comes to allowing the use of recreational marijuana. However, many people, even in the US, don’t know that Alaska and Oregon have also legalized marijuana for recreational use. Alaskans are big fans of cannabis.
- While studying the non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis, called CBD, researchers at California Pacific Medical Centre found that marijuana may reduce metastasis in some kinds of cancers. Though a large-scale study is yet to be conducted to understand the cancer-fighting powers of marijuana, the prospects seem promising.
- Do you know that a lot of people get arrested every year in the US despite legalization in many states? In the year 2015, 6.5 lakh people were arrested for different marijuana-related violations. As per some data, it is 40 percent of the total drug arrests done in the US. This also means that 1 person was arrested in the US every 50 seconds.
Unfortunately, a majority of those arrested are either Latinos or black people.
6. Do you know that legal marijuana is less potent than illegal one? The reason is pretty obvious — illegal marijuana is not measured for consistency and potency. Many people consume illegal marijuana and end up harming their health.
7. India is one country that is consuming marijuana — though it’s illegal there — for thousands of years. There’s a famous Hindu festival called Holi, during which people openly make cannabis-infused drinks called ‘ bhang lassi’ or ‘bhang thandai’.
8. Uruguay was the first country to fully legalize marijuana for both recreational and medical purposes. Its citizens can legally produce, sell and consume marijuana. Canada and Mexico are the two other countries in the world that have fully legalized marijuana for both medicinal and recreational purposes. It’s fully legal in North Korea as well where it’s not even considered a drug. The US is still behind because of the partial legalization of marijuana and toughened stance of the federal government on the issue.
9. Some people fear that they’ll die of an overdose of marijuana. However, this may be far from the truth. As per experts, you’ll die of marijuana overdose only if you consume 1,500 pounds of marijuana in just 15 minutes. This in all likelihood seems like an impossible task.
10. Many high achievers use marijuana as it helps them concentrate on a given task, without their mind wandering everywhere. There was a study conducted across the UK comprising 6,000 teenagers, which found high achievers were more likely to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana than their peers who also lacked in achieving high scores.
The bottom line
Marijuana is a complex plant. But it has both benefits and drawbacks. With regards to its impact on the mind, it alters human emotions and does affect them differently. Unfortunately, there’s a dearth of authentic research studies on cannabis’ capabilities to affect cognitive functions like mood, depression, and anxiety. The need of the hour is to conduct more in-depth studies on this amazing drug.
