Effects of Marijuana on the Body When Used Long-Term
Marijuana refers to the part of the plant Cannabis sativa which is dried. This part can include leaves, flowers, roots, even seeds. A component called THC in marijuana exerts an effect “high ” to its users. How to use marijuana varies, can be rolled into cigarettes, use bong, up to using vaporizer. Marijuana can also be mixed into foods such as brownies, cookies, candy, or even brewed like tea.
Compared to other types of recreational drugs, marijuana is considered the most “benign” and has the least risk. Even the use of marijuana as a medical therapy for health has begun to be recognized in various countries.
But what would happen if marijuana was used routinely over the long term? Check out the description below.
Effects on physical
Breathing problems
The use of burnt marijuana causes the same respiratory problems as smoking. The components in marijuana can cause irritation of the lungs, causing coughing, excessive phlegm production, and a high risk of suffering from other lung diseases such as pneumonia and lung infections.
Increased heart rate
Three hours after consuming marijuana, your heart rate will increase and in the long run can cause heart rhythm instability. This increases the risk of developing heart disease later in life. Those who use marijuana and have a history of heart disease are at a higher risk of having a heart attack.
Changes in brain structure
Cannabis use can cause structural changes in the hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and prefrontal cortex on the brain. The more often and the greater the amount of marijuana that is consumed, the more significant changes will appear. In fact, this part of the brain is important in influencing the way we judge positive and negative things in the environment and how we make decisions about them.
Researchers reveal these brain changes can also occur due to long-term use which usually leads to addiction. As quoted from Forbes, Jodi Gilman, a researcher from the Massachusetts General Center for Addiction Medicine, said that marijuana users who are in the process of becoming addicted experience structural changes and the formation of new connections in the brain associated with addiction.
Impaired fertility
The long-term effects of marijuana use in both men and women can have an impact on fertility. In men, it can result in decreased levels of the hormone testosterone, which results in reduced sperm count. In addition, the risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction to testicular cancer is also higher. In women, it can cause irregular menstrual cycles.
Weakened immune system
The levels of THC in marijuana can damage cells and tissues that serve as protection against certain diseases. This makes marijuana users more susceptible to diseases such as coughs, colds, to infectious diseases or diseases that come from viruses.
Inhibits fetal and infant growth and development
The use of marijuana during pregnancy has the potential to inhibit brain development in the fetus. The effect is, when a child is born there can be problems with children’s behavior such as difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering, and weakness in problem solving.
Effects on mental
Reducing cognitive intelligence
Those who consumed marijuana reported decreased learning abilities, ability to focus, and memory abilities. This gets worse if a person starts using marijuana at a young age. One study found an 8-point drop in IQ in those who used marijuana for a long time. A significant decrease in IQ scores was found in those who used marijuana since adolescence and continued into adulthood.
Risk of psychotic symptoms
The use of marijuana can cause psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and thinking disorders. Initiated thoughts of suicide, depression, excessive nervousness, to schizophrenia dacan occur in those who use marijuana in the long term.
Although the health effects of marijuana use still require further research, the THC levels in cannabis are increasing from year to year. THC levels in cannabis leaves used to range from 1% to 4%, now they can reach 7%. Increasing levels of THC can make it easier for a person to become dependent on marijuana.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Drug Facts: Marijuana. (2016, March). Retrieved from the National Institute on Drug Abuse: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
Walton, AG (2014, April 15). Marijuana Recreational Events May Be Linked To Brain Changes. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/04/15/even-recreational-marijuana-may-be-linked-to-brain-changes/#2420c2395b12
Ratini, M. (2014, October 9). How Does Marijuana Affect You? Retrieved from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/marijuana-use-and-its-effects?page=2
Walton, AG (2014, October 7). What 20 Years Of Research Has Taught Us About The Chronic Effects Of Marijuana. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/10/07/what-20-years-of-research-has-taught-us-about-the-chronic-effects-of- marijuana / # 60984a24d25d
