30 July 2008 - 22:39Marijuana. Part 2.
Marijuana does, over time, have a depressing effect on the brain’s memory centers. With heavy smokers of this drug, there have been cases of respiratory problems. There is also documentation that for the first sixty to ninety minutes chances of a heart attack are alarmingly increased due to the fact that the heart rate and blood pressure both spike. Users also have a period of time in which their perception is altered and their reflexes and responses are impaired which heightens the chance of an accident, particularly if driving. The drug also can make many users paranoid for a short while and it will also magnify any underlying mental problems. The effects of marijuana were once depicted in a movie from the 30s, “Reefer Madness”, which showed outrageous behavior among a group of teens, but these results were later scoffed at. If someone does have an addictive personality, marijuana may be that bridge to other drugs. As a result of being thought of as a “harmless” drug, and distributed as such, it has been possible for marijuana to reach younger and younger groups. It is not a very big step for a 6th grader to go from one smoke (cigarette) to another. This is especially true when one is told that it is just a “little joint”. Marijuana demand has been responsible for many gang and cartel formations in the 70s and 80s as they fought to corral the millions of dollars that were being paid for this relatively simple and inexpensive (to produce) commodity.
There has also been a negative impact on the economy due to lost work hours that can be attributed both directly and indirectly to the use of this drug. It does not matter whether the hours lost are due to tardiness, absences or job accidents while under the influence…..lost hours of any sort are going to impact both families and the economy. Also, long term marijuana use has contributed to many young adults failing to continue or finish their education.
Marijuana legalization is worthy of consideration when you weigh both sides and choose to see the larger picture. We cannot legislate morality and this is a moral question. Those who would seek to abuse this substance will do so one way or another. The people who are in need of the beneficial properties will be allowed their relief and not be made to feel as though they are criminals. The legalization, regulation and taxation of this drug would assure a safe product and would also assure a huge stream of revenue for our government, federal, state and local. The people who would be licensed to grow the crops commercially would have jobs to offer and there would always be those who would be happy with the home-grown variety. Prices would be at a level which could halt the import of the foreign grown crops and there would be no need for people to try and hustle to sell this drug on street corners or in alleys. Merely removing the illegal label would cause the allure of the drug to dim for some. Prohibition did not work for alcohol and it has not worked for marijuana to this point. It is time we heeded the lessons of our past and incorporated them into our present and future. It is time to reconsider our priorities and our commitments. Is there really that much of a difference between nicotine, alcohol and marijuana? Of the three, marijuana has ruined the fewest lives, killed the fewest people and destroyed the fewest families. The glaring difference is that the first two are regulated and taxed and the third is not.
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Marijuana, or cannabis sativa, a common hemp plant, is both the most commonly used and the most commonly abused illegal recreational drug in the world today. The history of this unassuming plant can be traced back to the days of the Neanderthal. Archaeologists have recovered burned and blackened seeds from this plant at fire pits which are dated to 10,000 BC. While we have no idea of the exact use these men had for cannabis, we do know that through the years many cultures have used it during religious and other sacred rituals. Today, in some countries, they still use marijuana in this manner. However, in the United States, this drug remains illegal, untaxed and unregulated. Laws making the possession, selling, or use of marijuana illegal, were enacted early in the 20th century. These laws have essentially remained with us throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, although there is now a growing support for the legalization of marijuana. It was thought that once laws were in force, the use of marijuana would be eliminated, but, as with liquor, this thinking proved false.
Cocaine is the most powerful, naturally occurring stimulant that has yet been discovered and it has a history as old as time. Cocaine is extracted from the leaves of the coca plant, which is a native of South America. The majority of the coca crop is grown in only 3 South American countries, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. The extraction of cocaine from the leaves was discovered only after the Spaniards began exporting the leaves to Europe. The South American natives had contented themselves for years with merely chewing on the leaves which accomplished much the same purpose as far as cocaine extraction is concerned. The cocaine, when extracted forms a hard, crystalline type ball and must be acid neutralized in order for it to change from the rock form into a powder. If not treated with an acid, the cocaine will retain the hard rock qualities and form and this is known as crack cocaine, which is an even more strongly addictive drug. Cocaine is second in world popularity only to marijuana. But there is no other drug that comes close to generating the street dollars commanded by cocaine. The latest government estimate showed street cocaine at the center of an empire generating 80 billion dollars annually. It is not difficult to understand why the different drug cartels and street gangs are in such frequent wars to claim their share of the drug pie.
In today’s workplace environment a urine screen (or test) has become almost as routine as filling out of a job application. Urine tests are non-invasive methods of collecting a body fluid for the purpose of testing the sample for the presence of any drugs. It should be noted that a urine test ca not be used to test for the presence of a drug that has just been ingested, but it is very good at being able to find any traces of drugs that are presently being excreted by way of the urinary tract. Urine tests are designed to find the metabolites or traces of drugs. Metabolites are the by-products of the drug itself and these metabolites occur when your body has broken down a drug and is beginning to excrete it. These metabolites, or trace particles, are found in the urine for as long as it takes your body to process and clear the drug. For some drugs, the entire process could take 12 hours. For other drugs, traces remain in the urine you excrete for 1-3 days or longer. In some instances, such as with marijuana (pot) the urine may remain positive for 1-3 months. These timelines are all dependent on the type of drug taken and whether the use was short term or habitual. To a lesser degree clearance rates are also affected by body type, age, health factors, height and weight.