Marijuana causes many mental effects both being short-term and long-term due to the exposure of the chemical compounds present in the substance. THC, cannabinol are the psychoactive compounds found , meaning they change the way the brain functions and effects peoples moods and perception. CBD is the other main compound in marijuana but this is not psychoactive so has very little mental effect.
'The experience of feeling high occurs when THC enters the blood stream and the THC binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain' [5] . This causes the cell to be affected and flood dopamine into the synapses causing a good feeling 'being high'. Dopamine is a natural chemical released by neurons as a 'reward' on the brain (a natural stimuli).[6] When THC binds to the cannabinoids on neurons it disrupts the nervous system, causing many multiple mental and physical effects.
When smoking marijuana these are the short term effects that mentally effect the body[7]:
Short-term memory problems
Severe anxiety, including fear that one is being watched or followed (paranoia)
Very strange behaviour, seeing, hearing or smelling things that aren’t there, not being able to tell imagination from reality (psychosis)
Panic
Hallucinations
Loss of sense of personal identity
These short term effects also match up with the side effects found in the BNF book from medicine containing cannabis extract. For example mood disturbance would cause anxiety or fear. Amnesia is memory loss , which has been caused by the small amount of substance taken.
The long term mental effects of marijuana on the body are :[7]
Decline in IQ (up to 8 points if prolonged use started in adolescent age)
Impaired thinking and ability to learn and perform complex tasks
Lower life satisfaction
Addiction (about 9% of adults and 17% of people who started smoking as teens)
Increased welfare dependence.
'Regular use of the drug has appeared to double the risk of developing a psychotic episode or long-term schizophrenia.[5] 'Schizophrenia is severe long-term mental health condition. It causes a range of different psychological symptoms. These symptoms include hallucinations, delusions muddled thoughts and change in behaviour.'[8]
[5] Dr Timms, P and Dr Atakan, Z (October 2017) Cannabis and mental health , Available at: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/problemsdisorders/cannabis.aspx (Accessed: 1st November 2017).
[6]Dr Volkow, N (August 2017) How does marijuana produce its effects?, Available at: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/how-does-marijuana-produce-its-effects (Accessed: 1st November 2017).
[7]http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/short-and-long-term-effects.html
[8]NHS (2016) Schizophrenia, Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/schizophrenia/ (Accessed: 9th November 2017).
'The experience of feeling high occurs when THC enters the blood stream and the THC binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain' [5] . This causes the cell to be affected and flood dopamine into the synapses causing a good feeling 'being high'. Dopamine is a natural chemical released by neurons as a 'reward' on the brain (a natural stimuli).[6] When THC binds to the cannabinoids on neurons it disrupts the nervous system, causing many multiple mental and physical effects.
When smoking marijuana these are the short term effects that mentally effect the body[7]:
The long term mental effects of marijuana on the body are :[7]
[5] Dr Timms, P and Dr Atakan, Z (October 2017) Cannabis and mental health , Available at: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/problemsdisorders/cannabis.aspx (Accessed: 1st November 2017).
[6]Dr Volkow, N (August 2017) How does marijuana produce its effects?, Available at: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/how-does-marijuana-produce-its-effects (Accessed: 1st November 2017).
[7]http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/short-and-long-term-effects.html
[8]NHS (2016) Schizophrenia, Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/schizophrenia/ (Accessed: 9th November 2017).
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