Today, the recreational use of cannabis is legal in 11 American states, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and in countries like Canada, Georgia, South Africa, and Uruguay. Nonetheless, the adverse effects of medicated marijuana are still not studied in full. This paper aims to provide an analysis of the article that gives a perspective on the adverse health effects and harm related to marijuana use.
Scientists emphasize a need for extensive evidence on recreational marijuana use for developing an adequate public policy. In the US, about 12% of people aged 12 years and older report using marijuana at least once a year, while the effect of the drug on adolescents is still to be studied (Volkow et al. 2219). Therefore, it was decided to bring together the most reliable facts and make a responsible conclusion, whether it is safe to use marijuana. Scientists presented confirmed data on the occurrence of addiction in 9% of people who conducted experiments with marijuana, while for teenagers, the figure was 17% (Volkow et al. 2219). There is also evidence of the adverse effects of the drug on brain development. According to scientists, “the brain remains in a state of active, experience-guided development from the prenatal period through childhood and adolescence until the age of approximately 21 years” (Volkow et al. 2220). It is also reported that drug use at a young age is associated with addictions in adulthood.
Besides, recreational marijuana use was proved to cause various mental illnesses. In particular, scientists note that “regular marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression” (Volkow et al. 2221). Moreover, the drug was also associated with the onset of psychosis, including schizophrenia. Among other things, marijuana use puts school performance and lifetime achievement at risk and is a common reason for traffic accidents.
Thus, the academic article on the adverse effects of marijuana use was analyzed. The results of the research show that the drug causes numerous harmful conditions, and therefore can hardly be useful or suitable for recreational use. However, health issues should not become the reason for the re-criminalization of marijuana, since quite often, the justice systems use the drug as an excuse for politically motivated prosecutions.
Work Cited
Volkow, Nora D., et al. “Adverse health effects of marijuana use.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 370, no. 23, 2014, pp. 2219–2227.