Medical Marijuana and health concerns - Research Paper Example

One field of study, where medical practitioners have dealt on studying the effects of marijuana is on the human’s respiratory system. To this date, there remains a 2 counterposing argument on marijuana use with regards to lung related health problems .On one side, claims that marijuana increases breathing problems for patients suffering from asthma and emphysema patients. While the other side claims the opposite. This paper will present primarily the other and non psycho active components of marijuana and will proceed in presenting the positive impacts of marijuana use to patients suffering from asthma and the less likelihood of marijuana users acquiring emphysema. Components of Marijuana Marijuana is more commonly known as ganja, dope, grass, pot, weed or draw among its users. It could be brewed together with tea, added in food but it is more popularly used as a cigar .It could be smoked in 3 different ways : first as a Joint: a cigarette containing a mixture of tobacco and marijuana., second as a Blunt: an empty cigar casing (tube) which contains marijuana only and lastly as a Bong: a water pipe through which marijuana smoke is inhaled. The most commonly known compound of Marijuana is ‘delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol’ or ‘tetrahydrocannabinols’ or ‘THCs’, which is a psychologically active compound. However there are 483 other chemical substance or compound that could be found in marijuana, which are non psychoactive and could be found in other herbal plants as well. Sixty six (66) of the 483 chemical substance are unique to marijuana and these are called cannabinoids (CBD). According to some studies, when CBD and THC are combined they offers analgesic effects to patients suffering from chronic pains. According to an article published by Americans for Safe Access called "Research: Definitions and Explanations," other non-active components of the cannabis plant include: nitrogenous compounds, amino acids,proteins ,glycoproteins, enzymes , sugars and related compounds ,hydrocarbons, simple alcohols, aldehydes ,ketones , simple acids , fatty acids , simple esters , lactones, steroids, terpenes, non-cannabinoid phenols, flavonoids , Vitamin A, pigments, and elements. Marijuana and Asthma Currently, in United States alone, about 4,000 patients with asthma die annually (Grinspoon), Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation and narrowing of airways.It causes of wheezing or a whistling sound asthma patients breathe , chest tightness, shortness of breath, and  coughing. The coughing and wheezing usually occurs at night or early in the morning (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute) . What causes asthma entirely still need to be established. Some studies have attributed it to genes which makes it hereditary, respiratory infection caught during childhood, exposure to allergens and/or viral infection in early childhood and inherited tendency to develop atopy. (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute). As early as 1970’s experiments and studies have been conducted on the relationship vis a vis effects of marijuana use to asthma. Some claims that marijuana use, causes and aggravates ...Show more