Attracting 14.4 million people in the U.S. alone, marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world. People began growing this Indian hemp plant more than 2,000 years ago. The main in ingredient in marijuana is THC, which affects the mind. The amount of THC determines how strong the drug is. In Colorado, where marijuana is legal, the average THC level is 18.7%. Many people think that marijuana is a safe alternative to other drugs or alcohol and therefore it should be legal, but in reality it can be just as bad or even worse. Unfortunately, many people are under the belief that because marijuana hasn’t officially been the cause of any deaths, it is much safer than other drugs or alcohol. However just because it hasn’t been fatal so far, doesn’t mean there aren’t lasting effects on the body and the mind. The short term effects of marijuana are minor compared to other issues. Things like rapid heartbeat, sleepiness, depression, and sometimes even panic attacks occur during or right after someone uses marijuana. Marijuana acts like alcohol in the way that it slows down your reaction time. While these issues don’t seem particularly severe, the long term effects of marijuana are much more serious. …show more content…
A single cannabis joint can cause as much damage to the lungs as 5 cigarettes. On top of that, marijuana smokers tend to hold their breath longer than cigarette smokers. This means more exposure each breath to tar. Smoking marijuana also reduces your immunity, meaning it is easier for smokers to get colds, bronchitis, etc. Marijuana is especially harmful to teenagers, because it has tremendous effects on an undeveloped brain. It actually changes the structure of a developing brain, which specifically affects areas of the brain that deal with memory and problem solving. While the consequences of marijuana use seem quite obvious, many teenagers seem to have lost the