As you can notice, regulatory medical marijuana 1has become increasingly popular in recent years as more U.S. states have legalized its use. While weed usage is legal in many states, recreational marijuana has opened up a whole new market for the industry. As an example, the website https://hometownherocbd.com/collections/delta-8 has a huge variety of THC and CBD products, as well as weed strains.
Here we are going to take an in-depth look at recreational marijuana and all of its benefits and risks, but also its impact on society.
So what’s recreational marijuana?
It is cannabis2 that is used for non-medical purposes mainly because of its psychoactive effects. This plant contains hundreds of compounds known as cannabinoids. The best known of these are THC and cannabidiol, aka CBD. THC causes users to feel high, yet CBD has non-psychoactive properties and is used mainly for medical purposes.
Should recreational marijuana be legalized?
This has been a controversial topic in many states. Opinions had divided: some say it will increase drug use and crime, others say it will bring in tax revenue and reduce drug-related arrests. However, contrary to the expectations of opponents, the legalization of marijuana has not led to a significant increase in crime or even more so in drug use among adults.
Among all benefits of recreational marijuana use is its ability to allow people to relax and unwind. According to many users, they feel more relaxed and less stressed after taking marijuana. It can help with anxiety and depression. It can also provide a pain relief for chronic conditions. Such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis3 as well as improving appetite and sleep.
However, recreational marijuana use is also associated with certain risks.
Smoking marijuana can damage the lungs, as much as common cigarettes do. So it might increase the risk of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. It can also cause impaired coordination and reaction time which can be dangerous when driving or operating heavy machinery. Heavy marijuana use can also lead to addiction and withdrawal although this is less common than with other drugs such as opioids.
It has also had both positive and negative effects on society.
On the positive side, the legalization of marijuana has produced tax revenue and jobs in the industry of cannabis. It also has helped reduce the amount of people being arrested and incarcerated for drug offenses, especially among people of color.
Yet there are concerns as well about the commodification of marijuana and the effect it can have on the health of the public. For instance, some fear that the affordability of potent marijuana products, like supplements and concentrates, might lead to an increased number of ER visits and drug-related incidents. Then there are concerns about the promotion of marijuana to youth, which can lead to an increase in drug addiction.
Summary
To conclude, recreational cannabis is a complicated issue that has both advantages and also risks. Though it can alleviate health conditions and help people relax, it can also cause abuse and lead to negative health consequences. And so, we have a hard time denying the fact that recreational marijuana4 is becoming more and more prevalent. What is important is that politicians and individuals consider the potential risks and benefits and make informed decisions about its use.
- Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo, and Rosanna Smart. “Medical marijuana and marijuana legalization.” Annual review of clinical psychology 13 (2017): 397-419. ↩︎
- Iversen, Leslie. “Cannabis and the brain.” Brain 126.6 (2003): 1252-1270. ↩︎
- Greenberg, Harry S., et al. “Short‐term effects of smoking marijuana on balance in patients with multiple sclerosis and normal volunteers.” Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics 55.3 (1994): 324-328. ↩︎
- Cerdá, Magdalena, et al. “Association of state recreational marijuana laws with adolescent marijuana use.” JAMA pediatrics 171.2 (2017): 142-149. ↩︎
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