Marijuana is typically viewed by users as a safe drug, and even those who would never try other substances often wave away the warnings. Those who decry its use, on the other hand, tend to overstate the dangers. Here are some of the common misconceptions about marijuana.
Marijuana is not addictive – 30 percent of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder, and the disorder can turn into addiction in more severe cases. Dependence is more common than addiction, and some signs of dependence are irritability, mood and sleep difficulties, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, and physical discomfort.
Marijuana is a gateway drug – Studies have found that adults who use marijuana are more likely to develop alcohol disorders, but this could be misleading. The drug itself doesn’t necessarily prime people to use harder substances. If a gateway exists, it’s more social than physical. Simply by being around marijuana and the people who use it, an individual might be more likely to end up trying other drugs. Also, people who use marijuana as an attempt to cope with stress or other emotional distress may move on to other drugs in an attempt to better drown out their feelings.
Marijuana doesn’t actually cause the munchies – In a study performed on mice, scientists found that marijuana causes hunger by taking over the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for hunger, libido, sleep, and more.
Marijuana now isn’t as strong as it used to be – The concentration of THC in cannabis today is much higher than it used to be because growers have been selectively breeding plants to be higher in THC.
All marijuana has the same high – There are three distinct strains of the plant – sativa, indica and rudrealis – and all three have different effects. Sativa will make you feel energetic rather than stoned, and because it contains more THC than CBD it’s used more recreationally than medicinally. Indicia has more CBD and will give you a more relaxed feeling. Ruderalis is not generally used for smoking because it is not as psychoactive as the indica or sativa strains, and instead is a common genetic source for hybrid marijuana strains.
Synthetic marijuana is not safe – Synthetic marijuana, also known as spice, K2, and fake weed, can be up to 100 times stronger than natural marijuana. It is also not likely to be manufactured in a safe, clean manner.
You can’t overdose on marijuana – You can overdose, but won’t be lethal. Symptoms of a (nonlethal) marijuana overdose include anxiety, paranoia, dizziness, and loss of coordination. In order to die, a person would need to consume approximately 15,000 pounds of marijuana in about 15 minutes.
Marijuana is a miracle treatment for glaucoma – Marijuana does help with glaucoma, but according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there is no reason to believe that marijuana is any better at treating glaucoma than FDA-approved medications.
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