How is marijuana harmful?
...ouble remembering things. A heavy dose of marijuana can decrease the amount of blood pumped into the brain. Marijuana effects the brain's control over muscles also. Heavy usage of Page: 3 marijuana can have a lasting effect on the users short-term memory. The blood flow to the back of the brain is greater than the front, after smoking. This is believed to cause the high sensation the user is after. The short-term effect of marijuana will increase blood pressure and pulse rate up to 16 points above normal. It will also slow down the digestive processing of food. People who smoke marijuana often will have a below normal pulse rate and blood pressure. A chronic user may experience dizziness or even faint. A user may not even need to be high to experience that, if the person stands up quickly they may faint. A well-known and common effect is blood shot eyes, though this effect wears off quickly. How does marijuana effect the heart? During the time when the user is high they will have an increased heart rate up to 50% above normal. The amount the heart rate increases depends on the amount of marijuana that was smoked. This will make exercise and other activities seem a lot harder. The effect could be extremely dangerous for a person with a congestive heart or with an irregular heartbeat. A chronic smoker will have a decreased heart rate, often below normal. Page: 4 The immediate effect of smoking marijuana on the lungs are a brief opening of the bronchial tubes. That is why marijuana has been tested for possible medical uses. It was not approved because there is a rebound reaction, which closes up the user's airways. Marijuana also irritates lung tissue. The long-term effect of smoking marijuana regularly is close to the effects of a t...