thc
...t marijuana plants only contain about ten percent THC, a person would have to eat between five hundred and one thousand grams of this marijuana before having a fifty percent chance of death. The most common way of using marijuana is by smoking it. This is also the most efficient way to get THC into the bloodstream. As the marijuana smoke is inhaled, it enters the lungs. Once in the lungs, the chemicals are quickly absorbed by the alveoli into the bloodstream. Another way of consuming THC is by eating marijuana. The marijuana enters the stomach and the blood absorbs it there. The blood then carries it to the liver and the rest of the body. Stomach absorption of THC is slower than lung absorption. Also, when marijuana is eaten, the levels of THC in the body are lower, however the effects do last longer. There are many negative aspects of THC. It is considered to be a very potent drug when compared to other psychological drugs. When as little as one milligram is consumed, THC can cause severe mental and psychological effects. Once in the bloodstream, THC reaches the brain within seconds and begins to have an effect. Initially, feelings of relaxation and haziness take over the body. The user's eyes may also dilate, causing colours to appear more intense, and other senses to heighten. Later, the user may experience feelings of paranoia and panic. The initial effects tend to abate within an hour or two of consumption, but the chemicals stay in your body for much longer. The terminal half-life of THC is from about twenty hours to ten days, depending on the amount and potency of the THC used (Kreutz & Axelrod, 1973). This means that if you take one milligram of THC that has a half-life of twenty hours, you will still have 0.031 mg of THC in your body more than four days later. The longer the half-life, the longer the THC lingers in your body. The interaction of THC with the brain is what causes these feelings. THC blocks chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters allow the cells that process information in the brain (neurons) to communicate with each other. Inside the brain, concentrated in several different places, lie THC receptors. These receptors are activated by a neurotransmitter called anandamide. Anandamide belongs to a group of chemicals called cannabinoids. THC is a cannabinoid chemical. Therefore THC binds with THC receptors and activates neurons that negatively affect the mind and body in areas such as coordination, learning, problem solving and short-term memory. The biological production of THC is a result of environmental influences as well as genetic determinants. The biosynthesis occurs in specialized glands located at the surface of all aerial parts of the plant. The glands produce THC to serve as a defensive agent from ultraviolet rays. The intense UV-B of the tropic region and the UV-B liability of cannabidiol, may have influenced the evolution of an alternative biogenetic route for the plant to produce more and more THC (Pate, D.W., 1994). Though many negative effects of THC are often presented when discussing the chemical, it has been recognized for centuries as a valuable therapeutic agent. Uses of THC include treatment of insomnia, inflammation, various psychoses, digestive disorders, depression, rheumatism, migraine, neuralgia, fatigue, constipation, diarrhoea, parasites, appetite disorders and it has also been employed by women to facilitate childbirth, stimulate lactation, and relieve menstrual cramping. THC has been used to effectively lower the elevated intraocular pressure of glaucoma (Adler and Geller 1986) and has shown potential for the treatment of alcoholism (Rosenburg 1976) and drug dependence (Hine et al. 1975). THC has been used as a bronchodil...