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Many people grew up believing that there is nothing good associated with cannabis. Anything marijuana is considered illegal, evil, and immoral. Society, religious bodies, and much authority in their ignorance did not help matters.
Thanks to the improvement in science and series of research, it is evident that marijuana is not so bad. With the advancement in research, humans have concluded that cannabis can even help with many health issues.
However, this is not to give marijuana a free pass. This article will shed light on some issues to debunk various myths and false realities around the substance.
Here are seven cannabis myths that are far from the truth.
- Marijuana Makes you a Criminal.
The only premise in which this is true is if you use marijuana in a state where it is illegal. Like all other myths debunked in this article, this is also far from the truth. Not all states have legalized the use, so one needs to be careful.
However, marijuana use cannot make you misbehave or start constituting a nuisance to the environment. However, this might not be true if you have a criminal tendency.
Also, research is yet to establish a clear link between violent crime and marijuana use. Based on state panel data, the rate of cannabis use is not linked to increasing property and violent crimes.
So, there is no law against cultivating or using marijuana in a state where it is legal. You can consider getting black diamond kush seeds from a licensed dispensary.
- Marijuana will make you lose your mind.
There is no scientific evidence to suggest that marijuana will make you crazy. However, some users might experience mental health issues like paranoia and anxiety. This happens with excessive doses, which makes them lose touch with reality. However, such effects last for a while.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), chronic pot use might be linked with depression, anxiety, and paranoia. However, research still needs to specify whether pot use causes this or is used to treat it.
- Cannabis can kill you.
The Drug Enforcement Agency revealed that no recommended death had been linked to marijuana overdose in the United States.
Even when you overdose on marijuana, no mechanism can trigger the end of life of users. None of your vital organs will shut down, and your breathing will equally not be affected, so it will not lead to death.
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- Marijuana Kills Brain Cells.
Marijuana has not been linked with adverse brain effects, especially memory loss. This is in contrast to the belief of many users that excess weed use makes them forget things.
Your IQ will not reduce over time, as reported by some research journals. Furthermore, an MRI scan revealed no difference between the brain scan of users and non-users.
So, even though some people believe that marijuana will make you useless, there is no evidence to support that.
- There are No Marijuana Withdrawal Symptoms
According to a 2020 review of some research studies in JAMA Network, 47% of marijuana users are bound to experience notable withdrawal symptoms.
Common withdrawal symptoms that one can experience are difficulty sleeping, sweating, depression, feeling of restlessness, stomach upset or nausea, headache, and various pain, jittery feeling or anxiety, aggression, irritability, weight changes, appetite change, etc.
You can counter marijuana withdrawal in many ways. Exercise, adequate sleep, water consumption, talking to a therapist, etc., can go a long way to help.
- One cannot Overdose on Marijuana.
While overdosing on marijuana is possible, it will not kill you. You overdose on a substance when you consume more than your body can tolerate or the recommended amount that you should consume.
One can overdose on marijuana, and symptoms are paranoia, anxiety, coordination loss, pale skin, spikes in blood pressure, delusions, hallucinations, headaches, and many more. According to the American Addiction Centers, people overdose on weed when using it with another substance. A judge in 1988 revealed that for marijuana to be fatal, one needs to consume up to 15,000 pounds in 15 minutes.
While you will not die from weed overdose, it will not make you stronger as well. Also, feeling awful after consuming weed might indicate excessive consumption. Besides, it might be doing extreme damage to mental health so take note.
- Marijuana is not Addictive.
One is said to be addicted to a substance if one finds it difficult to stop even after a series of side effects. As a result, marijuana is addictive, yet many overlook it and keep using it.
In diagnosing issues related to marijuana use, it can be classified into three stages: cannabis withdrawal, cannabis use disorder, and cannabis intoxication. One is addicted to cannabis when the diagnosis reveals cannabis use disorder. Even though many people use marijuana, only a mere 9% meet the criteria for addiction. However, when one uses marijuana from an early age, especially as a teen, there is a high tendency to addiction as the brain is still developing.
One can get addicted to marijuana even though the chances are pretty slim. However, frequent use and using at an early age set the stage for addiction.
Conclusion
There are still a series of misconceptions that hold no water on marijuana and its use. However, educating yourself on the truth and effective use of cannabis will go a long way to making you a responsible user.