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Marijuana in New York

 

September 26, 2024

 

By Thals R Volmar

 

 

On the official website of the State of New Yok, cannabis.ny.gov, it is stated that "Cannabis sativa is a plant with many names - weed, pot, marijuana, hash - that can have psychoactive characteristics and is used for both recreational and therapeutic purposes. [...]. The cannabis plant contains hundreds of chemical compounds, including cannabinoids and terpenes." And further, in its information on the product, it stated that there is no difference between marijuana and cannabis, therefore, in this article, we prioritize the term cannabis.

 

The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes is it tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, has controversial results regarding its benefits, that is why some legislations have allowed the sale of such a product and others have not. As we have seen in the information provided above, cannabis contains enormous chemical compounds, mainly cannabinoids and terpenes. Cannabinoids are substances that act on certain cells in our body through receptors, commonly the brain, digestive system, and so on.

 

Terpenes are natural chemicals found in plants. There are responsible for the aromas, flavors, and colors associated with many plant species. Terpenes interfere with cannabinoids, etc., to produce psychoactive effects. Cannabinoids abound in the cannabis plant and come in varieties such as the aformentioned THC, CBD, CBN, and so on. Commonly, the legislations that have not allowed the commercialization of THC have allowed the sale of CBD, CBN, etc., because they do not provide a psychotropic effect and are being studied for effective therapeutic results.

 

The legislations that have allowed the use of CBD products or cannabidiol found in the hemp plant generally idicate that these products must not have a THC level greater than 0.3%, therefore, a product that contains more than 0.3% THC is classified among those that have psychoactive effects. Such products contain chemical substances that ifluence mental activity accordingly.

 

Cannabis can be used for therapeutic purposes as we have seen above, but it can also be used for recreational purposes. For cannabis to be a social issue, we must look at it from a recreational perspective. Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, is the most widespread, as it is found in high content in recreational cannabis and is the basis of the psychotropic effects of marijuana. Recreational cannabis affects our mood, senses, etc., and causes a feeling of euphoria in the consumer. It influences our memory and the way we act after taking it.

 

Cannabis is available on the market on several forms: leaves, dried buds, flowers, etc., and is consumed in various forms as well: grass, resin, oil and other products rich in THC. Unlike other products rich in THC that require, perhaps, higher costs, in disadvantaged areas, cannabis is consumed in its most traditional form: straw or joint. Smoking straw or taking a joint are concepts widely used to talk about cannabis for recreational use. The cannabis joint or joint all shot is formed from paper that wraps the grass or cannabis flowers to be smoked.

 

Cannabis for recreational use in the case of tetrahydrocannabinol has direct effects on the brain and the digestive system, that is why the consumer, after taking it and depending on the amount, can be the object of great euphoria. Consumers who are looking for constant well-being find themselves in a situation of dependence. Cannabis, depending on the portion consumed and the frequency, can further generate appetite or cut it. Low consumption promotes appetite while high consumption cuts it. As a result, those who consume it too much are thin and will waste away.

 

As cannabis is consumed more in disadvantaged communities, those who consume it in moderation and who do not have enough income to meet their food needs find themselves in a situation of sustained need; they may resort to larger and regular joints to satisfy their needs accordingly. Indeed, in both scenarios, the effects of recreational cannabis are not benign. Furthermore, always in the context of heavy and regular use, cannabis causes psychosis - hallucinations, delirium, lost of self-awareness, carelessness, etc. - and, over time, the subject could find himself/herself in a world apart, separated from reality.

 

Cannabis gives enough energy to consumers to be able to achieve a difficult goal in terms of crime, in addition to this, those who find themselves in a situation of dependence can do everything to obtain it in order to satisfy their need. Cannabis also acts on the respiratory system; joint smokers are often victims of lung infections and even lung cancer. Those who smoke straw can see their mouth pasty and be at risk of gingivitis; they can see their eyes and lips change color as well.

 

Recreational cannabis, in short, has effects alteration, it abuses health in general. Its effects on health are enormous. However, in New York and elsewhere, it is not uncommon to see an individual on his way in the middle of puffs of smoke who is coughing incessantly; smoking joints is his/her habit.