How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System?
Reasons Why Marijuana Remains Illegal
One of the main reasons why weed remains illegal is the adverse side effects it gives to its users. Whether you use a one hitter weed pipe, roll up a joint, or take a hit from a bong, you may experience dizziness and a sense of paranoia.
Many people are under the impression that weed is simply a harmless drug--when in reality, that's nowhere near the truth. Smoking weed is thought as a fun activity, which many young people get caught into. Just for the sake of fun, they consume it but the ill-effects of weed can nearly devastate a person's life.
Marijuana Side Effects
The use of marijuana has been linked to various long and short-term health hazards whether they are physical or mental. Short-term harmful effects of weed are associated with the following symptoms:
- Short-term memory loss
- Breathing difficulties
- Not being able to focus
- Increased appetite
- Increase in heart rate and blood pressure
- Increase in immunity
- Slow stimuli or responses
- Dry mouth
- Adverse effect on the motor nerves
- A sense of anxiety and paranoia
- Immediate vomiting and nausea
The long-term effects are much more severe. Studies have shown that CBD Seeds are less addicting and less harmful than the use of alcohol. However, you are bound to get addicted after using it for several times, although many users may tend to disagree with this fact.
Marijuana does not have the same effects with alcohol, but it can certainly be more dangerous than it. It causes long-lasting addiction to its users and can create severe problems, especially in the decision-making capacity of a person.
Affects Mental Ability
Marijuana may slow down the mental ability of people who started out smoking it as early as teenagers. They tend to poorly focus and function. If you notice, regular users do not seem to care about anything, they seem to become more distant, they cannot put their mind to something and concentrate on it, and they have somewhat lost their mental balance because of marijuana.
Marijuana can also increase an individual's chances of suffering mental health problems such as schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.
Anxiety and Negative Behavior
Negative behavior is often seen in children if their mothers had been using marijuana during the time of their pregnancy. Marijuana-induced anxiety can cause sleeplessness along with strange dreams, which are some of the reasons why the drug causes a negative behavior to some people.
The symptoms of anxiety and negative behavior are usually marked by aggression to some people. Many sufferers of this problem have gone into a long period of depression and their personal life is very much affected by their behavior through these drugs.
Health Risks
The toxic substances you consume in marijuana can lead to liver, lung, heart, and vascular diseases. If you are a chronic heavy smoker of weed, then you may experience coughing with sputum and some indications of chronic bronchitis. Moreover, marijuana can potentially cause cancer.
Addiction and Toxicity
The risks of falling ill from marijuana are found to be higher in females as compared to males. Marijuana can also give its users a higher tolerance, which only contributes to their addiction and dependence on dosing later on.
Addiction is the most powerful weapon of this drug. Most of the time, people who tend to waste their lives are caught in the vicious cycle of their addiction.
Apparently, the harvesters of cannabis are also not safe from the toxicity of this drug. It can cause reddening of the eyes, lack of focus, anxiety, and other symptoms if people are in constant direct contact with marijuana for a long time.
Where is marijuana produced?
Although this psychoactive drug has been in legal restrictions since the start of the 20th century, it is said to be the most illegally abused drug in the world. The main countries that are actively growing and selling this herb are:
- Canada
- India
- Afghanistan
- Pakistan
- Mexico
- Turkey
- Jamaica
- United States
- Morocco
- Spain
- China
Even after the rapidly growing demand of weed in the market and being produced on such a large scale, importing, exporting, using, buying, or selling marijuana are still illegalized in the different parts of the world. More and more people are getting engaged in the activities for the production of weed. Some even try to force poor people to help expand their business.
Why do people still use marijuana and why is it legalized in some countries?
Despite all the negative aspects of using weed, it is still both legally and illegally used on a large scale. The very obvious question that arises from all of this is that even after causing harmful effects to the human body, how and why is cannabis still considered as a medicinal herb?
As you might have observed, more states are starting to legalize this drug. But what does it do and what are its benefits?
The most common reason for someone to ask for a medical marijuana prescription is to get pain relief. You cannot get it prescribed for usual feelings of mild pain. The pain must be due to chronic diseases.
These drugs can act as an instant pain reliever for postoperative patients, who are going through a painful recovery after a surgery. Governments of some countries have allowed the use of this drug to make a patient's life better after surgery.
Medical Marijuana
The use of medical marijuana is extremely helpful to those who might be suffering from nausea during chemotherapy. It can also be used to relieve unbearable muscle pain due to multiple sclerosis. If you have some kind of a seizure disorder, a dose of marijuana can help you calm down your senses.
Surprisingly, it may also be helpful to those who are suffering from Crohn's disease. Weed also makes it easier for you to get rid of your poor appetite.
Marijuana in Your System
If you regularly use marijuana, the chances of you getting a job will decrease as most employers will ask you to take a drug test before employment. The consistency of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC in your blood will say it all. Nobody wants to hire employees who are probably not in their right mind and will not be able to focus on their work as they should.
How long does weed stay in your system?
Determining the amount of time that marijuana stays in your system entirely depends on the frequency of drug use. If you continuously consume cannabis, its main ingredient called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC accumulates in your body. Thus, the more you use it, the longer it will take to clear out. How long the chemical remains in your system also depends on how quickly your body metabolizes THC.
Who can use marijuana?
You will get a “marijuana card” if you happen to live in a state that allows the use of medical marijuana. However, the card can only be given if your doctor thinks it can help you with your condition. Having this card means that you can legally purchase and use weed for medicinal purposes. However, keep in mind that you can only purchase marijuana from an authorized seller.
This card is issued by any standard authority in most countries--usually, the government. This card is meant to be used only from the authorized dealer and using marijuana from an unauthorized dealer can lead to the prosecution of both the user and the dealer.
There are basic criteria that you should fall under before possessing this card:
- You should be at least 18 years of age.
- You should not be pregnant.
- If you have a history of psychotic health issues, you may not get approved for this card.
What does the government have to do with marijuana?
Marijuana is not a drug that is constantly monitored and checked by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so it is quite impossible to know the exact contents of marijuana you are consuming. Its side effects usually vary depending on your daily consumption and the source of the drug. Marijuana can affect the youth of the society in an adverse manner. Hence, the government needs to keep an eye on the use and export of this drug in the country.
The use of cannabis as a medicine dates back to centuries spreading across multiple religions and cultures. However, in today's world, the use of marijuana stays controversial.
Most health and medical organizations stand opposed to the use of weed. However, the use of marijuana as a recreational drug is still valid in most countries.
What is cannabis made of?
Cannabinoids are a group of chemical substances present in the cannabis plant, which has the ability to cause psychological and behavioral side effects by directly altering the cell receptors.
There are 483 known elements in the cannabis plant and 65 other cannabinoids present in a single plant of cannabis. All these components have varying effects on the human body.
The most significant of cannabinoids and the most active compound present in marijuana is phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is also known under the brand name Marinol. Another main chemical found in cannabis is the cannabidiol (CBD). Synthetic cannabis (a man-made form of cannabis) include dronabinol, nabilone, rimonabant, and levonantradol.
Unlike most medicines, cannabis is not thoroughly tested, which is the reason why legal restrictions are put upon its growth and consumption.
Weed Alternatives and Its Other Forms
1) Pills - If you are not a big fan of smoking weed, then the best alternative for you might be taking pills instead. The pills can be taken just anywhere with water and one can take relief from extreme pain. Some people take high doses of the pills to commit suicide. These days, the pill form of weed is getting the attention of the youth.
2) Joints - Do your body a favor and do not opt for joints. They only make you more prone to lung diseases. The better alternative for joints is a quality vaporizer. Joints are like shots that people take to get high.
3) Vaporizers - Vaporizer pens can be found at dispensaries (authorized sellers of marijuana). The best part is that they are not going to be both financially and physically heavy in your pocket. They come with instructions of how much marijuana you will be taking in your system with each hit. These vaporizers are the best option available nowadays. Doctors can easily provide the dosage of marijuana according to the patient's needs.
4) Spray tinctures - If you are not comfortable using vape pens, you can go for tinctures and sprays instead. Neither of them has a very likable taste, and sprays can also often leave a burning sensation. However, they can come in quite handy. These tinctures can be taken at any place. The good thing about these items is that they have a strong and fast effect in the body, which means one can easily get a hold of the drug as soon as one takes the tincture. These tinctures, on the other hand, can also be very dangerous, as just after taking a few tinctures, if the quantity rises, one can fall asleep forever.
5) Topical cannabis - The lesser known alternatives are topical waxes. These waxes, in the form of a balm, are applied on your skin, particularly on painful areas of your body. Its only downside is that you will strongly smell like marijuana after its application. Do not be mistaken that it will not get you high. If it consists of THC, then it will most definitely cause a certain high. Some patients are provided with topical cannabis for a faster marijuana effect.
6) Cannabis-infused food - Edible cannabis are preferably the best option out of all the marijuana options. Edibles already come with a dose of THC required for your body, so there is no need to be worrying about measuring and keeping track of the dosage that you consume. These edibles are prepared in separate laboratories keeping in mind the correct dosage of marijuana.
The exciting part about edibles is that they also come in forms of chocolate bars and toffees. Edibles cannot consistently provide the same experience by smoking or vaping weed. The combustion or vaporization of THC is an entirely different chemical process from consuming cooked cannabis. One can take the fun and excitement of taking marijuana by consuming their favorite edibles. The effect is not that faster as compared to smoking and other forms of weed intake.
Prescribed Dosage of Weed Intake
Some forms of advertising may give you wrong information about cannabis dosage and you might end up getting more than you wanted to. The most common myth about weed is that the higher the dose, the higher the sense of euphoria or relief you get. However, that is not necessarily true at all. Most people say that the smaller the dose, the more the effect of relief and relaxation is achieved.
You should always go for a well-reputed pharmaceutical company if you are going to use their cannabis products. The dosage of weed intake should only be prescribed by the doctor since it is just impossible to know just how much our body needs marijuana.
Tetrahydrocannabinol Test
The simplest and cheapest way of getting tested for marijuana is through a urine test. Other methods include a THC test using saliva, hair, and blood. A THC test by blood is rarely used because of its inaccuracies. Even if you have smoked only one time, you will have to wait for at least 5-8 days before it is completely out of your system. THC is not a soluble substance. It won't be thrown out of the body through bodily fluids like most chemicals do. So, unfortunately, there is no certain way to pass these tests except for staying sober and saying no to marijuana.