Expert: Jacqui - 8/17/2008

Question
if it's true taht smoking marijuana has good effects, what are they?

thanx, keenan

Answer
Hey Keenan,

Firstly, I guess I need to understand what you mean when you say "good".  All drugs have potentially "good" effects, but this is based on what you think "good" is!  

Marijuana or cannabis belongs to a class of drugs known as central nervous system depressants and it also has hallicinagenic effects.  When I say Central Nervous System Depressants, I don't mean that it makes you "depressed", just that it slows down the parts of your body that make up the central nervous system (breathing, etc).  

People like to smoke marijuana because it makes them feel relaxed and many people find that they enjoy some things more.  Many people forget that illegal drugs are pleasurable, otherwise people wouldn't take them!  

Marijuana is also claimed to have positive effects for people with some health problems.  For example it can increase appetite which is important for people who are unwell and experiencing nausea.  There are also claims that it is good for asthma, glaucoma (which is an eye problem) and other health conditions.  In some states of the US, it is used for people with cancer or AIDS.

Problems that may be associated with marijuana include feelings of paranoia and the negative effects related to smoking.  There are also claims that it can affect motivation and cognition (thinking) in the long term.  There is also a significant body of research on the links between marijuana and mental illness, however some of this information is contentious.  My advice would be that anything is probably harmful in large doses, so like any substance, if someone chooses to use it (which millions and millions of people around the world do) they should use in moderation.

I do now know of any deaths directly attributed to marijuana.

Anyway, Keenan, I hope that I answered your question.  I must apologise for taking so long to answer as I was on vacation and forgot to change the settings on the "allexperts" site!

Take care, and whatever you do, do it safely.

Jacqui