This report is focusing and discussing the effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on the brain, including the structure of the chemical, the production process, the neurons response to the chemical and biochemical or neurotransmitters involved and the reaction of receptors at the synapse. The active chemical substance in cannabis is THC. Cannabis is classified as a depressant drug and the production of cannabis is all natural. It occurs in the plant commonly known as hemp, which is a part of the Cannabis family. THC is the chemical responsible for most of the marijuana’s psychological effects on people and is the most powerful chemical in Marijuana. THC is partly responsible for the high effect of the drug on the body. Cannabinoids are a group of different chemical compounds found in cannabis, the cannabis plant itself contains roughly 60 various types of cannabinoids. Terpenoids are a diverse and large class of naturally occurring organic chemicals. These compounds turn out as essential oils within many plants and in some cases some are involved in the formation of vitamins, steroids, pigments and odours. The most important cannabinoid in cannabis is THC, these cannabinoids belong to a class of chemicals called terpenoids.  Fertility is the ability to conceive children, the level of fertility in men and woman can be effected in many ways such as alcohol and drugs. Scientists are saying that smoking cannabis can affect the level of testosterone being produced inside the body. Cannabis can have a serious impact on the body’s natural hormones. Scientists want to research more into whether cannabis affects the function of producing testosterone in the testes and the brain signals being sent from the brain to the testes. Cannabis appears to affect the way testes produce and release testosterone.



Background

Marijuana when cold is a water-clear glassy solid, if heated the drug will become sticky and viscous. In cannabis there is a lot of cannabinoids that make up the drug, in cannabis there is 66 and most of the cannabinoids in cannabis are related. Throughout the 66 different cannabinoids they are all divided up into 10 groups.


Figure 1 - Diagram of THC Chemical Structure

Marijuana can be taken in 3 different ways, smoking is the most common way that the public uses the drug. Smoking marijuana can be done either with a paper or a bong. Hashish is another way of taking marijuana, this involves the user mixing the dry plant with food. A common example of this is mixing the plant with cookies or brownies and baking them. The last way of taking marijuana is hash oil, hash oil is a liquid that usually gets added to the tip of a cigarette and then the cigarette gets smoked. Every single time someone smokes marijuana or ingests the drug, the drug will instantly send out the chemical THC into the bloodstream which will then make its way to the brain and the body’s organs. Once the THC reaches the brain the brain will immediately release a large amount of dopamine which is a natural occurring feel good chemical. Smoking marijuana is the quickest way to get THC and other chemicals into the body’s bloodstream. Once the smoke of marijuana enters the body it goes straight to the lungs. Your lungs are lined with alveoli, this is where the gas exchange occurs. Alveoli have a massive surface area, this allows THC and other chemicals to enter the body so easily.

THC acts much like the cannabinoid chemicals naturally made by the body. Cannabinoid receptors are concentrated throughout different parts of the brain, cannabinoid associates with thinking, memory, pleasure, coordination and time perception. Once THC enters the body it immediately attaches to the cannabinoid receptors in the cerebrum, this particular part of the brain affects thinking, memory, pleasure, coordination and time perception. Whilst THC is inside the body it is affecting the messages trying to be sent from the brain around the body, this will mean that the messages trying to be sent will be slowed down and that your reaction timing and awareness will be affected. Long term effects of smoking can be very serious such as infections and certain cancers. Mental illnesses can also occur from smoking high amounts of marijuana such as depression and anxiety. Schizophrenia is a long term mental disorder involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion and behaviour.  In young people’s brain who aren’t developed marijuana can have a big impact on their thinking and memory skills.

Discussion

Smoking marijuana can not only have a detrimental effect on the body, but the brain is whole other story. Once THC is inside the body it goes straight to the brain and dopamine gets released from the brain. The reaction time for marijuana to kick in is instant. The signals going from your brain to the rest of your body will all be affected because marijuana slows down the thought process, therefore your reaction timing and social awareness will be effected. If smoking marijuana out in a social environment, you could be at a great risk of being hurt or you could hurt someone else. Being oblivious to everything around you, the possibilities of you hurting yourself or doing something you regret are very high. Marijuana doesn’t only effect the brain and the body, it effects the reproductive system. The reproductive system is a system that contains sex organs within an organism which work together for sexual reproduction. This system is effected by marijuana because the active ingredient THC, is making a serious impact on the body’s natural hormones. THC is affecting the natural messages going from the brain to the testes regulating testosterone to be produced and stored. Men that smoke marijuana on a regular basis have a lower sperm count, low amounts of seminal fluid and the sperm behaves abnormally, all of these factors will affect fertility in men. Marijuana use in woman also affects the reproductive system, small amounts of THC are found in vaginal mucus and the main reproductive organs. When sperm come in contact with THC, the sperm over stimulates and breaks down before it reaches the egg to fertilise, this process prevents fertilisation and conception. Smoking marijuana can cause irregular or missed periods, however some people believe that blood flow increases which reduces painful cramping.

Conclusion

In conclusion to this report the topics that have been discussed is how THC affects the brain, the body and the reproductive system. This report has covered the structure of the chemical, the production process, reaction pathways, what happens to the body whilst under the influence of the drug, the mental illnesses and disorders you can be diagnosed with, the physical short term effects, physical long term affects and how the chemical enters the body. Throughout the whole journal the main question has been answered, what are the effects of “Tetrahydrocannabinol” on the brain and therefore, how the reproductive system gets affected? Yes the reproductive system and brain gets affected by THC. Therefore there is a clear understanding on the drug, what factors it affects inside the body, how it affects the brain and how the reproductive system in both woman and men can be affected.

Public education piece

My public education piece is a presentation to advise the general public of the information learned during this research assignment.

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