Motor abilities marijuana

A THC tetrahydrocannabinol is the major psychoactive ingredient in the Cannabisplant. A THC is responsible for both the psychiahic and therapeutic effects obtained from marijuana. Its receptor, the cannabinoid receptor, is located mainly tat the presynaptic gap. The areas of the brain most affected are the basal ganglia, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and the hippocampus. The acute effects consist of degradation in short term memory, changes in sensory perception, reduced concenhation, disturbances in motor abilities, hypothermia, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and reduced pain perception. 

Cocaine acts similarly to amphetamine with regard to its ability to enhance the effects of the catecholamines and serotonin at the synapse. The actions of cocaine on the brain lead to increased alertness, reduced hunger, increased physical and mental endurance, increased motor activity, and an intensification of most normal pleasures. This last feature may explain why so many claim that cocaine enhances emotional and sexual feelings. Cocaine abusers usually co-administer other drugs that are brain depressants (e.g., alcohol, heroin, or marijuana) to decrease the unpleasant hyperstimulant aspects of cocaine. 

A 50-year-old man with hereditary osteo-onychodys-plasia had smoked marijuana since 1974 to alleviate muscle spasms and pain (current use 7 g/day of 3.75% THC). He had mild-to-moderate impairment of attention and concentration and reduced ability to acquire new verbal material. He scored poorly on the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), a measure of short-term memory recall, and had difficulty with motor tasks. 

Acute physical and psychological effects. Marijuana intoxication has an adverse effect on attention span, short-term memory, and psychomotor performance. Anxiety and panic attacks can occur, primarily in new users who are not familiar with marijuanas eflFects. At very high doses, some people experience delusions and hallucinations. There are no cases of fatal marijuana poisoning and humans are very unfikely to be able to ingest a fatal dose. The eflFect of marijuana intoxication impairs motor and cognitive abilities necessary to safely drive a car or operate machinery. The extent to which marijuana is involved in auto accidents is unclear. Many motorists intoxicated with marijuana drive more slowly and carefully and take fewer risks. However, there is an increased risk of accidents after using marijuana, but marijuana alone does not appear to contribute a great deal to accidents. Marijuana in combination with alcohol does. 

Use of any drug, except when administered to a driver by, or imder the instructions of, a licensed medical practitioner, who has advised the driver that the substance will not affect the driver s ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle. (The use of marijuana under California Proposition 215 or the use of any Schedule I drug under Arizona Proposition 200 is not a legitimate medical explanation. Under federal law, the use of marijuana or any Schedule I drug does not have a legitimate medical use in the United States.) ... 

---