Marijuana vs. Cigarettes: Why is one legal? Essay -- Harmful, Brain,

Marijuana and Cigarettes are both things that all Americans have heard about. Man untrue ideas have been spread about both products. Marijuana is not legal and it may not be as harmful as cigarettes. Marijuana is less harmful to the brain, body, and environment than cigarettes. When someone smokes a cigarette they say they feel a sensation all over their body. Users may experience different feelings. Many people say it creates a relaxing feeling all over the body, some say it helps to clear their head, and some say they like the taste of the cigarette. Marijuana creates a different sensation in the body. Marijuana can be used in different ways including using a bong, a pipe, or rolling it into a hollowed out cigarette called a joint or blunt (American Lung Association). When users smoke marijuana they say it creates a high sensation. This sensation is described as making the user feel floaty, a distorted sense of time, haziness, increased hunger, happy, giggly, and dizziness. Some people have reported hallucinations from high doses of marijuana. Occasionally users say it has made them anxious, panic, or feel distrustful (Volkow). They say the effects last around two to four hours. All of these effects vary from person to person and the amount of marijuana inhaled. The ingredients used in Cigarettes and Marijuana are very different. The main ingredient in cigarettes is tobacco however it does not make up a cigarette alone. Cigarettes can have 600 ingredients, including vinegar, rocket fuel, sewer gas or paint (Tri-County Cessation Center). Marijuana is solely made of the plant Cannabis sativa. The active ingredient in Cannabis sativa is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This ingredient is from the plant alone with no additi... ...on, 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. . â€Å"New Study Shows Smokers Underutilize Proven Treatment and Services For Quitting.† Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. . Tri-County Cessation Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. . Volkow, Nora D., M.D. â€Å"Marijuana Abuse.† National Institute on Drug Abuse. N.p., July 2012. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. . â€Å"Youth and Tobacco Use.† Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .