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Marijuana use in Iowa
Marijuana's effects begin right after the substance enters the brain and last from 1 to 3 hours. If cannabis is consumed in food or drink, the short-term effects begin more slowly, in about 1/2 to 1 hour, and last longer, for as long as 4 hours. Smoking marijuana deposits several times more THC into the blood than does eating or drinking the substance.
Within a few minutes after inhaling cannabis smoke, an individual's heart begins beating more quickly, the bronchial passages relax and become enlarged, and blood vessels in the eyes expand, making the eyes look red. The heart rate, usually 70 to 80 beats per minute, may rise by 20 to 50 beats per minute or, in some cases, even double. This effect can be bigger if other substances are taken with marijuana.
As THC enters the brain, it causes an individual to feel euphoric - or "high" - by acting in the brain's reward system, regions of the brain that respond to stimuli such as food and drink as well as most drugs of abuse. THC activates the reward system in the same way that almost all substances of abuse do, by stimulating brain cells to release the chemical dopamine.
A cannabis user may experience pleasant sensations, colors and sounds may seem more intense, and time seems to pass very slowly. The user's mouth feels dry, and he or she may brutally become very hungry and thirsty. His or her hands may shiver and grow cold. The euphoria passes after sometime, and then the user can feel sleepy or depressed. On occasions, cannabis use produces anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic.
Marijuana use impairs a person's ability to create memories, recall events, and shift attention from one thing to another. THC also disturbs coordination and balance by binding to receptors in the cerebellum and basal ganglia, areas of the brain that regulate balance, posture, coordination of movement, and reaction time. Through its effects on the brain and body, cannabis intoxication may cause accidents. Reports show that about 6 to 11 percent of fatal accident victims test positive for THC. In many of these cases, alcohol is detected as well.
Cannabis use has been shown to raise users' difficulty in trying to quit smoking tobacco. This was recently stated in a study comparing smoking cessation in adults who smoked both marijuana and tobacco with those who smoked only cigarettes. The link between marijuana use and continued smoking was especially strong in those who smoked marijuana daily at the time of the initial interview, 13 years prior to the followup interview.
Legality in Hong Kong
Marijuana is controlled under section 9 of Hong Kong's Chapter 134 Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.
Production and dealing with cannabis plant is illicit and a fine of $100,000 and to imprisonment for 15 years can be laid by the court. Anybody who supplies the drug without prescription can be fined $10,000(HKD). The penalty for trafficking or cultivating the substance is a $5,000,000 (HKD) fine and imprisonment for life. Possession of the drug for use without license from the Department of Health is illegal with a $1,000,000 fine and/or 7 years of jail time.
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