Chemical dependence by marijuana use: from pleasure to illness. A serious problem in Public Health in Brazil

Introduction: Marijuana use has increased globally, being the most widely used illicit drug in the world. It is estimated that between 167 and 315 million people between 15 and 64 years old used some illicit drug in the last decade. In Brazil, approximately 7.5 million university students, distributed in approximately 2,400 institutions make use of the herb. Method: A descriptive study was conducted based on a literature literature review. The research was carried out through the Scielo database and virtual health library (BVS). Results AND Discussion: Regarding the effects of marijuana, in some studies symptoms related to recreational use and abuse of this drug are reported. However, at the academic level, the effects of marijuana use can be divided into acute and chronic symptoms. Acute effects are classified as euphoria, physical effects and psychic effects such as depression, hallucination, illusion, drowsiness and impairments of concentration and short-term memory. Conclusion: Some evidence is demonstrated that may explain why individuals choose to use marijuana. Most often the acute effects of euphoria, pleasure and relaxation are desired, in contrast, it is observed that the damages associated with this use end up overcoming the illusory benefits that the drug offers, thus leading to pleasure becoming an illness.