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General Info
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| Marijuana |
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Facts:
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Today, marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the U.S. Marijuana is a complex drug and it can cause a lot of subtle and not so subtle changes in the way people think and feel.
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Risks of use depend on where you are, who you are with, and what you are doing but keep the following things in mind:
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Marijuana can make it harder to function, in school work or job related activities, short term memory and brain cell transmission is effected.
- Marijuana slows reflexes and impairs visual perceptions
- On rare occasions, a person using marijuana will have a panic attack
- Marijuana directly effects the central nervous system
- Sex under the influence carries risks too
- Smoking marijuana irritates the mouth, throat, and lungs
- Using marijuana can have legal consequences
- Marijuana use depresses the immune system and reduces lung capacity
- A positive drug test can result for quite a while, even months after use
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Risks of the unknown:
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Since marijuana cultivation is illegal and THC levels are not standardized, you won’t ever really know what you’re getting. You also won’t be sure what pesticides and other chemicals could have been used in growing it.
Pot poses potentially serious risks to children, pregnant women, and those with underlying emotional problems.
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Information:
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People smoke, chew, or eat marijuana for its hallucinogenic and intoxicating effects. It is known by a number of slang names, including “pot,” “grass,” “reefer,” “weed,” and “Mary Jane.”
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There are different levels of use:
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Experimental, Social/Recreational, Abuse, and Dependency.
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Effects:
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Fully understanding all the effects of marijuana is tricky because pot causes so many changes and has a group of overlapping effects that involve different reactions in different body systems.
What the body systems react to is a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which triggers most of the mood and mind changes associated with pot.
THC in marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces (metabolites) of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. However, in chronic heavy users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using marijuana.
Many users describe two phases of marijuana intoxication:
initial stimulation, which includes giddiness and euphoria, followed by
sedation and pleasant tranquility. Mood changes are often accompanied by altered perceptions of time and space. Thinking processes become disrupted by fragmentary ideas and memories. Many users report increased appetite, heightened sensory awareness, and general feelings of pleasure.
Most effects from changes in perception to feelings of relaxation and euphoria usually peak within an hour and disappear altogether in 2-3 hours. Other effects may last longer.
Since THC breakdown products, or metabolites, can linger in the body for days or weeks after use, this could be risky, particularly for those involved in hazardous activities or occupations, and long term learning and memory problems still have not been ruled out.
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Negative effects of marijuana use can include confusion, acute panic reactions, anxiety attacks, fear, a sense of helplessness, and loss of self-control. Chronic marijuana users may develop amotivational syndrome characterized by passivity, decreased motivation, and preoccupation with taking drugs. Like alcohol intoxication, marijuana intoxication impairs judgment, comprehension, memory, speech, problem-solving ability, reaction time, and driving skills.
The effects of long-term marijuana use on the intellect have not been established.
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For more information on marijuana and other drugs, contact:
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National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345
Rockville, MD 20847
1-800-729-6686
TDD 1-800-487-4899
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Websites:
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The National Institute on Drug
Abuse.
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Do It Now Foundation
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