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Part 3 - MarijuanaMarijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9 THC), which comes from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, is the psychoactive agent in marijuana. Marijuana is technically classified as a hallucinogen, but is usually discussed in its own category because its effects are markedly different from those of other hallucinogens. There are many misconceptions about the effects of marijuana but, simply put, marijuana is a damaging and addictive drug. It is becoming the most popular drug for teenagers in this country because it is easier for them to obtain than alcohol.
After smoking marijuana, a user's brain is affected for four to six hours, even after the high wears off. Marijuana gives the user a distorted perception of reality; it also distorts the senses, affecting driving and other work abilities, and distorts the perception of time and space. It inhibits one's ability to follow a moving object. One's perception of lights and ability to recover from bright lights is impaired. This is especially important in driving at night. The driver is momentarily blind until his/her eyes are able to adjust. Accidents can occur in a split second. Perception of objects near the edge of the field of vision is impaired; the user experiences "tunnel vision" and cannot use his peripheral vision.
Marijuana use impairs judgment, coordination and decision making--all of which are needed for driving, walking or working. The marijuana user has a slow reaction time. The senses are dull and the user is inattentive. He/she may move or speak more slowly.
Paranoia may occur. This is apparent when the user avoids family, concerned friends and supervisors, or becomes suspicious of co-workers. Anxiety and nervousness also can result from marijuana use. Emotional immaturity is common in a chronic user; indeed, the emotional development of a user stops when the drug use begins. This emotional immaturity is observable when the individual has difficulty interacting with others, blames others for problems, or complains frequently.
Amotivational Syndrome--a lack of motivation and a lack of desire to do anything--is a big problem for the marijuana user. This has often been described by marijuana users as an "I don't care" attitude. This person may miss deadlines, not complete work, do a poor job, get poor grades, skip school or quit a job. The only thing the user has a desire for is the continuing use of marijuana.
Marijuana contains over 400 chemicals. When it is burned, it produces over 2,000 chemicals. These include tar, steroids, fatty acids, toxins, carbon monoxide, ammonia, acetone and a variety of cancer-causing agents. When the user smokes marijuana, he/she is putting these chemicals into his/her body-including ammonia and related chemicals often found in household cleaners-and even acetone, found in nail polish remover!
There is a myth that marijuana is harmless and non-addictive due to the fact that is a naturally grown "herb." This is not true. Marijuana is both psychologically and physically addictive. The American Psychiatric Association has included "Cannabis Dependence" in its diagnostic manual. Marijuana today is stronger than in the 1960's. Today's marijuana contains more THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive chemical in the cannabis sativa (marijuana) plant. This makes it a stronger, much more addictive drug. Marijuana often becomes the center of the person's life and abstaining from use can be very difficult.
Marijuana destroys lung tissue and can cause cancer. One "joint" contains the equivalent cancer-causing chemicals of twenty cigarettes. Smoking marijuana also leads to bronchitis and emphysema. Marijuana also harms the immune system making the body less able to resist infection or diseases. This makes it even easier to get cancer, bronchitis or emphysema. It also makes it easier for a disease to worsen (such has bronchitis turning into pneumonia). Marijuana can cause more problems for someone who has HIV or AIDS. It also harms the reproductive system due to the storing of THC in fatty tissue. It affects the production of sex hormones and contributes to birth defects. It can increase heart rate by 50% and increases the risk of heart attack.
Recent research has shown that marijuana doesn't kill brain cells, like alcohol, but instead coats or thickens brain cells, making them sluggish. The brain then causes a person stoned on marijuana to experience slow response time, poor memory, lack of judgment, and difficulty thinking clearly.
Marijuana (THC) is stored in the fat cells and around the organs of body. This causes damage to the organs. The THC is not readily washed out of body. Studies have shown that it may remain in the brain of the chronic user for one or two and may contribute to brain damage. In high doses, THC causes hallucinations.
MARIJUANA
- What it is
Names:
Cannabis sativa, weed, bud, pot, grass, joint, reefer, Mary Jane, M.J., hemp, roach, gangster, chronic, boom, herb, dope, doobie, jays, funny cigarette, wacky tobaccy, Thai sticks, hash, hash oil, hashish. "Blunt"-a cigar emptied of tobacco and filled with marijuana; may be laced with cocaine
"B-40"- smoking a blunt with a 40 oz. bottle of malt liquor
Primo - a joint laced with cocaine
A-bomb or atom bomb - a joint laced with heroin
Wet - a joint soaked in formaldehyde
Supergrass or Killerweed - marijuana laced with PCP
Type:
Hallucinogen
Forms:
Marijuana - Gray-green to green-brown dry, leafy material resembling oregano, usually with stems and seeds; usually smoked in a hand-rolled cigarette or pipe ; 3-4% THC
Hash - Greenish-brown or greenish-black balls or bricks
Hashish - concentrated resin from the plant; 10-15% THC
Hashish oil - resembles a syrupy liquid which varies in color from clear to black; up to 60-70% THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9 THC) may come in soft gelatin capsules
Usage:
Inhaled by smoking a "joint" (cigarette), "bong" (water pipe), "blunt" (cigar emptied of tobacco and filled with marijuana), or pipe. May be cooked or baked in foods and eaten. Hash oil may be placed on cigarettes and smoked.
What it feels like
Feelings of contentment and relaxation may be accompanied by loss of inhibition, bouts of laughter, continuous talking, increased sensitivity to audio and visual effects, increased sensitivity of touch, smell, taste and movement. Confusion, disorientation, recent memory loss, reduced attention span, lack of balance and stability, loss of muscle strength, shaking, anxiety, and paranoia may occur with higher dosages. Tremendous thirst or intense hunger may result.
What it does
To your mind:
Distorts perception of reality, relaxes inhibitions, impairs short-term memory and comprehension, alters sense of time and decreases reaction time, reduces concentration and coordination. Causes inability to retain knowledge and difficulty handling complex tasks. Paranoia and psychosis may result.
To your body:
Increases heart rate, lowers blood pressure, limits control of movement, damages lung tissue.
Signs of use
Sweet smell on breath, hair, and clothes, giggling, euphoria, bloodshot eyes, coughing, paranoia or anxiety, dry mouth and throat, relaxation or drowsiness, increased appetite (the "munchies").
How it can hurt you
Heart-related effects, asthma, bronchitis, chronic cough, phlegm, frequent chest colds, damage to respiratory system and tissue, increased risk of lung cancer. Reddening of eyes, changes in sex drive, infertility. Changes in body temperature, hallucinations, slowed reaction time. Delusions, distorted perception of time, intense anxiety, panic attacks, toxic psychosis, activation of latent schizophrenia (which may continue indefinitely), memory loss. Long-term use may lead to permanent brain damage. Amotivational Syndrome: inability to motivate oneself, apathy, inability to experience pleasure from normal activity, usually described as a lack of caring about anything except using marijuana. Suppresses leaning, memory, attention and the integration of sensory experiences with emotions and motivation. Causes poor judgment. Aggression and anger may result. Causes adverse effects on skills needed for driving: difficulty in judging distance, delayed reaction time, difficulty recovering from bright lights, difficulty in seeing objects near the edge of the field of vision (tunnel vision), impaired coordination and judgment. Death of self or others due to driving under the influence, especially when combined with alcohol. Unborn children of mothers who use cannabis may develop congenital defects or experience delayed development after birth.
Addiction and Withdrawal
Dependence can develop as a compulsive psychological craving. Studies have also shown marijuana to be physically addictive. Some users report mild withdrawal symptoms that last over an extended period of time. These symptoms may include irritability, sleeping disturbances, loss of appetite, nervousness, anxiety, sweating, upset stomach, and an inability to experience pleasure from normal activity. Individuals addicted to marijuana often report difficulty in abstaining from use during this withdrawal period. They do not identify it as a withdrawal period but instead may view it as "sobriety," and associate this abstinence from marijuana with the unpleasant or uncomfortable withdrawal. This idea, coupled with the continued psychological cravings, may lead to a "slip" or use of marijuana, which extends the period of withdrawal. Some individuals have difficulty breaking this cycle of use and allowing the withdrawal period to run its course.
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