Illicit Drugs Marijuana

 Marijuana (weed/pot/grass)- chopped leaves and flowers of Cannabis indica or Cannabis sativa plants (hemp)  A psychoactive stimulant that intensifies reactions to environmental stimuli  The most commonly used illicit drug  Archeological evidence dates marijuana use as far back as 6,000 years

Marijuana  Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)- the psychoactive substance in marijuana  Key to determining how powerful a high it will produce  Hashish (Hash)- the sticky resin of the cannabis plant; it is high is high in THC

Why is Marijuana a Gateway Drug?  A study from Harvard University showed that alcohol and “Marijuana” were associated with an increase likelihood of drug abuse in men ages and was linked to prescription drug abuse in woman ages 18 – 26.

Why the increased marijuana use?  Increase in availability of marijuana and other drugs  Teens being misguided about marijuana as being a natural product.  They’re unaware of the mood-altering and physiological effects.  Has become some-what accepted by society through media and radio waves

Why the increased marijuana use?  Less expensive of all drugs, next to alcohol.  As stated by Insel and Roth, “One reason for our society’s concern with the casual or recreational use of illegal drugs is that it’s not really possible to know when drug use will lead to abuse or dependence.”

Marijuana  The current American-grown marijuana is a turbo- charged version of the hippie weed of the late 1960s  Potency of marijuana today- Most marijuana contains 5 percent THC  More potent forms can contain up to 27 percent, but average 12 percent  Hashish has an average of 10 percent THC, ranging from 1 percent to 26 percent THC

Marijuana  Most marijuana use begins in adolescence  78% out of the 2.4 million people who began using last year were between 12 and 21 years old  As the perception of harm decreases, teen marijuana use increases  Every day, 3,287 teens use marijuana for the first time  Regular heavy marijuana use by teens can lead to an IQ drop of up to 8 points

Heavy Marijuana Teen Use  Educational outcomes:  Lower grades and exam scores  Less likely to enroll in college  Less likely to graduate from high school or college

Heavy Marijuana Teen Use  Life outcomes:  Lower satisfaction with life  More likely to earn a lower income  More likely to be unemployed

Marijuana  Hash Oil- a substance produced by filtering a solvent (such as ether) through dried marijuana to extract the THC  Tar-like liquid that may contain up to 300mg of THC in a dose  Average of 10 percent THC  Used in e-cigarettes/cigars to vape and get high

Methods of Marijuana Use  Blunts- marijuana wrapped in cigar rolling paper  Joints- marijuana wrapped in cigarette rolling paper  Water pipe (bong)- burns marijuana, inhale through water vapor  Smoking pipe (bowl)- burns in pipe and smoked  Baked into food- Pot brownies  E-cigarettes- use THC liquid from marijuana

Physical Effects  Effects are generally felt within 10 to 30 min  Most noticeable effect is dilation of the eyes’ blood vessels (bloodshot eyes)  Coughing, dry mouth and throat (cotton mouth)  Increased thirst and appetite (“Munchies”)  Lowered blood pressure  Mild muscular weakness- droopy eyelids  Severe anxiety, panic, paranoia, and psychosis

Physical Effects  Intensified reactions to various stimuli  Color  Sound  Speed at which things move may seem altered  High doses of hashish (hash) may produce vivid visual hallucinations

Effects of Chronic Marijuana Use  Causes lung damage similar to smoking tobacco: 1 joint= 3 cigarettes  Diminishes the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood, forcing the heart to work harder  Tar from smoking marijuana contains high levels of carcinogens than tobacco use  Smoking marijuana results in three times more tar inhalation and retention in the respiratory tract than tobacco use does

Effects of Chronic Marijuana Use  Suppression of the immune system- body doesn’t fight off diseases, bacteria, and viruses well  Blood pressure changes  Impaired memory function

Medicinal Marijuana Use  Helps with side effects (such as nausea and vomiting) produced by chemotherapy  Improves appetite and forestalls the loss of lean muscle mass associated with AIDS wasting syndrome- breakdown of body  Reduces muscle pain and spasticity caused by diseases such as multiple sclerosis  Temporarily relieves the eye pressure of glaucoma