Plant: Cannabis Sativa Mixture of dried leaves, stems, seeds, flowers Hash/Hashish- most potent forms Psychoactive Drug Alters the mind Active Chemical is THC delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol Most used illegal [illicit] substance on the globe and in the U.S.

Generally smoked THC passes from the lungs to the bloodstream where it is pumped throughout the body by the heart In the brain: Connects with receptors/nerve endings These particular receptors control: coordination, thought, memory, concentration, sensory and time perception, and pleasure This interaction creates the ‘high’ Absorbed in fatty tissue

Difficulty in thinking and problem solving Problems with memory and learning Loss of coordination Distorted perception Impaired driving

Alters the brain permanently Areas that control stress, motivation and reward Fertility problems Ovulation & Sperm production Respiratory problems Decreased blood pressure Body’s ability to fight off infection Emotional problems Schizophrenia, depression, anxiety Amotivational Syndrome???

Physical implications to your health Impaired decision making Career/Athletic aspirations Drug testing Legal repercussions ‘Gateway’ drug

16 states = Decriminalization Lowering penalties/jail for low-level possession or 1 st time offense 18 states = Legal medicinal marijuana Specific state laws vary for amount/# of plants Registered Rx card 2 states = Legal medicinal/recreational marijuana Colorado & Washington

Lime: Legal Medical Cannabis Olive: Decriminalized [possession] Cannabis laws Forest: Legal Medically & Decriminalized Purple: Legalized Cannabis

99.9% of cocaine users first abused drug was marijuana Teenagers (12-17) that have abused marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than those that don’t

Dangerous stimulant made from dried leaves of the coca plant Inhaled, snorted, smoked [crack] Effects the CNS Intense power, energy [the high] Extremely addictive After one use a user can become painfully addicted Very short effects in body [5-10 minutes] Coke crash- leaves user wanting more

Synthetic ‘Club’ drug Powder, capsules or tablets Combination of hallucinogen & stimulant Extreme emotions [+/-] Dry mouth, cramps, blurred vision, chills, sweating, nausea, generally causes jaw to clench Effects serotonin levels in the brain Dehydration overheats the body, raised heart rate  permanent damage or death

Dried milk of opium poppy [narcotic] Ranges from light  dark & powder  tar-like substance Depressant; ‘downer’ Burst of a euphoric high followed by warm feeling, drowsiness, nausea, stomach cramps and drowsiness ‘On the Nod’- alternate awake & drowsy state Extremely addictive Severe withdrawal Extremely likely to OD

Man-made hallucinogen Distorts the senses [usually within mins.] Hallucinations, seeing colors/objects/people that are not actually present, melting walls, loss of sense of time A ‘trip’ can last 12 hours or more Effects are unpredictable Bad trips can cause frightening/scary delusions Flashbacks up to a year later [1-time user] NOT considered addictive

Highly addictive stimulant Crystal powder, ‘rock’ form Initial euphoric ‘rush’ or ‘flash’, After that user has delusions, violent/aggressive behaviors, paranoia, drowsiness, imagined insects crawling under skin Tolerance for the drug builds quickly

Then what do you need to do?

Make healthy & SMART decisions You NEVER know exactly what you are putting into your body or how you will react Don’t be a statistic Think of the repercussions, think of those ‘worst-case-scenarios’, how would your loved ones react if you were gone tomorrow?