Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org What is Marijuana? 22

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States and Arizona. It is a dry, shredded green, brown or gray mix of flowers, stems, seeds and leaves from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The main active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC for short. What is Marijuana?

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Pot Herb Weed Mary Jane Grass Chronic And more than 200 others Different strains of marijuana have their own “brand” names Marijuana Slang/Street Names

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org What’s the Average Age of First Marijuana Use?

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana is usually smoked – As a cigarette (joint) – In a pipe or water pipe (bong) – In “blunts,” which are cigars that are hollowed out and refilled with a mixture of marijuana and tobacco Marijuana can be mixed in food or brewed as a tea Marijuana can be combined with other drugs such as PCP How is it Abused?

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Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana use in Apache County 1 out of 3 teens have tried Marijuana in their lifetime Arizona Youth Survey, 2012

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Where do kids get Marijuana in Apache County Arizona Youth Survey, %Friends 27% Other 21% Family/Relatives 19% Parties 19% School 5% Home 2% From someone with a Medical Marijuana card

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org THC effects specific parts of the brain called cannabinoid receptors The parts of the brain that have the most cannabinoid receptors influence: – Pleasure – Memory, thinking and concentration – Sensory and time perception – Coordinated movement How does marijuana affect the brain? National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2010

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana intoxication can cause: – Reduced inhibition – Distorted perceptions – Impaired coordination – Difficulty with thinking and problem solving – Interferes with learning and memory – Can make driving dangerous – Causes increased heart rate Short-term Effects

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana Effects – After the Euphoria Sleepy Depressed Occasionally marijuana use may produce – Anxiety – Fear – Distrust – Panic

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana and Other Drugs PATS, 2011 * Used to get high or change their mood

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Effects on body/health after long-term use: – Ability to do complex tasks could be compromised – Negatively impact life goals – Can contribute to lung damage Addiction: Research suggests: – About nine percent of users become addicted to marijuana – Higher for those who start in their teens (17 percent) – Even higher among daily users (25-50 percent) Long Term Effects and Addiction

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Similar to nicotine withdrawal – Irritability – Sleeping difficulties – Craving – Anxiety – Increase aggression on psychological tests, peaking 1 week after they last used the drug Marijuana Withdrawal

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana Potency

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana Treatment Admissions Treatment Admissions per 100,000 population, TEDS, SAMHSA, 2010 TOTAL ADMISSIONS MARIJUANA ADMISSIONS

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Marijuana’s negative effects on attention, memory and learning can last for days or weeks Daily marijuana smoker functioning at a reduced intellectual level most or all of the time Lower grades and more likely to drop out of school Marijuana Impact on school, work and social life

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Medical Marijuana vs. Marijuana =

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org 3 out of 4 youth in treatment for marijuana use in Denver report using diverted medical marijuana. Marijuana Diversion Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Media & Marijuana

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Prevention Works!

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Focus on one goal: You do not want them to use. Stick to simple, straightforward arguments: – Marijuana makes it harder for your brain to make good decisions – Marijuana reduces motivation, increases impulsivity – For some people, once they start using marijuana, they can’t or won’t stop – Marijuana can keep you from doing and being your best Preventing Marijuana Use - Talking to your kids about Marijuana

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Legalization, comparisons to alcohol and medical marijuana are all worthwhile topics, but they are distractions from the main point: You don’t want them to use. Issues Related to Marijuana

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org If yes, don’t lie; but don’t tell “war stories.” Focus on your child’s future decisions. Circle back to your primary messages: “It was a dumb thing to do. No one ever talked with me about it” If you didn’t use, discuss how you saw others act. “Did you use?”

Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org What to Do When You Spot Drug/Alcohol Use 5 ways to take action 1. Focus - You can do this Don’t panic, but act right away 2. Start talking Let your child know you are concerned - communicate your disapproval 3. Set limits – set rules and consequences 4. Monitor – Look for evidence, make lists, keep track 5. Get outside/professional help – you don’t have to do this alone

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Click to edit Master subtitle style drugfree.org Review Parent Scenarios

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