1. Marijuana and Psychotherapy
Effects of THC on Brain & Body Functioning
Basics of Substance Abuse and Addition
Let’s play Hide and Seek
What are the Statics
Research on treatment
Questions?

2. Effects of THC on Brain Functioning
Short-term effects When smoked THC quickly passes into the bloodstream. Then to the brain and other organs throughout the body. The body absorbs THC more slowly when the person eats or drinks it. In that case, the user generally feels the effects after 30 minutes to 1 hour. THC acts on specific brain cell receptors that ordinarily react to natural THC-like chemicals in the brain. These natural chemicals play a role in normal brain development and function.

3. Effects of THC on Brain Functioning
Marijuana over activates parts of the brain that causes the "high" that users feel. Other effects include:
altered senses (for example, seeing brighter colors)
altered sense of time
changes in mood
impaired body movement
difficulty with thinking and problem-solving
impaired memory

4. Long Term Effects
Marijuana also affects brain development. When users begin as teenagers, it may reduce thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions.
Effects on these abilities may last a long time or even be permanent.
A study showed that people who started smoking heavily in their teens and had ongoing use lost an average of eight IQ points between ages 13 and 38.
The lost mental abilities did not fully return in those who quit as adults. Those who started smoking as adults did not show notable IQ declines (Meier, 2012).

5. Physical Effects
Breathing problems. Marijuana smoke irritates the lungs, and frequent smokers can have the same breathing problems that tobacco smokers have; daily cough and phlegm, frequent lung illness, and a higher risk of lung infections. Researchers still do not know whether marijuana smokers have a higher risk for lung cancer.
Increased heart rate. Marijuana raises heart rate for up to 3 hours after smoking. This effect may increase the chance of heart attack. Older people and those with heart problems may be at higher risk

6. Physical Effects
Problems with child development during and after pregnancy. Use during pregnancy is linked to increased risk of both brain and behavioral problems in babies. If a pregnant woman uses it may affect certain developing parts of the fetus’s brain. Resulting challenges may include problems with attention, memory, and problem-solving. Some research suggests that moderate amounts of THC are excreted into the breast milk of nursing mothers. The effects on a baby’s developing brain are still unknown.

7. Medical Effects
Long-term use has been linked to mental illness in some users, such as:
temporary hallucinations—sensations and images that seem real though they are not
temporary paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others
worsening symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
depression
anxiety
suicidal thoughts among teens

8. Is Marijuana addictive?
Research suggests that about 1 in 11 (9%) users becomes addicted to marijuana (Anthony, 1994; Lopez-Quintero 2011).
This number increases among those who start as teens (to about 17%, or 1 in 6) (Anthony, 2006) and among people who use daily (to %) (Hall & Pacula, 2003).

9. How Marijuana Affects a User’s Life
Compared to nonusers, heavy users report:
lower life satisfaction
poorer mental and physical health
more relationship problems
Lss academic and career success.
A higher likelihood of dropping out of school (McCaffrey, 2010).
More job absences, accidents, and injuries (Zwerling, 1990).

10. Treatment for Marijuana addiction?
Long-term users trying to quit report withdrawal symptoms that include:
grouchiness
sleeplessness
decreased appetite
anxiety
cravings
Behavioral support has been effective in treating marijuana addiction. Examples include therapy and motivational incentives (providing rewards to patients who remain substance free).
No medications are currently available to treat marijuana addiction. Some research may lead to new medications that help ease withdrawal symptoms, block the effects of marijuana, and prevent relapse.

11. Substance Abuse and Addiction
The CBT Map
Precipitating Event
Automatic thoughts and Feelings
Beliefs and Attitudes
Actions and Behaviors
Outcomes and Consequences
Re-enforcement
Habit building

12. Let’s play Hide and Seek
Designate who is IT
Where is BASE
Count
Run and Hide
Seek and Find
Run to BASE
SAFE

13. What are the Statics 12% of DUI’s in Colorado are now for Marijuana.
Largest group is year olds
About 30 million Americans, according to a new survey by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) that was published in JAMA Psychiatry.
The number has doubled since % to 9.5 %.
The percent of people using marijuana to treat medical disorders has also risen in that period, from 1.5 to 2.9 % of those surveyed.

14. What are the Statics
A 2013 and 2014 National survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Colorado is now atop the list for youth weed use after ranking third in the report and fourth in the study.
Ages 12-17: percent Ages 18-25: percent Ages 26 and older: percent
The American Society of Addiction Medicine recently revised its policy statement regarding marijuana:
In addition to opposing the drug’s legalization, the organization recommended that states that have sanctioned the drug’s use discontinue sales of marijuana to anyone under the age of 25.

15. Hallucinations
Colorado dad pleads not guilty to shooting his wife dead in front of their three sons after 'hallucinating on pot candy' Kristine Kirk, 44, was shot dead at her Denver home in April She was on the phone to 911 reporting her husband's 'scary' behavior. He was 'talking about the end of the world‘. Her husband Richard Kirk, 48, says he had eaten a potent pot-infused 'Karma Kandy Orange Ginger.‘

16. Research on treatment US Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescent Cannabis Users
University of Connecticut School of Medicine .

17. Research on treatment
 Adult marijuana users (N = 291) seeking treatment were randomly assigned to an extended 14-session Cognitive–behavioral group treatment and a brief 2-session individual treatment using motivational interviewing (or a 4-month delayed treatment control (DTC) condition. Results indicated that marijuana use, dependence symptoms, and negative consequences were reduced significantly in relation to pretreatment levels at l-, 4-, 7-, 13-, and 16-month follow-ups.
Participants in the Relapse Prevention Groups and Individual Counseling treatments showed significantly and substantially greater improvement than DTC participants at the 4-month follow-up.
The relative efficacy of brief versus extended interventions for chronic marijuana-using adults is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Comparison of extended versus brief treatments for marijuana use.
Stephens, Robert S.; Roffman, Roger A.; Curtin, Lisa
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol 68(5), Oct 2000,

18. Conclusions
Clearly defining the demographic and clinical characteristics of client populations…hold great promise in moving the treatment of adolescent substance abuse from the status of a folk art to that of a clinical science. The technologies used to build this science may themselves offer great potential in enhancing the quality of adolescent substance abuse treatment programs if they can be adapted for routine use in the clinical setting. The CYT study confirms the importance that these new tools can and will have in the future clinical management of adolescent substance abuse treatment.

19. Questions?