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Home » Drug index » Marijuana

Marijuana (Cannabis)

If you believe you or someone you know is in need of marijuana addiction treatment, or for immediate assistance finding a drug rehab center that specializes in drug detox, please call Recovery Connection now at 1-800-993-3869. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Don't wait - GET HELP NOW!

Street terms for marijuana: grass, pot, weed, bud, Jane, dope, indo, hydro. Marijuana is a mixture of the dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant, cannabis sativa. It is typically smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes (joints), cigars (blunts), pipes, or water pipes (bongs). The active ingredient in marijuana is THC, which is responsible for the potency and effects of marijuana. Over the past two decades, THC levels of marijuana in the United States have increased dramatically.

Commercial-grade marijuana contains parts of the marijuana plant such as stems and seeds that are not of high quality. "Sinsemilla", higher potency marijuana, contains only the leaves and buds of the cannabis plant, where THC is most concentrated.

Effects and Consequences of Use

Marijuana use is associated with numerous detrimental health effects, including frequent respiratory infections, impaired memory and learning, increased heart rate, anxiety, and panic attacks.

Effects on the Brain

Marijuana's effects begin as soon as the drug enters the brain and can last from 1 to 3 hours. As THC enters the brain, it causes the user to feel high by stimulating brain cells to release the chemical dopamine. When the euphoria passes, the user may feel sleepy or depressed and may also get feelings of panic, anxiety, paranoia or distrust.

Marijuana can cause short-term memory damage because of how THC alters the way information is processed by the hippocampus. THC disrupts coordination and balance by binding to parts of the brain that regulates balance, posture, coordination of movement, and reaction time.

Other Effects on the Body

Because marijuana contains irritants and carcinogens, it promotes cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract. Marijuana also produces high levels of an enzyme that converts some hydrocarbons into their carcinogenic form. These levels may accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells. Additionally, marijuana users typically inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers, increasing the lungs' exposure to carcinogenic smoke.

Users who smoke marijuana regularly may experience the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers, including daily cough and phlegm, symptoms of chronic bronchitis, and frequent chest colds. Continued marijuana use can result in abnormal functioning of lung tissue injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke.

Within a few minutes after smoking marijuana, the user's heart begins to beat more rapidly and may increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or even double. Results of a study released in 2001 indicate that a person's risk of heart attack within the first hour of smoking marijuana is four times the usual risk.

Marijuana and School/Work Performance

Studies have shown a correlation between marijuana use and various education performance measures. These studies showed lower grade point averages, less satisfaction with school, negative attitudes towards school, and increased rates of school absenteeism among marijuana users.

In another study, researchers compared marijuana smoking and nonsmoking 12th graders' scores on standardized tests of verbal and mathematical skills. Although all of the students had scored equally well when tested in the 4th grade, heavy marijuana smokers (those who used marijuana seven or more times per week) scored significantly lower in 12th grade than nonsmokers.

Workers who smoke marijuana have been shown to have more problems on the job than their nonsmoking coworkers. Several studies have associated workers' marijuana use with increased tardiness, absences, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover.

Health effects of marijuana use

Acute (present during intoxication)

Impairs short-term memory. Impairs attention, judgment, and other cognitive functions. Impairs coordination, balance, and reaction time. Increases heart rate.

Persistent (lasting longer than intoxication, but may not be permanent)

Impairs memory. Impairs learning skills. Increases risk of chronic cough, bronchitis, and emphysema. Long-term (cumulative, potentially permanent effects of chronic abuse) Can lead to addiction. Increases risk of cancer of the head, neck, and lungs.

Marijuana and Pregnancy

Research has shown that infants exposed to marijuana in uterus display altered responses to visual stimuli and increased tremulousness, which may indicate problems with neurological development. Other studies have shown that during infancy and preschool years, marijuana-exposed children have more behavioral problems than non-exposed children. Research also shows that marijuana-exposed children perform visual perception, language comprehension, sustained attention, and memory tasks more poorly when compared with unexposed children.

Withdrawal

Individuals addicted to marijuana or who have been abusing the drug for long periods of time may experience cravings and other withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit. These withdrawal symptoms may include irritability, difficulty sleeping, anxiety and an increase in any feelings of aggression.

Treatment

There is no medication that is used to treat Marijuana addiction. When a person is experiencing withdrawal from marijuana they will usually experience mood swings, agitation, aggressiveness, insomnia, as well as, a craving for the drug. Medication can be prescribed to reduce these symptoms, but rest and talk therapy is usually the best treatment. After about three to five days the actual cravings for the drug will diminish, although the person will still experience thoughts about using the drug. Generally speaking, a person should enroll themselves in an outpatient program to assist them in developing more effective coping skills rather than turning to marijuana use. If the individual continues to return to the use of marijuana or other drugs, they should seek admission to an inpatient addiction program.

Back to Drug Information

If you believe you or someone you know is in need of marijuana addiction treatment, or for immediate assistance finding a drug rehab center that specializes in drug detox, please call Recovery Connection now at 1-800-993-3869. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Don't wait - GET HELP NOW!

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