What is Marijuana?

Marijuana has been around for centuries. Its source, the cannabis plant, was first cultivated for its psychoactive properties more than 2,000 years ago. Although cannabis contains at least 400 different chemicals, its main mind-altering ingredient is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol).

Marijuana is by far the world’s most commonly used illicit drug and is more dangerous than most users realize.

Today’s marijuana is stronger than ever because most is grown indoors and bred for potency. The average THC levels rose from less than 1% in 1970 to more than 7% in 2005.

What are the Street Names for Marijuana?

There are more than 200 street or slang names for marijuana. These include ace, Aunt Mary, black bart, blunt, boom, chronic, doobee, dope, ganja, golden leaf, GOM (Good Old Marijuana), grass, hash, haze, herb, hemp, hydrophonic, jay, kif, leaf, Mary Jane, nail, northern lights, pot, Queen Ann’s Lace, ragweed, reefer, sinsemilla, spliff, skunk, and weed.

How is Marijuana Taken?

Marijuana and other cannabis products (such as hashish) are usually smoked, sometimes in a pipe or water pipe (“bong” or hookah), or rolled into cigarettes known as “joints.” Some users will hollow out cigars, replacing the tobacco with marijuana, to make “blunts.” Joints and blunts may be laced with other substances, including crack, cocaine, PCP, embalming fluid and other chemicals that alter the effects of the drug, making it more dangerous. Marijuana can also be brewed into tea or mixed into baked products.

How Does Marijuana Affect the User?

Marijuana is a mind altering substance that has some of the same effects of alcohol — specifically as a depressant and as a substance that reduces inhibitions. The user’s experience is heavily influenced by expectations and past experience, and many first-time users feel nothing at all.

The effects of smoking marijuana are generally felt within a few minutes and peak within 10 to 30 minutes. The effects of eating marijuana take longer to peak, and generally last for several hours. They include dry mouth and throat, increased heart rate, impaired coordination and balance, delayed reaction time, and diminished short-term memory. Moderate doses tend to induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation that may induce fantasies, and diminish inhibitions. Perception is distorted and reaction time is delayed, making it dangerous to operate machinery, drive a vehicle or boat, or ride a bicycle. Stronger doses can cause more intense and often disturbing reactions including paranoia and hallucinations.

Most of marijuana’s short-term effects wear off within two or three hours. However, reaction time and short-term memory can be impaired for up to 20 hours. The drug itself lingers in the body much longer. THC is a fat-soluble substance which builds up in fatty tissues in the body including the liver, lungs, testes, and other organs. Two days after smoking marijuana, one-quarter of the THC content may still be retained. It will show up in urine tests several days after use, and traces may be picked up two to four weeks later, sometimes even longer, depending on the frequency and quantity of use.

What are the Cognitive Effects of Marijuana Use?

Marijuana use impairs learning. Research demonstrates that marijuana limits the capacity to absorb and retain information. Heavy use interferes with a person’s ability to focus, sustain attention, store memories and other information, and organize data.

What are the Physical Effects of Marijuana Use?

Chronic marijuana smokers are susceptible to chest colds, bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Persistent use will damage lungs and airways and increase the risk of cancer. Researchers estimate that users ingest the same amount of harmful chemicals from smoking one marijuana joint as smoking five tobacco cigarettes.

Marijuana also affects hormones. Regular use can delay the onset of puberty in young men and reduce sperm production. For women, regular use may disrupt normal monthly menstrual cycles and inhibit ovulation. When pregnant women use marijuana, they run the risk of having lower birth-weight babies with health problems.

What are the Dangers for Teens Using Marijuana?

Although dangers exist for marijuana users of all ages, the risk is greatest for teens. Studies show that teens using marijuana develop more slowly than their peers and are less able to master coping skills or make healthy choices.

Another concern is marijuana’s role as a “gateway drug.” The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found that adolescents who smoke marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than their non—pot smoking peers. Sixty percent of youngsters who use marijuana before they turn 15 later go on to use cocaine.

By itself, marijuana is a high-risk substance for adolescents. Teens are more likely to be victims of automobile accidents caused by marijuana’s impact on judgment and perception. Feeling uninhibited, teens are also more likely to have unprotected sex which can result in unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Signs and Symptoms of Marijuana Abuse

How can you tell if someone is using marijuana? There are no hard and fast rules, but there are warning signs. Bear in mind that many of the signs and symptoms listed below may also be caused by other problems.

Behavioral signs: Changes in overall attitude/personality, motivation level, academic performance, sleeping habits, activities, social group or hobbies. Depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and deteriorating relationships with family members and friends.

Physical signs and symptoms: Dizziness or trouble walking; silly or giggly for no reason; red, bloodshot eyes; short-term memory loss; loss of appetite or increase in appetite.

Environmental signs: Paraphernalia, including pipes, bongs, cigars and rolling papers; odor on clothes and in the bedroom; use of incense and other deodorizers; use of eye drops; clothing, posters, jewelry, music promoting drug use.

Treatment Options

If you or someone you know is struggling with marijuana abuse, email LDR Holistic Treatment Services at admin@lifedevelopmentresources.com to find out more about our treatment programs, ask for a referral or get a professional assessment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately.