Marijuana

Drug Classification: Cannabis

Slang Terms: pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic

What It Looks Like & How It’s Taken: Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. Contains THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. It also contains more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana is usually smoked as a joint (hand rolled cigarette) or in a pipe or a bong. It can also be taken orally, or in baked goods.

Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant.

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Effects: All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. Marijuana's effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC it contains. THC potency of marijuana has increased since the 1970s but has been about the same since the mid-1980s.

After/Side Effects: Many users may feel relaxed or high. Sometimes marijuana makes users feel thirsty and very hungry (“the munchies."). Some users can get a bad “buzz” from marijuana. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. Another side effect of marijuana is blood-shot (red) eyes.

Paraphernalia Associated With Use: Rolling papers, pot-pipe, bongs, Visine/eye drops

A Bong

 

Short Term Consequences of Use: Repeated use of marijuana results in problems with memory and learning, distorted perception of sights, sounds, and time. Addicts report trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of coordination, and increased heart rate. Feelings of anxiety are also associated with long-term use.

Long Term Consequences of Use: It is known that marijuana contains some of the same, and sometimes even more, of the cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Studies show that someone who smokes 4 joints is taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes 20 cigarettes. Smoking marijuana causes some changes in the brain that are like those caused by cocaine, heroin, and alcohol.

Facts & Statistics:
Most frequent users develop a tolerance for cannabis. This means they require more of the drug to get the same results they used to get from smaller amounts

Sources:
http://www.nida.nih.gov - National Institute On Drug Abuse

http://www.fsus.fsu.edu/general/drugs/Enterpage_drugs.html 

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