THE EFFECTS OF

MARIJUANA ON THE MIND

&
YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Dionne Plummer
SSW, BSW, MSW
Registered Social Worker

AGENDA
Education

and experience
Marijuana-major concern in recent
years
Trends in society
Effects of marijuana on the brain
and body
Addictive?
Importance of your Mental Health

EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND

St. Christopher House
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Durham Mental Health Services
AIDS Committee of Windsor
Windsor Regional Hospital Oncology Unit
Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health
Sciences -Adolescent Mood and Anxiety
Disorders
Clinic
Toronto Western Hospital Psychiatric Emergency
Services Unit

WHAT IS MARIJUANA?
Marijuana

is a green, brown, or grey

mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems,
seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant.
Also referred to as:
-pot, herb, grass, weed, Mary Jane,
gangster, reefer, blunt, or chronic, chocolate
and 200 others names
- Marijuana is a hallucinogen a substance
that distorts the mind and how we perceive
the world

HOW IS IT USED?
Usually

smoked as
a cigarette rolled,
hand-made (called
a joint) or in a pipe
or a bong.

Can

also be
ingested- through
foods or in pills or
liquid form.

TRUE OR FALSE

1.Marijuanaisnotharmful.T or F

2.Marijuana,unlikesomeotherillegaldrugs,isnotaddictive.
T or F

3.Kidsaremorelikelythanadultstobecomedependenton
marijuana.
T or F

4.Marijuanaislesspopularamongkidstodaybecauseofecstasy
andothernewclubdrugs.T or F

5.Smokingpotonlymakespeoplefeelmellow. T or F

6. Marijuana does not have any long-term

effects. T or F

7. Smoking one marijuana joint is as harmful

as smoking how many cigarettes?
a) Five
b) Four
c) Two
d) One

8. What happens when a person uses

marijuana, other than feeling high?
a) Loss of motor coordination
b) Distorted perception
c) Increased heart rate
d) Trouble with thinking and problem
solving
e) All of the above

10 . How long does marijuana stay in your body?

a) Up to 3 days
b) Up to 10 days
c) Up to a few weeks
d) Up to several months

11. A marijuana joint can contain:

a) PCP
b) Pesticides
c) LSD
d) Cocaine or Crack
e) All of the above

12. What percent of 12th graders believe occasional

marijuana use is harmful?
a) 23
b) 30
c) 42
d) 55
e) 66

MAJOR CONCERN IN
RECENT YEARS
Most widely used illicit drug in the world- 150 million
annual users
In Canada, 14% reported using cannabis in the past
year, which has nearly doubled the rate since 1994
In the U.S., 50% of young adults (18-25 years old)
report annual use
In the U.S.- 7 million people classified as dependant or
abusers of illicit drugs -4 million were marijuana users
-More people sought treatment for marijuana than any
other illicit drug

EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS

DAWN (Drug Abuse Warning

Network) data reported that
emergency room visits showed that
marijuana is number one, alcohol was
number 2 and cocaine number 3.

AVAILABILITY
According

to study, 50% of 13 year olds

reported they could find and purchase
marijuana
From peers
Today it is available in all walks of life
(metropolitan, suburban, and rural areas)
Can be purchased for as little as $5
Those that distribute marijuana have now
become your next door neighbor or mutual
friends

 MANY

PEOPLE ARE USING

MARIJANUA UNAWARE OF THE
EFFECTS

Level

of THC is higher today- newly

hydroponically grown marijuana have
increased levels of THC (Spice)

Other

chemicals put it

MARIJUANA COMPONENTS
Contains

a complex mixture of over 400

chemicals

65 are called cannabinoids (a group of

active compounds found in marijuana)

WHAT IS IN MARIJUANA?
The two major cannabinoids that stand out
are:
CBD-

Canna-bi-di-ol
THC- Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Marijuana potency and effects depends on
how much THC it contains.

RESEARCH STUDY
The National Institution on Drug Abuse
funded study at McLean Hospital in
Belmont, Massachusetts.
Study # 1:
Found that college students who used
marijuana regularly, had impaired skills
related to attention, memory, and learning
24 hours after they last used the drug.
Study # 2:
Another study, conducted at the University
of Iowa College of Medicine, found that
people who used marijuana frequently (7 or
more times weekly for an extended period)
showed deficits in mathematical skills and
verbal expression, as well as selective
impairments in memory retrieval
processes.

EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN

A healthy brain is like a high performance

race car. Its a finely-tuned, sensitive
instrument which you dont want overheating
or getting slow from too much gunk in the
engine.

is important to know that the

marijuana of today is, on average, a lot
more potent than it was 20 years ago
THC interferes with proper functioning
Repeated exposure to marijuana during
adolescence which is a time for critical
brain development can have lasting effects
on cognitive function like memory and IQ
Eric Erikson
It

INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY

CANNABINOID
RECEPTORS

Region
Nigrostriatal region
Cerebellum
Hippocampus
Cerebral Cortex

-Hypothalamus
-Amygdala
-Brain stem
-Spinal Cord

Function

Movement

Fine Motor movements

Learning and Memory

Higher cognitive functions

Temperature regulation

Emotionality

Sleep and arousal, nausea

Pain

WHY DO PEOPLE USE MARIJUANA?

Recreational Use or
Abuse

Medicinal Reasons

Cancer - Chemotherapy for nausea, pain and

cell destruction

Appetite stimulant for those with anorexia

Used for pain

Glaucoma

Epilepsy

Neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis

To forget about emotional pain

and become numb to it
Peer Pressure Family influence
Listening to music and songs that
refer to its use.
Belief of escaping form problems
at home, school, or with friends

Fibromyalgia

Palliative care

They are addicted

People are bored

Relaxation

Euphoria (sense of excitement of

happiness)

SHORT TERM EFFECTS

Low Dosage
Euphoria, heighten of sensory experiences,
hallucinations, fantasies, paranoia, laid-back
attitude
Moderate dosage
Dryness of the mouth, reddening of the eyes,
impaired motor skills and memory function, lapse
of attention, frequent hunger attacks munchies,
and feelings of depersonalization (loss of selfawareness)

LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF USE

Physical dependency
Bronchitis
Emphysema disease of the lungs
Bronchial Asthma
Soar throats
Coughs
Glaucoma
Suppresses immune system
Can interfere with reproductive productive system (decrease
in testosterone, decreased sperm count, abnormality of sperm,
impaired fetal growth and development)
Increased heart rate,
Short term memory, IQ
Can lead to other drug use

VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=cK5OuSQ90BE

COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

Impaired short term memory

- verbal IQ
- Impaired attention
- concentration
-Difficultly understanding complex information

These cognitive effects may be due to a reduction in

blood flow to the brain- seen even 28-30 days after use
Chronic marijuana user statement:
College was the best 6 years of my life.

PSYCHOMOTOR EFFECTS
Inability

to make
rapid judgement
Slow reaction time
Impaired tracking
behaviours
Slowed perception
time

MOTOR FUNCTIONING
Research Study
Finger

tapping tests
Results suggest that motor functioning
and reaction time is still observed
After day 28 the reaction stilled hadnt
improved

What does this mean?

TRUE OF FALSE?

Is Marijuana Addictive?

MARIJUANA IS ADDICTIVE
Rats

continued to
self-administer
THC doses
repeatedly, just as
they do other
addictive
substances like
cocaine, heroin,
and nicotine.

MARIJUANA ADDICTIVE?
Withdrawing from Marijuana may include:
- anxiety
-mental clouding
-insomnia
-Anorexia
-irritability
-Tremors
-Depression
-Headaches
-Craving
Very similar to nicotine withdrawal
71% of marijuana users relapse to marijuana use after 6 months after
achieving initial 2 weeks of abstinence

MARIJUANA USE AND LATER

LIFE
The

results of a study down in New

Zealand suggest that increased cannabis
use in late adolescence and early
adulthood, is associated with a range of
adverse outcomes in later life.

High

levels of cannabis are related to

poorer educational outcomes, lower
income, greater welfare dependence and
unemployment, lower relationship and life
satisfaction.

YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Mental Health Issues have been seen to also occur
in marijuana users:
Transient panic attacks and anxiety
Depersonalization
Bizarre behaviour
Delusions
Hallucinations
Acute Mania
Depression
Psychosis
Aggression

Regular
marijuana
use during
adolescence
found to
theincrease
risk 2 to 5
times for
developing
psychosis,
schizophreni
a, anxiety
and
depression
in
adulthood.

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

2005

research in Biological Psychiatry

described a common gene that makes
cannabis five times more likely to trigger
schizophrenia.
- Comt plays a part in the production of
dopamine
- 25% of the population have this gene
-15% of this group are likely to develop
psychotic conditions if exposed to
cannabis early in life

TAKING CARE OF
YOUR OWN MENTAL
HEALTH

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?

Mental health involves finding balance in
all aspects of your life:
physically, mentally, emotionally, and
spiritually. It is the ability to enjoy life
and deal with the challenges you face
everyday - whether that involves making
choices and decisions, adapting to and
coping in difficult situations, or talking
about your needs and desires

beliefs
-religion
-meaning
in ones life

-behavior
-personality
-self-esteem
-emotions

relationships
-peer groups
-isolation
-communications
skills
-problems solving
-culture
-economic status
genetic factors
-physical disability
-Illness or medications
-physiological
responses
-IQ

SCRIPTURES IN THE BIBLE

1 Corinthians 10:23
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not
expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all
things edify not.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour.

CREATE YOUR OWN

WELLNESS TOOL BOX

A list of things you

have done in the
past, or could do, to
help yourself stay
well, and things
you could do to help
yourself feel better
when you are not
doing well.

ALTERNATIVES TO
SMOKING MARIJUANA
Watch

a movie
Play with your cat
Eat crunchy, fresh vegetables
Eat a piece of candy
Chew on a toothpick
Organize a place in your house
Write a friend an email
Clean the house
Take a walk around the block
Give someone you love a hug
Clean out the refrigerator
Channel your thoughts into something
constructive like a new hobby or
volunteer work
Spend the money you saved by not
smoking
Eat a popsicle
Sing loudly
Go to a museum

Run in place

Pick up litter

Write a poem

Go bowling

Go antique shopping

Eat a hot fudge sundae

Play mini-golf

Play in the snow or rain

Wax the car

Drink a cup of tea

Share a kiss with your significant

other

Go hiking

Treat yourself to a massage

Call a radio show and request a song
Organize your garage or basement

Go to an amusement park

YOUR OWN WELLNESS BOX

Take

a long bike ride

a relaxing bath
Bake your favorite cookies or cake
Go grocery shopping
Take a ride in the car
Put on your favorite CD
Read or reread a favorite book
Wash and vacuum your car
Learn how to knit
Organize your computer files
Give yourself a manicure and pedicure
Try out a new hair-do
Walk around the mall
Chew gum
Do a jigsaw puzzle
Breathe deeply!
Drink a cold glass of water or milk
Take a walk in the woods or park
Visit the beach
Enjoy a sunset
Write a list of things you are grateful for
Take

Take a nap

Exercise

Read a magazine

Plan a vacation

Play a musical instrument

Call a family member

Brush and floss your teeth

Spend time with your family

Give yourself a treat every day you
have successfully not smoked

Sing loudly

Go to a museum

Play a card game

Play a video game

Visit a retirement home

Revisit your motivations for why you
quit

REFERENCES
Hart, C.L,. (2008) Division on Substance Abuse, New York State
Psychiatric Institute Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and
Surgeons, and Department of Psychology, Columbia University, 2008.
Li M-C, Brady JE, DiMaggio CJ, Lusardi AR, Tzong KY, Li G. Marijuana
use and motor vehicle crashes. Epidemiologic Reviews. 2012. 34:65-72.
Harris, S.K., (2012) The Teen Brain on Marijuana. Center for
Adolescence substance abuse Research Boston Children's Hospital
Harvard
Medical School
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology Volume 16, Issue, Feb
2008, pages 22-32
Fergusson, David., Boden, Joseph M.; Addiction Volume 103, Number 6,
June 2008, pp.969-976(8).
http://docplayer.net/2204668-This-presentation-was-prepared-by-sionkim-harris-phd-a-research-scientist-with-the-center-for-adolescentsubstance-abuse-research-at-boston.html

THANK YOU!
Offering crisis intervention and brief
counselling services
Dionne Plummer
Email: dionneplummer@hotmail.com
Phone: 416 -823-5549

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