Marijuana

BY: KYLIE LYNCH

What is Marijuana?
Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds

from the hemp plant, Cannabis Sativa. The main psychoactive

(mind-altering) chemical in marijuana is delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
The chemical is found in resin produced by the leaves and buds

primarily of the female cannabis plant. The plant also contains

more than 500 other chemicals, including over 100 compounds
that are chemically related to THC, called cannabinoids

Common Nicknames

Blunt, Bud, Dope, Ganja, Grass, Green,

Herb, Joint, Mary Jane, Pot, Reefer,

Sinsemilla, Skunk, Smoke, Trees, Weed;
Hashish: Boom, Gangster, Hash, Hemp

Common Uses
Hand-rolled cigarettes (joints)
Pipes or water pipes (bongs)
Vaporizers
Edibles

Short-Term Health Effects

Enhanced sensory perception and euphoria followed by

drowsiness/relaxation
Slowed reaction time
Problems with balance and coordination
Increased heart rate and appetite
Problems with learning and memory
Hallucinations
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Psychosis

Long-Term Health Effects

Mental health problems
Chronic cough
Frequent respiratory infections

10

Health Benefits
Marijuana slows and stops cancer cells from spreading.
2.
Prevents Alzheimers
3.
Treats Glaucoma
4.
Relieves Arthritis
5.
Controls Epileptic seizure
6.
Eases the pain of multiple sclerosis
7.
Soothes tremors for people with Parkinsons disease
8.
Helps with Crohns disease
9.
Helps reverse the carcinogen effects of tobacco, and improve lung
health
10. Reduces severe pain, and nausea from chemo, and stimulates
appetite
1.

+more

Marijuana effects on the brain

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

Is marijuana addictive?
When people think of physical addiction, they tend to think of drugs

like heroin. Heroin withdrawal includes severe symptoms such as

shaking and vomiting. In contrast, quitting marijuana does not lead to
such severe symptoms.
Marijuana withdrawal is not life threatening. As a result, many see

marijuana as more psychologically addictive rather than physically

addictive.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that tolerance

and any symptoms of withdrawal, whether mild or severe, reflect

physical addiction. If tolerance to marijuana and symptoms of
withdrawal occur within a 12-month period, your drug use has become
problematic.

Symptoms of Addiction
You use larger amounts over a longer period.
You want to cut back but you just cant stop using.
You spend too much time trying to get marijuana.
You have strong cravings and desire to use.
You can no longer meet obligations at work, school or home.
Using affects your relationships.
You continue to use even in hazardous situations.
You continue using even when it presents physical or psychological

problems.
You develop a tolerance. (a) You need more to achieve the same high
and (b) you experience a diminished effect when using the same
amount.

Marijuana as a gateway drug

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a gateway drug in the

following manner: A drug (as

alcohol or marijuana) whose use is thought to lead to the use of and de
pendence on a harder drug (as cocaine or heroin).

Many people take from this that a gateway drug almost has a power

inherent in it to propel anyone who takes it on to the use of a harder

drug. However, is the propulsion powered by the drug or by the
individual who takes it? In other words, does the drug cause people to
make poor choices for themselves, or are certain people primed by
genetics, their environment, or both to make unhealthy decisions?

Is the drug the gateway or the

individual?

Treatment for cannabis use problems

Psychological interventions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Motivational enhancement Therapy (MET)
Pharmacological interventions

A pharmacological intervention which is showing promise is oral THC, an agonist

medication, which reduces cannabis withdrawal symptoms, as methadone does for opioid
dependence. An antagonist medication has also been developed but recently taken off the
market due to safety concerns in its treatment for depression. A range of other
medications are under early stage investigation.
Peer support

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings

Marijuana Anonymous (MA) meetings

In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we

commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a
toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough
marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the
safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure
of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised
routine of medical care.
[DEA Administrative Law Judge - 1988]
Francis Young

Works Cited
H. (2016). Commonly Abused Drugs Charts. Retrieved September 24, 2016, from

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts
H. (n.d.). Letter From the Director. Retrieved September 24, 2016, from

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/letter-director
N. (n.d.). Treatment for cannabis use problems | NCPIC. Retrieved September 24, 2016, from

https://ncpic.org.au/professionals/publications/factsheets/treatment-for-cannabis-use-problems/
More Evidence That Marijuana Is a Gateway Drug. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2016, from

http://rehab-international.org/blog/more-evidence-that-marijuana-is-a-gateway-drug
H. (n.d.). 20 Medical Benefits of Marijuana You Probably Never Knew. Retrieved September 24, 2016,

from http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/20-medical-benefits-marijuana-you-probably-neverknew.html