Marijuana is a plant also known as hemp.
People sometimes use marijuana to get high, or intoxicated.
The flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the marijuana plant
can be dried and shredded and then smoked. People can smoke
marijuana in the form of cigarettes (also called, joints or
blunts) or by inhaling the smoke from bongs (water pipes).
You may hear of other kinds of marijuana, such as Hashish,
which is the resin of the hemp plant. There are over 200
slang names for marijuana, including pot, weed, gangster, or
chronic. It is the most commonly used drug after alcohol.
How does it
work?
A chemical in the plant called
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, changes a person's
body chemistry. The chemical is absorbed through the lungs
and goes into the blood. THC causes the brain to release a
chemical that makes a person feel "high." THC stays in the
body's organs for several days. Marijuana is much more
potent then it used to be. A joint has 10 times more THC in
it now then it did back in the 60s and 70s. This can cause
very serious health problems.
Who uses
marijuana?
Some people say that "all high school kids
use marijuana." This is definitely not the case. The
majority of kids in school do not use marijuana. In 2001,
only 6% percent of high school seniors reported that they
used marijuana every day. Although most kids don't use
marijuana, many have tried it. Twenty percent of 8th
graders, 40% of 10th graders, and 49% of 12th graders say
they have tried marijuana.
Why do teens
use marijuana?
There are a variety of reasons teens choose
to get high. Some use because of peer pressure -- trying to
find a way to fit in with a group of peers. Some do it
because they think that all teenagers get high. Some do it
for fun. Often teenagers choose to get high because of
stress in their life. It lets them temporarily escape from a
stressful situation, or forget about the days problems. Many
choose to get high because it lets them "chill" or relax.
Frequently doctors find that teens who get
high are dealing with depression, a difficult family
situation, or anxiety. Teens end up self-medicating with
marijuana, rather than seeking help from a professional.
Unfortunately, this can cause major problems that the
teenager does not anticipate.
What effects
does marijuana have on the body?
- Brain:
Short term effects include a distorted perception of
reality, difficulty with memory and learning, trouble
problem solving and thinking clearly, and loss of motor
coordination (reflexes and quickness). There are
significant long term effects of marijuana use as well.
Marijuana use can cause memory and learning problems for
weeks after using it.
- Emotional:
There are higher rates of depression and anxiety among
marijuana users. Daily problems often get worse, as
marijuana can cause a teen to not deal with issues.
Relationships get worse and job and school performance
suffers. Your teen may develop a lack of interest in
life, school, family, and friends.
- Lungs:
There are multiple cancer-causing agents and tars in
marijuana which are similar to those in tobacco
cigarettes. Marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more
cancer-causing hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke.
Marijuana users inhale deeply and keep the smoke in much
longer than tobacco users. This increases the amount of
tars and chemicals that are deposited in the lungs. And
because marijuana smoke is not filtered, one joint is
equal to 10 to 40 tobacco cigarettes. Marijuana smokers
have more chronic coughs and lung infections than
nonsmokers.
- Heart:
Marijuana can increase blood pressure and heart rate.
Because of the carbon monoxide inhaled, blood is less
able to carry oxygen.
- Immune System:
THC can change the way the body fights infection and
cancer.
- Pregnancy:
Smoking marijuana while pregnant can cause lasting
effects on a child. The baby may not develop normally.
The child can have more behavioral problems and poorer
performance on language comprehension, attention, and
memory. Children are at a significant disadvantage if
exposed to smoke during pregnancy.
What about medical marijuana?
THC is used occasionally to help people with
certain eye problems or severe pain from cancer. In these
cases, a doctor can legally prescribe a pill form of THC.
This is only legal in only a few states.
Does using
marijuana affect driving?
In a word, yes. Because THC affects parts of
the brain that control coordination and reaction time. Even
a small amount of THC impairs driving ability. If combined
with alcohol driving performance decreases even more
dramatically.
Can my teen
become addicted to marijuana?
Yes. Contrary to popular belief, marijuana
is addictive. Often, a teen's use of marijuana turns from an
occasional use into daily use. Teens start to need marijuana
to deal with the day. People dependent on marijuana, like
those dependent on other addictive drugs, have trouble
quitting. They also have withdrawal symptoms, such as
irritability, anger, depressed mood, headaches,
restlessness, lack of appetite, and drug craving. This can
make it difficult to stop using the drug.
Does
marijuana use lead to other drug use?
Often, marijuana is referred to as a gateway
drug. It is usually the first illegal drug a teenager tries.
Not all people who use marijuana go on to use other drugs,
but it is a risk. The younger people are (12,13, or 14 years
old) when they use marijuana for the first time, the greater
the chance that they will go on to try "harder" drugs such
as ecstasy, methamphetamine, mushrooms, LSD, cocaine, or
heroin. An additional concern is that people may mix in
these other drugs with marijuana, without your teen even
knowing it.
How can I
tell if my teen is smoking marijuana or if it is affecting
their life?
This is a complex question and evaluation.
You may be able to notice changes in your teen's life.
- Have your teen's grades gone down?
- Has he or she dropped out of school?
- Have relationships with friends or
family gotten worse? Is your teen fighting or arguing
more?
- Does your teen seem tired, anxious, or
depressed?
- Has your teen changed friends or
stopped seeing his or her old friends?
- Has your teen gotten in trouble with
the law?
- Does your teen seem to have
unexplained headaches, stomachaches, or nosebleeds?
- Has your teen started sleeping more,
or less?
- Is your teen asking for more money or
trying to steal your money?
If you have answered YES to any of these questions, then
your teen may need help.
How can I
help my teen?
There are many ways to seek help. Talk to
your teen about the problem. Call the school counselor and
ask for help and guidance about substance use programs.
Frequently schools have drug counseling classes. Your health
care provider can help assess the severity of your teen's
drug use problem and help you decide whether your teen would
benefit from an outpatient drug treatment program or a more
intensive inpatient setting. A health care provider can help
sort out whether your teen is depressed, has ADHD, or
another psychological problem that needs treatment.
