Page updated 14 August 2016
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The Harmful Effects of Marijuana
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Source: www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/the-harmful-effects.html
The immediate effects of taking marijuana include rapid heart beat, disorientation, lack of physical coordination, often followed by depression or sleepiness. Some users suffer panic attacks or anxiety.
But the problem does not end there. According to scientific studies, the active ingredient in cannabis, THC, remains in the body for weeks or longer.
Marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more cancer-causing substances than tobacco smoke. One major research study reported that a single cannabis joint could cause as much damage to the lungs as up to five regular cigarettes smoked one after another. Long-time joint smokers often suffer from bronchitis, an inflammation of the respiratory tract.
The drug can affect more than your physical health. Studies in Australia in 2008 linked years of heavy marijuana use to brain abnormalities. This is backed up by earlier research on the long-term effects of marijuana, which indicate changes in the brain similar to those caused by long-term abuse of other major drugs. And a number of studies have shown a connection between continued marijuana use and psychosis.
Marijuana changes the structure of sperm cells, deforming them. Thus even small amounts of marijuana can cause temporary sterility in men. Marijuana use can upset a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Studies show that the mental functions of people who have smoked a lot of marijuana tend to be diminished. The THC in cannabis disrupts nerve cells in the brain affecting memory.
Cannabis is one of the few drugs which causes abnormal cell division which leads to severe hereditary defects. A pregnant woman who regularly smokes marijuana or hashish may give birth prematurely to an undersized, underweight baby. Over the last ten years, many children of marijuana users have been born with reduced initiative and lessened abilities to concentrate and pursue life goals. Studies also suggest that prenatal (before birth) use of the drug may result in birth defects, mental abnormalities and increased risk of leukemia[1] in children.
Here are the straight facts about "designer drugs," chemically-made versions of illegal drugs that have been slightly altered to avoid classification as illegal. Such drugs include "synthetic marijuana" (Spice or K2), "synthetic stimulants" (Bath Salts) and a drug known as "N-bomb." -The Truth About Synthetic Drugs, drugfreeworld.org-
Short-Term Effects
→Sensory distortion
→Panic
→Anxiety
→Poor coordination of movement
→Lowered reaction time
→After an initial "up," the user feels sleepy or depressed
→Increased heartbeat (and risk of heart attack)
Long-Term Effects
→Reduced resistance to common illnesses (colds, bronchitis, etc.)
→Suppression of the immune system
→Growth disorders
→Increase of abnormally structured cells in the body
→Reduction of male sex hormones
→Rapid destruction of lung fibers and lesions (injuries) to the brain could be permanent
→Reduced sexual capacity
→Study difficulties: reduced ability to learn and retain information
→Apathy, drowsiness, lack of motivation
→Personality and mood changes
→Inability to understand things clearly
"I started using on a lark, a dare from a best friend who said that I was too chicken to smoke a joint and drink a quart of beer. I was fourteen at that time. After seven years of using and drinking I found myself at the end of the road with addiction. I was no longer using to feel euphoria, I was just using to feel some semblance of normality.
"Then I started having negative feelings about myself and my own abilities. I hated the paranoia.[2] I hated looking over my shoulder all the time. I really hated not trusting my friends. I became so paranoid that I successfully drove everyone away and found myself in the terrible place no one wants to be in—I was alone. I’d wake up in the morning and start using and keep using throughout the day." —Paul
On the Road to Drug Abuse
Because a tolerance builds up, marijuana can lead users to consume stronger drugs to achieve the same high. When the effects start to wear off, the person may turn to more potent drugs to rid himself of the unwanted conditions that caused him to take marijuana in the first place. Marijuana itself does not lead the person to the other drugs; people take drugs to get rid of unwanted situations or feelings. The drug (marijuana) masks the problem for a time (while the user is high). When the "high" fades, the problem, unwanted condition or situation returns more intensely than before. The user may then turn to stronger drugs since marijuana no longer "works."
The vast majority of cocaine users (99.9%) began by first using a "gateway drug" like marijuana, cigarettes or alcohol. Of course, not everyone who smokes marijuana and hashish goes on to use harder drugs. Some never do. Others quit using marijuana altogether. But some do turn to harder drugs. One study found that youth (12 to 17 years old) who use marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than kids who do not use pot, and that 60% of the kids who smoke pot before the age of 15 move on to cocaine.
Marijuana is sometimes combined with harder drugs. Joints are sometimes dipped in PCP, a powerful hallucinogen. PCP is a white powder, also available in liquid form, often used with cannabis. PCP is known for causing violent behavior and creating severe physical reactions including seizures, coma and even death.
"I was given my first joint in the playground of my school. I’m a heroin addict now, and I’ve just finished my eighth treatment for drug addiction." —Christian
Footnotes
[1] leukemia: cancer of the bone marrow.
[2] paranoia: suspicion, distrust or fear of other people.