What
is marijuana?
Marijuana - often called
pot, grass, refer, weed, herb, mary jane, or mj - is a greenish-gray
mixture of the dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of Cannabis
sativa, the hemp plant. Most users smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes
called joints, among other names; some use pipes called bongs.
Marijuana cigars called blunts have also become popular. To make blunts,
users slice open cigars and replace the tobacco with marijuana, often combined
with another drug, such as crack cocaine. Marijuana also is used to brew tea
and is sometimes mixed into food.
The major active chemical
in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which causes the mind-altering
effects of marijuana intoxication. The amount of THC (which is also the psychoactive
ingredient in hashish) determines its potency and, therefore, the effects of
marijuana. Between 1980 and 1997, the amount of THC in marijuana available in
the United States rose dramatically.
(U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Health, NIH publication
#02-3859)
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SIX MYTHS
|
Community
and parental complacence about marijuana are based on common misconceptions,
including: |
|
1: |
Marijuana is harmless |
Not
so. Marijuana is more potent than ever and can lead to a host of significant
physical, social, learning and behavioral problems at a crucial time in
the lives of young people. (see kids and
marijuana) |
|
2: |
You can't get addicted to marijuana |
Yes
you can. Despite popular belief, scientific research has shown that
marijuana use can indeed lead to dependency and addiction. |
|
3: |
Marijuana won't hurt you - it's just
a plant |
A
significant body of research has identified the consequences of marijuana
use, including changes to the brain, problems with learning, effects on
mental health, and lung and respiratory damage. |
|
4: |
Marijuana
doesn't make you lose control; it makes you mellow |
Marijuana
affects many of the skills required for safe driving and other tasks, and
these effects can last up to four hours. Research has also shown a link
between frequent marijuana use and increased violent behavior. |
|
5: |
Marijuana isn't as popular among youth today as
other newer drugs like Ecstasy. |
Yes
it is. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the US. |
|
6:
|
There's
not much parents or anyone else can do to stop youth
from experimenting |
Parents
are the most powerful influence on their children when it comes to drugs.
Two-thirds of youth, ages 13-17, say losing their parent's respect is one
of the main reasons they don't smoke marijuana or use other drugs. |
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DRUGS
MOST COMMONLY USED BY YOUTH AND CHILDREN
| Drug |
Street
Names |
Signs
of Use |
Effects/
Dangers |
Statistics
Research |
| ALCOHOL |
Juice
cold ones
booze
brewskies
poison
hooch
sauce
(others) |
Odor
on breath
change in behavior or moods
nausea, vomiting
headaches
lack
of concentration |
Addiction,
permanent brain damage and numerous physical and mental health problems,
death, unsafe vehicle use, depression, violence, suicide, inadequate contraception |
81%
of youth drink alcohol.
12.6 million people over the age of 12 are heavy
drinkers.
25% of 8th graders have been drunk at least once. |
| MARIJUANA |
Pot
herb
grass
weed
Mary Jane
Aunt Mary
skunk
boom
gangster
kif
ganja
Texas tea
Maui wowie
chronic
(
200 others) |
Contains
over 400 chemicals.
Green, brown, or gray (dried), shredded, leaves, stems,
seeds, and flowers.
Mostly smoked.
Odor on clothes |
Addictive.
Depression, dizziness, red bloodshot eyes, memory problems, silly and giggly
for no reason, high incidence of auto accidents, learning problems, respiratory
problems, immune system impairments, frequent chest colds, possible cancer. |
Most
commonly used illicit drug: 76% of illicit drug users;
47% of high school
grads have used marijuana.
Studies show high school students rarely use
other drugs without trying marijuana.
104% greater use of cocaine in marijuana
users. |
COCAINE/
CRACK |
Coke
C
snow
flake
powder
sugar
nose candy
rock
base
blow |
Cocaine
is fine, white powder - snorted, sniffed, injected.
Crack is a smoke-able
derivative.
Irritability, auditory, hallucinations, paranoia, mood disturbances. |
Highly
addictive. Disturbances in heart rhythm, heart attacks, chest pains, respiratory
failure, strokes, seizures, headache, abdominal pain, nausea. |
In
1999, 9.8% of high school seniors and 4.7% of 8th graders had used it at
least once. |
| HALLUCINOGENS |
LSD:
acid,
blotter, cubes, boomers, micro-dot, yellow sunshine.
Mescaline: buttons, cactus, mesc, peyote.
Psylocybin: magic mushroom, purple passion, shrooms, PCP. |
Snorted,
smoked, pills, powder, syrups. Can produce erratic, unpredictable, and violent
behavior, sometimes leading to serious injuries and death; shallow breathing. |
Increased
heart rate and blood pressure, decreased awareness of touch and pain that
can result in self-inflicted injuries, convulsions, coma, heart and lung
failure. Mental health effects include: violent behavior, depression, anxiety,
paranoia, flashbacks. |
Several
drugs, some "club drugs" in this category. Increasing use among
teens. |
| HEROIN |
Lady,
white girl, horse, black tar, brown sugar, H, smack, good, junk. |
White
or brownish powder or black, sticky substance. Flu-like symptoms, watery
eyes, runny nose, loss of appetite. |
Addictive.
Increased risk of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B & C, collapsed veins, bacterial
infections, abscesses, infection of heart lining and valves, arthritis,
overdose and death. |
Needle-use
heroin use shows significant increase by 12th grade; however, first decline
in 8th grade use since doubling between '93 and '99. |
Source:
US Department of Health and Human Services - SAMSHA; National Institute
on Drug Abuse, Partnership for a Drug-free America.
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