Sources and references :
http://www.marijuana-addiction.net/...ana-dangers.htm
http://health.yahoo.com/centers/addiction/96407687
http://www.geocities.com/healthmoon...ana/dangers.htm
Marijuana
http://www.geocities.com/healthmoon...juana/brain.htm
http://www.geocities.com/healthmoon...na/diseases.htm
http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k5/MJageSMI/MJageSMI.pdf
The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of
Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Office of Applied Studies
Gfroerer, J. C., Wu, L.-T., & Penne, M. A.
(2002). Initiation of marijuana use: Trends, patterns, and implications (DHHSPublication No. SMA 02-3711, Analytic Series A-17).
Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of
Applied Studies. Available at http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/analytic.htm
Green, B.E., & Ritter, C. (2000). Marijuana use and depression. Journal of Health and SocialBehavior, 41, 40-49.
Rey, J. M., Martin, A., & Krabman, P. (2004). Is the party over? Cannabis and juvenile
psychiatric disorder: The past 10 years. Journal of the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 1194-1205.Smit, F., Bolier, L., & Cuijpers, P. (2004).
Cannabis use and the risk of later schizophrenia: A review. Addiction, 99, 425-430.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Prevalence of Past Year SMI among Lifetime Marijuana Users Aged 18 or Older, by Age at First Marijuana Use: 2002 and 2003
Kessler, R. C., Barker, P. R., Colpe, L. J.,
Epstein, J. F., Gfroerer, J. C., Hiripi, E., Howes,
M. J., Normand, S. L., Manderscheid, R. W.,
Walters, E. E., & Zaslavsky, A. M. (2003).
Screening for serious mental illness in the general population. Archives of General
Psychiatry, 60, 184-189.
For a discussion of the methodology used to generate SMI estimates see Appendix B,
Section B.6 of the following document: Office of Applied Studies. (2003). Results from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 03-3836, NSDUH Series H-22). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Available at
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NHSDA/2k3NSDUH/appb.htm
Figure Note
Source: SAMHSA, 2002 and 2003 NSDUH.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Prior to 2002, this survey was called the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). The 2002 and 2003 data used in this report are based on information obtained from 89,600 persons aged 18 or older. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence.
The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration Office of Applied Studies www.samhsa.gov
International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.) Information and data for this issue are based on
the following publications and statistics: Office of Applied Studies. (2004). Results from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 04- 3964, NSDUH Series H-25). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Applied Studies. (2003). Results from the
2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 03- 3836, NSDUH Series H-22). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Also available online: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov
Because of improvements and modifications to the 2002 NSDUH, estimates from the 2002 and 2003 surveys should not be compared with
estimates from the 2001 or earlier versions of the survey to examine changes over time.
References
Harder. S. and Reitbrock. S. Concentration-effect relationship of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and prediction of psychotropic effects after smoking marijuana. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 35(4): 155-159, 1997.
Harrison, PA.; Fulkerson, J. A.; and Beebe. T. J. Multiple substance use among adolescent physical and sexual abuse victims. Child Abuse and Neglect. 6:529-39, 1997.
Kandel, D. B. Stages in adolescent involvement with drugs. Science, 190:912-914, 1975.
Rodriguez de Fonseca, F.; Carrera, M.R.A.; Navarro, M.; Koob, G.F.; and Weiss, F. Activation of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor in the Limbic System During Cannabinoid Withdrawal. Science, Vol. 276, June 27, 1997.
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NHSDA/
2k3NSDUH/appb.htm
What exactly is Marijuana?
Cannabis is a term that refers to marijuana and other drugs made from the same plant. Strong forms of cannabis include sinse-milla (sin-seh-me-yah), hashish ("hash" for short), and hash oil.
Most ordinary marijuana has an average of 3 percent THC.
Sinsemilla (made from just the buds and flowering tops of female plants) has an average of 7.5 percent THC, with a range as high as 24 percent.
Hashish (the sticky resin from the female plant flowers) has an average of 3.6 percent, with a range as high as 28 percent.
Hash oil, a tar-like liquid distilled from hashish, has an average of 16 percent, with a range as high as 43 percent.
What happens after a person smokes marijuana?
Within a few minutes of inhaling marijuana smoke, the user will likely feel, along with intoxication, a dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, some loss of coordination and poor sense of balance, and slower reaction time. Blood vessels in the eye expand, so the user's eyes look red.
For some people, marijuana raises blood pressure slightly and can double the normal heart rate. This effect can be greater when other drugs are mixed with marijuana; but users do not always know when that happens.
As the immediate effects fade, usually after 2 to 3 hours, the user may become sleepy.
In Brief Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug, and it is usually the first drug used by persons who use illicit drugs.1 Recent research points to an association between early marijuana use and a heightened risk of developing schizophrenia or other psychological disorders.2,3,4 The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) asks
persons aged 12 or older to report on their use of marijuana, including their age at
first use. For persons aged 18 or older, NSDUH also asks questions to assess serious mental illness (SMI) during the 12 months prior to the survey. Individuals are classified as having SMI if at some time during the past 12 months they had adiagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for a disorder5 and resulted in a functional impairment that substantially interfered with or limited one or more major life activities.
Males/ Females
the K-6 distress questions.6,7 This report focuses on the association between age at first use of marijuana and past year SMI. All of the findings presented in this report are annual averages based on the combined data from the 2002 and 2003 NSDUH.
Lifetime Marijuana Use
In 2002 and 2003, 42.9 percent of persons aged 18 or older (an estimated 90.8 million persons) had used marijuana at least once in their lifetime. Among adults aged 18 or older, lifetime marijuanause varied by gender: 48.4 percent of males reported lifetime
use, while 37.9 percent of females reported lifetime use. Approximately 58.0 percent of adults aged 35 to 49 reported having used marijuana in their lifetime, while 22.5 percent of adults aged 50 or older reported having used marijuana in their lifetime.
The percentage of lifetime marijuana use among persons aged 18 or older was higher for males than for females in each age group (Figure 1).
Age at First Use of Marijuana Among persons aged 18 or older who reported lifetime marijuana use, almost one half (45.2 percent) reported that they first used marijuana at age 18 or older. Almost 53 percent reported that they first used marijuana between
ages 12 and 17, and about 2 percent reported that they first used marijuana before age 12 (Figure 2). Males aged 18 or older (2.9 percent) were more than twice as likely as females (1.1 percent) to report that they first used marijuana before age 12. Lifetime
marijuana users currently aged 18 to 25 and 26 to 34 (3.2 percent for each group) were more likely
Currently Aged 18 or Older by Age at First Marijuana
Use: 2002 and 2003
to report that they first used marijuana before age 12 than lifetime marijuana users aged 35 to 49 (1.9 percent) and lifetime marijuana users aged 50 or older (0.3 percent).
How long does marijuana stay in the user's body?
Fatty tissues in various organs readily absorb THC in marijuana. Generally, traces (metabolites) of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. However, in heavy, chronic users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using marijuana.
Can a user have a bad reaction?
Yes. Some users, especially someone new to the drug or in a strange setting, may suffer acute anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. This is more likely to happen with high doses of THC. These scary feelings will fade as the drug's effects wear off.
In rare cases, a user who has taken a very high dose of the drug can have severe psychotic symptoms and need emergency medical treatment.
Other kinds of bad reactions can occur when marijuana is mixed with other drugs, such as PCP or cocaine.
How is marijuana harmful?
Marijuana can be harmful in a number of ways, through both immediate effects and damage to health over time.
Marijuana hinders the user's short-term memory (memory for recent events), and he or she may have trouble handling complex tasks. With the use of more potent varieties of marijuana, even simple tasks can be difficult.
Because of the drug's effects on perceptions and reaction time, users could be involved in auto crashes. Drug users also may become involved in risky sexual behavior. There is a strong link between drug use and unsafe sex and the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Under the influence of marijuana, students may find it hard to study and learn. Young athletes could find their performance is off; timing, movements, and coordination are all affected by THC.
Marijuana can be harmful in a number of ways, through both immediate effects and damage to health over time.
Marijuana hinders the user's short-term memory (memory for recent events), and he or she may have trouble handling complex tasks. With the use of more potent varieties of marijuana, even simple tasks can be difficult.
Because of the drug's effects on perceptions and reaction time, users could be involved in auto crashes. Drug users also may become involved in risky sexual behavior. There is a strong link between drug use and unsafe sex and the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Under the influence of marijuana, students may find it hard to study and learn. (14) Young athletes could find their performance is off; timing, movements, and coordination are all affected by THC.
Marijuana affects many skills required for safe driving: alertness, the ability to concentrate, coordination, and reaction time. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana. Marijuana use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road.
There are data showing that marijuana can play a role in crashes. When users combine marijuana with alcohol, as they often do, the hazards of driving can be more severe than with either drug alone.
THC changes the way in which sensory information gets into and is processed by the hippocampus, a brain component that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integration of senses with emotions. Learned behaviors also deteriorate.
Long-term use of marijuana produces changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term use of other major drugs.
Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers.
Regardless of the THC content, the amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide absorbed are three to five times greater than among tobacco smokers.
The effects of marijuana on each person depend on the type of cannabis and how much THC it contains; way the drug is taken (by smoking or eating); experience and expectations of the user; setting where the drug is used; and whether drinking or other drug use is also going on. Some people feel nothing at all when they first try marijuana. Others may feel high (intoxicated and/or euphoric).
It's common for marijuana users to become engrossed with ordinary sights, sounds, or tastes, and trivial events may seem extremely interesting or funny. Time seems to pass very slowly, so minutes feel like hours. Sometimes the drug causes users to feel thirsty and very hungry-an effect called "the munchies."
Side Effects
Short-term effects:
Problems with memory and learning
Distorted perception
Difficulty in thinking and problem solving
Loss of coordination
Increased heart rate
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Daily cough and phlegm
Symptoms of chronic bronchitis
More frequent chest colds
Long-term effects:
Marijuana dangers are usually listed as they affect the physical body and mind and marijuana dangers are often associated with emotional problems as well. Marijuana dangers are often reported in fluctuating waves. Some say there are more marijuana dangers than ever right now due to the increased potency of the drug. Others say marijuana dangers aren't as bad and can even be used for medical purposes (see our medical marijuana page). This page isn't going to convince anyone of the marijuana dangers. Our intention here is to help those who are already suffering the consequences of marijuana dangers and are wondering where they can find help.
Millions of people use marijuana habitually and many are quite addicted to the drug. Addiction is a disease and like any disease, tears away at the mind and body of the sufferer. Many pot smokers did not fully understand marijuana dangers as they began to smoke the drug early in life. Some pot smokers find themselves using the drug more than they would like and find it interfering with school, work and relationships with family and friends. This cycle can feed off of itself in a negative way causing more use of the drug and further consequences.
Many studies of marijuana dangers associate repeated use of the drug with lower test scores and academic abilities. On the job, workers who smoke pot often miss more work, have more accidents and are more likely to lose their job.
On emotional level marijuana dangers include isolation, depression and an increase in anxiety. Uncomfortable feelings and fear also lead to more use of the drug that can make for more problems. Studies show that over time, individuals who become physically and/or emotionally dependent on marijuana can find that they are falling behind on basic fundamental life skills that are being acquired by peers in the same age range. This can lead to self-esteem problems as self-reinforcement abilities deteriorate and confidence diminishes. So why doesn't the pot smoker stop smoking pot?
Another one of the marijuana dangers is physical dependence on the drug. Many people try to stop over and over but are overwhelmed by anxiety, irritability and sleeping difficulties. Physical dependence is marked by withdrawal symptoms when the drug is removed. The marijuana dangers include the bodies' adaptation to an almost continuous presence of the drug in its system. The brain adapts to the pain reducing reaction to the drug and its other analgesic effects like inducing sleep. Those who have only tried smoking pot once or twice might be amazed that anybody could function on the drug at all. But those who have been smoking the drug for months and years have become accustom to its effects and can often hide the fact that they are high at all.
This tolerance to the drug is yet another one of the marijuana dangers. Pot smokers who must smoke much more of the drug to feel the same affect that just a little used to provide. This leads to more intake of smoke which can cause more damage to the lungs and respiratory system.
One of the biggest marijuana dangers can just be the loss of hope from the frustration that you can't seem to quit on your own. Fortunately there is help. Spencer Recovery Centers offers an effective answer to all of the marijuana dangers. Rehabilitation and recovery from marijuana dependency is possible with therapeutic and medical assistance. The doctors and counselors of Spencer Recovery Centers have helped many clients recover from their dependency on marijuana, alcohol, and other drugs. Spencer facilities are first rate, located along scenic beaches of California and Florida, they offer a safe haven to get through the tough times and explore what is really important.
Abnormal functioning of lung tissue injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke
Impairment of critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning
Recent findings indicate that smoking marijuana while shooting up cocaine has the potential to cause severe increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
Long Term Effects of Marijuana
What are the long-term effects of marijuana?
While all of the long-term effects of marijuana use are not yet known, there are studies showing serious health concerns. For example, a group of scientists in California examined the health status of 450 daily smokers of marijuana but not tobacco. They found that the marijuana smokers had more sick days and more doctor visits for respiratory problems and other types of illness than did a similar group who did not smoke either substance.
Findings so far show that the regular use of marijuana or THC may play a role in cancer and problems in the respiratory, and immune systems.
Cancer
It is hard to find out whether marijuana alone causes cancer because many people who smoke marijuana also smoke cigarettes and use other drugs. Marijuana smoke contains some of the same cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, sometimes in higher concentrations. Studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.
Tobacco smoke and marijuana smoke may work together to change the tissues lining the respiratory tract. Marijuana smoking could contribute to early development of head and neck cancer in some people.
Immune system
Our immune system protects the body from many agents that cause disease. It is not certain whether marijuana damages the immune system of people. But both animal and human studies have shown that marijuana impairs the ability of T-cells in the lungs' immune defense system to fight off some infections. People with HIV and others whose immune system is impaired should avoid marijuana use.
Lungs and airways
People who smoke marijuana often develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have. They have symptoms of daily cough and phlegm (chronic bronchitis) and more frequent chest colds. They are also at greater risk of getting lung infections such as pneumonia. Continued marijuana smoking can lead to abnormal function of the lungs and airways. Scientists have found signs of lung tissue injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke.
Scientists believe that marijuana can be especially harmful to the lungs because users often inhale the unfiltered smoke deeply and hold it in their lungs as long as possible. Therefore, the smoke is in contact with lung tissues for long periods of time, which irritates the lungs and damages the way they work.
Do marijuana users lose their motivation?
Some frequent, long-term marijuana users show signs of a lack of motivation (amotivational syndrome). Their problems include not caring about what happens in their lives, no desire to work regularly, fatigue, and a lack of concern about how they look. As a result of these symptoms, some users tend to perform poorly in school or at work. Scientists are still studying these problems.
Marijuana and The Brain
How does marijuana affect the brain?
THC affects the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed. This makes it hard for the user to recall recent events (such as what happened a few minutes ago). It is hard to learn while high - a working short-term memory is required for learning and performing tasks that call for more than one or two steps.
Among a group of long-time heavy marijuana users in Costa Rica, researchers found that the people had great trouble when asked to recall a short list of words (a standard test of memory). People in that study group also found it very hard to focus their attention on the tests given to them.
Smoking marijuana causes some changes in the brain that are like those caused by cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Some researchers believe that these changes may put a person more at risk of becoming addicted to other drugs, such as cocaine or heroin.
It may be that marijuana kills brain cells. In laboratory research, scientists found that high doses of THC given to young rats caused a loss of brain cells such as that seen with aging. At 11 or 12 months of age (about half their normal life span), the rats' brains looked like those of animals in old age. It is not known whether a similar effect occurs in humans.
Researchers are still learning about the many ways that marijuana could affect the brain.
Causes
The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). In 1988, it was discovered that the membranes of certain nerve cells contain protein receptors that bind THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that lead to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana.
Marijuana is addicting because it causes compulsive, uncontrollable drug craving, seeking, and use, even in the face of negative health and social consequences. Over 120,000 people enter treatment per year for their primary marijuana addiction. In addition, animal studies suggest marijuana causes physical dependence, and some people report withdrawal symptoms.Children and young teens start using marijuana for many reasons. Curiosity and the desire to fit into a social group are common reasons. Certainly, youngsters who have already begun to smoke cigarettes and/or use alcohol are at high risk for marijuana use.
Children who become more heavily involved with marijuana can become dependent, and that is their prime reason for using the drug. Others mention psychological coping as a reason for their use - to deal with anxiety, anger, depression, boredom, and so forth. But marijuana use is not an effective method for coping with life's problems, and staying high can be a way of simply not dealing with the problems and challenges of growing up.
Researchers have found that children and teens (both male and female) who are physically and sexually abused are at greater risk than other young people of using marijuana and other drugs and of beginning drug use at an early age.
Long-term studies of high school students and their patterns of drug use show that very few young people use other drugs without first trying marijuana. The risk of using cocaine has been estimated to be more than 104 times greater for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have never tried it. Although there are no definitive studies on the factors associated with the movement from marijuana use to use of other drugs, growing evidence shows that a combination of biological, social, and psychological factors are involved.
Marijuana affects the brain in some of the same ways that other drugs do. Researchers are examining the possibility that long-term marijuana use may create changes in the brain that make a person more at risk of becoming addicted to other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine. While not all young people who use marijuana go on to use other drugs, further research is needed to determine who will be at greatest risk.
Age at First Use of Marijuana
and Past Year Serious Mental
Illness
● Among lifetime marijuana users aged 18 or older, 2.1 percent reported that thefirst used marijuana before age 12, while almost one half (45.2 percent) reported that they first used marijuana at age 18 or older
● Males aged 18 or older were more than twice as likely as females to report that they
first used marijuana before age 12
● Among persons aged 18 or older, those who first used marijuana before age 12 were
twice as likely to have serious mental illness in the past year as those who first used
marijuana at age 18 or older
http://www.marijuana-addiction.net/...ana-dangers.htm
http://health.yahoo.com/centers/addiction/96407687
http://www.geocities.com/healthmoon...ana/dangers.htm
Marijuana
http://www.geocities.com/healthmoon...juana/brain.htm
http://www.geocities.com/healthmoon...na/diseases.htm
http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k5/MJageSMI/MJageSMI.pdf
The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of
Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Office of Applied Studies
Gfroerer, J. C., Wu, L.-T., & Penne, M. A.
(2002). Initiation of marijuana use: Trends, patterns, and implications (DHHSPublication No. SMA 02-3711, Analytic Series A-17).
Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of
Applied Studies. Available at http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/analytic.htm
Green, B.E., & Ritter, C. (2000). Marijuana use and depression. Journal of Health and SocialBehavior, 41, 40-49.
Rey, J. M., Martin, A., & Krabman, P. (2004). Is the party over? Cannabis and juvenile
psychiatric disorder: The past 10 years. Journal of the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 1194-1205.Smit, F., Bolier, L., & Cuijpers, P. (2004).
Cannabis use and the risk of later schizophrenia: A review. Addiction, 99, 425-430.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Prevalence of Past Year SMI among Lifetime Marijuana Users Aged 18 or Older, by Age at First Marijuana Use: 2002 and 2003
Kessler, R. C., Barker, P. R., Colpe, L. J.,
Epstein, J. F., Gfroerer, J. C., Hiripi, E., Howes,
M. J., Normand, S. L., Manderscheid, R. W.,
Walters, E. E., & Zaslavsky, A. M. (2003).
Screening for serious mental illness in the general population. Archives of General
Psychiatry, 60, 184-189.
For a discussion of the methodology used to generate SMI estimates see Appendix B,
Section B.6 of the following document: Office of Applied Studies. (2003). Results from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 03-3836, NSDUH Series H-22). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Available at
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NHSDA/2k3NSDUH/appb.htm
Figure Note
Source: SAMHSA, 2002 and 2003 NSDUH.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Prior to 2002, this survey was called the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). The 2002 and 2003 data used in this report are based on information obtained from 89,600 persons aged 18 or older. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence.
The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration Office of Applied Studies www.samhsa.gov
International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.) Information and data for this issue are based on
the following publications and statistics: Office of Applied Studies. (2004). Results from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 04- 3964, NSDUH Series H-25). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Applied Studies. (2003). Results from the
2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 03- 3836, NSDUH Series H-22). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Also available online: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov
Because of improvements and modifications to the 2002 NSDUH, estimates from the 2002 and 2003 surveys should not be compared with
estimates from the 2001 or earlier versions of the survey to examine changes over time.
References
Harder. S. and Reitbrock. S. Concentration-effect relationship of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and prediction of psychotropic effects after smoking marijuana. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 35(4): 155-159, 1997.
Harrison, PA.; Fulkerson, J. A.; and Beebe. T. J. Multiple substance use among adolescent physical and sexual abuse victims. Child Abuse and Neglect. 6:529-39, 1997.
Kandel, D. B. Stages in adolescent involvement with drugs. Science, 190:912-914, 1975.
Rodriguez de Fonseca, F.; Carrera, M.R.A.; Navarro, M.; Koob, G.F.; and Weiss, F. Activation of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor in the Limbic System During Cannabinoid Withdrawal. Science, Vol. 276, June 27, 1997.
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NHSDA/
2k3NSDUH/appb.htm
Marijuana; The Full Story
What exactly is Marijuana?
Cannabis is a term that refers to marijuana and other drugs made from the same plant. Strong forms of cannabis include sinse-milla (sin-seh-me-yah), hashish ("hash" for short), and hash oil.
Most ordinary marijuana has an average of 3 percent THC.
Sinsemilla (made from just the buds and flowering tops of female plants) has an average of 7.5 percent THC, with a range as high as 24 percent.
Hashish (the sticky resin from the female plant flowers) has an average of 3.6 percent, with a range as high as 28 percent.
Hash oil, a tar-like liquid distilled from hashish, has an average of 16 percent, with a range as high as 43 percent.
What happens after a person smokes marijuana?
Within a few minutes of inhaling marijuana smoke, the user will likely feel, along with intoxication, a dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, some loss of coordination and poor sense of balance, and slower reaction time. Blood vessels in the eye expand, so the user's eyes look red.
For some people, marijuana raises blood pressure slightly and can double the normal heart rate. This effect can be greater when other drugs are mixed with marijuana; but users do not always know when that happens.
As the immediate effects fade, usually after 2 to 3 hours, the user may become sleepy.
In Brief Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug, and it is usually the first drug used by persons who use illicit drugs.1 Recent research points to an association between early marijuana use and a heightened risk of developing schizophrenia or other psychological disorders.2,3,4 The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) asks
persons aged 12 or older to report on their use of marijuana, including their age at
first use. For persons aged 18 or older, NSDUH also asks questions to assess serious mental illness (SMI) during the 12 months prior to the survey. Individuals are classified as having SMI if at some time during the past 12 months they had adiagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for a disorder5 and resulted in a functional impairment that substantially interfered with or limited one or more major life activities.
Males/ Females
the K-6 distress questions.6,7 This report focuses on the association between age at first use of marijuana and past year SMI. All of the findings presented in this report are annual averages based on the combined data from the 2002 and 2003 NSDUH.
Lifetime Marijuana Use
In 2002 and 2003, 42.9 percent of persons aged 18 or older (an estimated 90.8 million persons) had used marijuana at least once in their lifetime. Among adults aged 18 or older, lifetime marijuanause varied by gender: 48.4 percent of males reported lifetime
use, while 37.9 percent of females reported lifetime use. Approximately 58.0 percent of adults aged 35 to 49 reported having used marijuana in their lifetime, while 22.5 percent of adults aged 50 or older reported having used marijuana in their lifetime.
The percentage of lifetime marijuana use among persons aged 18 or older was higher for males than for females in each age group (Figure 1).
Age at First Use of Marijuana Among persons aged 18 or older who reported lifetime marijuana use, almost one half (45.2 percent) reported that they first used marijuana at age 18 or older. Almost 53 percent reported that they first used marijuana between
ages 12 and 17, and about 2 percent reported that they first used marijuana before age 12 (Figure 2). Males aged 18 or older (2.9 percent) were more than twice as likely as females (1.1 percent) to report that they first used marijuana before age 12. Lifetime
marijuana users currently aged 18 to 25 and 26 to 34 (3.2 percent for each group) were more likely
Currently Aged 18 or Older by Age at First Marijuana
Use: 2002 and 2003
to report that they first used marijuana before age 12 than lifetime marijuana users aged 35 to 49 (1.9 percent) and lifetime marijuana users aged 50 or older (0.3 percent).
How long does marijuana stay in the user's body?
Fatty tissues in various organs readily absorb THC in marijuana. Generally, traces (metabolites) of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. However, in heavy, chronic users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using marijuana.
Can a user have a bad reaction?
Yes. Some users, especially someone new to the drug or in a strange setting, may suffer acute anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. This is more likely to happen with high doses of THC. These scary feelings will fade as the drug's effects wear off.
In rare cases, a user who has taken a very high dose of the drug can have severe psychotic symptoms and need emergency medical treatment.
Other kinds of bad reactions can occur when marijuana is mixed with other drugs, such as PCP or cocaine.
How is marijuana harmful?
Marijuana can be harmful in a number of ways, through both immediate effects and damage to health over time.
Marijuana hinders the user's short-term memory (memory for recent events), and he or she may have trouble handling complex tasks. With the use of more potent varieties of marijuana, even simple tasks can be difficult.
Because of the drug's effects on perceptions and reaction time, users could be involved in auto crashes. Drug users also may become involved in risky sexual behavior. There is a strong link between drug use and unsafe sex and the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Under the influence of marijuana, students may find it hard to study and learn. Young athletes could find their performance is off; timing, movements, and coordination are all affected by THC.
Marijuana can be harmful in a number of ways, through both immediate effects and damage to health over time.
Marijuana hinders the user's short-term memory (memory for recent events), and he or she may have trouble handling complex tasks. With the use of more potent varieties of marijuana, even simple tasks can be difficult.
Because of the drug's effects on perceptions and reaction time, users could be involved in auto crashes. Drug users also may become involved in risky sexual behavior. There is a strong link between drug use and unsafe sex and the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Under the influence of marijuana, students may find it hard to study and learn. (14) Young athletes could find their performance is off; timing, movements, and coordination are all affected by THC.
Marijuana affects many skills required for safe driving: alertness, the ability to concentrate, coordination, and reaction time. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana. Marijuana use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road.
There are data showing that marijuana can play a role in crashes. When users combine marijuana with alcohol, as they often do, the hazards of driving can be more severe than with either drug alone.
THC changes the way in which sensory information gets into and is processed by the hippocampus, a brain component that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integration of senses with emotions. Learned behaviors also deteriorate.
Long-term use of marijuana produces changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term use of other major drugs.
Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers.
Regardless of the THC content, the amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide absorbed are three to five times greater than among tobacco smokers.
The effects of marijuana on each person depend on the type of cannabis and how much THC it contains; way the drug is taken (by smoking or eating); experience and expectations of the user; setting where the drug is used; and whether drinking or other drug use is also going on. Some people feel nothing at all when they first try marijuana. Others may feel high (intoxicated and/or euphoric).
It's common for marijuana users to become engrossed with ordinary sights, sounds, or tastes, and trivial events may seem extremely interesting or funny. Time seems to pass very slowly, so minutes feel like hours. Sometimes the drug causes users to feel thirsty and very hungry-an effect called "the munchies."
Side Effects
Short-term effects:
Problems with memory and learning
Distorted perception
Difficulty in thinking and problem solving
Loss of coordination
Increased heart rate
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Daily cough and phlegm
Symptoms of chronic bronchitis
More frequent chest colds
Long-term effects:
Marijuana dangers are usually listed as they affect the physical body and mind and marijuana dangers are often associated with emotional problems as well. Marijuana dangers are often reported in fluctuating waves. Some say there are more marijuana dangers than ever right now due to the increased potency of the drug. Others say marijuana dangers aren't as bad and can even be used for medical purposes (see our medical marijuana page). This page isn't going to convince anyone of the marijuana dangers. Our intention here is to help those who are already suffering the consequences of marijuana dangers and are wondering where they can find help.
Millions of people use marijuana habitually and many are quite addicted to the drug. Addiction is a disease and like any disease, tears away at the mind and body of the sufferer. Many pot smokers did not fully understand marijuana dangers as they began to smoke the drug early in life. Some pot smokers find themselves using the drug more than they would like and find it interfering with school, work and relationships with family and friends. This cycle can feed off of itself in a negative way causing more use of the drug and further consequences.
Many studies of marijuana dangers associate repeated use of the drug with lower test scores and academic abilities. On the job, workers who smoke pot often miss more work, have more accidents and are more likely to lose their job.
On emotional level marijuana dangers include isolation, depression and an increase in anxiety. Uncomfortable feelings and fear also lead to more use of the drug that can make for more problems. Studies show that over time, individuals who become physically and/or emotionally dependent on marijuana can find that they are falling behind on basic fundamental life skills that are being acquired by peers in the same age range. This can lead to self-esteem problems as self-reinforcement abilities deteriorate and confidence diminishes. So why doesn't the pot smoker stop smoking pot?
Another one of the marijuana dangers is physical dependence on the drug. Many people try to stop over and over but are overwhelmed by anxiety, irritability and sleeping difficulties. Physical dependence is marked by withdrawal symptoms when the drug is removed. The marijuana dangers include the bodies' adaptation to an almost continuous presence of the drug in its system. The brain adapts to the pain reducing reaction to the drug and its other analgesic effects like inducing sleep. Those who have only tried smoking pot once or twice might be amazed that anybody could function on the drug at all. But those who have been smoking the drug for months and years have become accustom to its effects and can often hide the fact that they are high at all.
This tolerance to the drug is yet another one of the marijuana dangers. Pot smokers who must smoke much more of the drug to feel the same affect that just a little used to provide. This leads to more intake of smoke which can cause more damage to the lungs and respiratory system.
One of the biggest marijuana dangers can just be the loss of hope from the frustration that you can't seem to quit on your own. Fortunately there is help. Spencer Recovery Centers offers an effective answer to all of the marijuana dangers. Rehabilitation and recovery from marijuana dependency is possible with therapeutic and medical assistance. The doctors and counselors of Spencer Recovery Centers have helped many clients recover from their dependency on marijuana, alcohol, and other drugs. Spencer facilities are first rate, located along scenic beaches of California and Florida, they offer a safe haven to get through the tough times and explore what is really important.
Abnormal functioning of lung tissue injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke
Impairment of critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning
Recent findings indicate that smoking marijuana while shooting up cocaine has the potential to cause severe increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
Long Term Effects of Marijuana
What are the long-term effects of marijuana?
While all of the long-term effects of marijuana use are not yet known, there are studies showing serious health concerns. For example, a group of scientists in California examined the health status of 450 daily smokers of marijuana but not tobacco. They found that the marijuana smokers had more sick days and more doctor visits for respiratory problems and other types of illness than did a similar group who did not smoke either substance.
Findings so far show that the regular use of marijuana or THC may play a role in cancer and problems in the respiratory, and immune systems.
Cancer
It is hard to find out whether marijuana alone causes cancer because many people who smoke marijuana also smoke cigarettes and use other drugs. Marijuana smoke contains some of the same cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, sometimes in higher concentrations. Studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.
Tobacco smoke and marijuana smoke may work together to change the tissues lining the respiratory tract. Marijuana smoking could contribute to early development of head and neck cancer in some people.
Immune system
Our immune system protects the body from many agents that cause disease. It is not certain whether marijuana damages the immune system of people. But both animal and human studies have shown that marijuana impairs the ability of T-cells in the lungs' immune defense system to fight off some infections. People with HIV and others whose immune system is impaired should avoid marijuana use.
Lungs and airways
People who smoke marijuana often develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have. They have symptoms of daily cough and phlegm (chronic bronchitis) and more frequent chest colds. They are also at greater risk of getting lung infections such as pneumonia. Continued marijuana smoking can lead to abnormal function of the lungs and airways. Scientists have found signs of lung tissue injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke.
Scientists believe that marijuana can be especially harmful to the lungs because users often inhale the unfiltered smoke deeply and hold it in their lungs as long as possible. Therefore, the smoke is in contact with lung tissues for long periods of time, which irritates the lungs and damages the way they work.
Do marijuana users lose their motivation?
Some frequent, long-term marijuana users show signs of a lack of motivation (amotivational syndrome). Their problems include not caring about what happens in their lives, no desire to work regularly, fatigue, and a lack of concern about how they look. As a result of these symptoms, some users tend to perform poorly in school or at work. Scientists are still studying these problems.
Marijuana and The Brain
How does marijuana affect the brain?
THC affects the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed. This makes it hard for the user to recall recent events (such as what happened a few minutes ago). It is hard to learn while high - a working short-term memory is required for learning and performing tasks that call for more than one or two steps.
Among a group of long-time heavy marijuana users in Costa Rica, researchers found that the people had great trouble when asked to recall a short list of words (a standard test of memory). People in that study group also found it very hard to focus their attention on the tests given to them.
Smoking marijuana causes some changes in the brain that are like those caused by cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Some researchers believe that these changes may put a person more at risk of becoming addicted to other drugs, such as cocaine or heroin.
It may be that marijuana kills brain cells. In laboratory research, scientists found that high doses of THC given to young rats caused a loss of brain cells such as that seen with aging. At 11 or 12 months of age (about half their normal life span), the rats' brains looked like those of animals in old age. It is not known whether a similar effect occurs in humans.
Researchers are still learning about the many ways that marijuana could affect the brain.
Causes
The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). In 1988, it was discovered that the membranes of certain nerve cells contain protein receptors that bind THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that lead to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana.
Marijuana is addicting because it causes compulsive, uncontrollable drug craving, seeking, and use, even in the face of negative health and social consequences. Over 120,000 people enter treatment per year for their primary marijuana addiction. In addition, animal studies suggest marijuana causes physical dependence, and some people report withdrawal symptoms.Children and young teens start using marijuana for many reasons. Curiosity and the desire to fit into a social group are common reasons. Certainly, youngsters who have already begun to smoke cigarettes and/or use alcohol are at high risk for marijuana use.
Children who become more heavily involved with marijuana can become dependent, and that is their prime reason for using the drug. Others mention psychological coping as a reason for their use - to deal with anxiety, anger, depression, boredom, and so forth. But marijuana use is not an effective method for coping with life's problems, and staying high can be a way of simply not dealing with the problems and challenges of growing up.
Researchers have found that children and teens (both male and female) who are physically and sexually abused are at greater risk than other young people of using marijuana and other drugs and of beginning drug use at an early age.
Long-term studies of high school students and their patterns of drug use show that very few young people use other drugs without first trying marijuana. The risk of using cocaine has been estimated to be more than 104 times greater for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have never tried it. Although there are no definitive studies on the factors associated with the movement from marijuana use to use of other drugs, growing evidence shows that a combination of biological, social, and psychological factors are involved.
Marijuana affects the brain in some of the same ways that other drugs do. Researchers are examining the possibility that long-term marijuana use may create changes in the brain that make a person more at risk of becoming addicted to other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine. While not all young people who use marijuana go on to use other drugs, further research is needed to determine who will be at greatest risk.
Age at First Use of Marijuana
and Past Year Serious Mental
Illness
● Among lifetime marijuana users aged 18 or older, 2.1 percent reported that thefirst used marijuana before age 12, while almost one half (45.2 percent) reported that they first used marijuana at age 18 or older
● Males aged 18 or older were more than twice as likely as females to report that they
first used marijuana before age 12
● Among persons aged 18 or older, those who first used marijuana before age 12 were
twice as likely to have serious mental illness in the past year as those who first used
marijuana at age 18 or older
