Facts about Marijuana
Marijuana is the third leading drug threat to the U.S., according to the National Drug Threat Assessment 2009, released by the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). The potency of this illegal drug has also increased to the highest level ever recorded, due to improved outdoor cultivation techniques and increased indoor cultivation of high-potency plants. The assessment attributes much of this increased cultivation to Asian drug trafficking organizations or DTOs, many linked in a nationwide network, that have greatly multiplied the number of their indoor operations in several states.
Some estimates say that one-third of Americans smoke marijuana at some point in their lives. Other estimates say that 1 percent smoke marijuana only occasionally. The Partnership for a Drug Free America, in a 2009 tracking study on teen drug abuse, reports that marijuana use among teens, which has been declining for a decade, still remains the most widely abused drug. Past-year usage is down 24 percent since 1998, according to the report. Teens say they credit increased knowledge from their parents about the risks of drugs as well as the well-publicized anti-drug campaigns. Teen attitudes are also changing, says the report, with 35 percent agreeing strongly that they “don’t want to be associated with anyone who uses marijuana,” which is up from 28 percent 10 years ago.
Marijuana IS a Drug
Marijuana comes from the hemp plant (cannabis sativa). It contains some 400 chemicals, but the most potent and mind-altering component is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). According to the American Council for Drug Education, potency of crude marijuana increased from less than 1 percent in 1974 to about 4 percent in 1994. The popular form of marijuana, called Sinsenilla, made from the flowering tops and buds (but no seeds) of female plants, contained THC averaging from 7.5 percent to as high as 24 percent. THC levels in hashish, a resin made from the female plant flower, ranged from 5 to 10 times that of crude marijuana.
Common street names
There are easily a couple of hundred slang terms for marijuana. The common street names listed here only touch the surface: Mary Jane, weed, grass, pot, herb, ganja, chronic, bubble gum, skunk, northern lights, Aunt Mary, kif, blaze, nuggets, hay, rope, buds and stinkweed.
How to Identify It
Marijuana looks like a dried mixture of green or gray shredded flowers and leaves. It may contain sticks and seeds as well. Many different varieties include those with coloring that ranges from brown to green.
How Marijuana Is Used
Marijuana is usually smoked – either in a loosely rolled cigarette called a “joint,” or in a pipe or water pipe. Hollowed-out cigars, where the tobacco is replaced with marijuana, are known as “blunts.” But marijuana can also be steeped and brewed into tea and baked in cookies and brownies.
Effects of the Drug
Marijuana impacts the body and the mind. It is a mild hallucinogenic with properties that, like alcohol, act as a depressant and loosen inhibitions. Some first-time users may feel nothing at all.
The effects are felt in a few minutes and peak at about 10 to 30 minutes. These include: dry mouth and throat, delayed reaction time, increased heart rate, balance and coordination problems and diminished short-term memory.
The effects wear off in 2 to 3 hours, but THC, a fat-soluble substance, accumulates in the fatty tissues of the lungs, liver, testes and other organs. Traces are still detectable by sensitive blood tests up to a month after discontinuing use.
Why Marijuana Is Bad for You
There are short-term and long-term risks from using marijuana. These include the following:
• Anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks
• Diminished short-term memory
• Hallucination
• Impaired perception and judgment
• Increased heart rate
• Increased risk of accidents (especially motor vehicle)
• Increased risk of cancer
• Loss of motivation
• Lack of inhibitions
• Problems with concentration and coordination
• Respiratory, reproductive and immune system damage
• Psychological dependency
Addicting?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), marijuana can be addicting to some people after long-term use. This means they cannot control their urge to search out the drug and use it – despite negative repercussions to their health, family, school, work or social relationships. NIDA also reports that a recent study showed that teens with prior anti-social problems and used marijuana quickly developed an addiction to the drug. For frequent and heavy users, a tolerance develops, meaning they require more of the drug, and more often, in order to achieve the same high.
