Marijuana is still the most popular illegal drug in the United States. Marijauna is derived from the marijuana plant and is either smoked or cooked into foods and eaten. Marijuana is traditionally thought of as not addictive; however, long-term abuse of marijuana can result in a lack of motivation that can undermine academic and career success. Marijuana is thought by experts to be psychologically addictive in that users feel uncomfortable when they cannot use the drug.
About one-third of college students who tried indoor tanning facilities were addicted to the artificial rays, and they drank more alcohol and smoked more marijuana than other students, researchers found.
Young people who smoke marijuana for six years or more are twice as likely to have psychotic episodes, hallucinations, or delusions than people who have never used the drug, scientists said on Monday.
The federal government’s annual report of kids’ alcohol and drug abuse found that among 46,000 American eighth, 10th, and 12th graders, use of hallucinogens, marijuana, methamphetamines decreased in 2008. But although drug and alcohol use seems to be declining or holding steady, there has been slippage in teen disapproval of such practices and perception of risks, officials warned.
Marijuana is commonly referred to as a gateway drug. Some research has been used to support marijuana as a type of stepping stone to more dangerous drug choices (Morral, McCaffrey & Paddock, 2002). This information supports the “gateway hypothesis,” which argues that substance abuse is triggered by a progression of events that begins with use of an illegal substance such as alcohol or tobacco and then moves on to marijuana and then cocaine or another illicit drug.
By Leslie Thompson
For years, it was commonly believed that marijuana was not addictive—and many recreational users still believe this to be true. People thought that because marijuana is natural and has very few side effects, unlike other illicit drugs, developing a dependency on the substance was improbable. However, as further research has been performed, evidence indicates that marijuana is indeed addictive and can lead to major physical and mental health problems down the road.
Spice Gold is a designed drug that has been used by some as a complement to or substitution for marijuana. Now, a clinical report from Dresden offers study justification for the assumption that the drug is strongly addictive.
Science Daily issued a report examining a current edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. Ulrich S. Zimmerman from the Dresden Technical University and his colleagues describe a young man who developed physical withdrawal symptoms after the regular consumption of Spice Gold. These symptoms were also accompanied by a dependence syndrome. … Continue Reading
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. … Continue Reading
