MARIJUANA

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Definition

Marijuana is made from cannabis sativa, a plant that grows wild (and is also cultivated indoors and out) throughout many regions. Most of the marijuana used in the United States comes from sources in the U.S. , Mexico ("Mexican Red/Brown"), and Canada ("BC Bud").

Marijuana consists of the buds, leaves, and resin of the cannabis plant. The stalks and sterilized seeds are considered "hemp."

The plant cannabis sativa contains chemicals called "cannabinoids." THC (delta-9-tetrhydrocannabinol) is the cannabinoid believed to be responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis.

THC can be found in all parts of the cannabis plant, including hemp. This is why hemp is regulated carefully – some hemp products such as clothing, rope, yarn, lotion and soap are legal products because they do not cause THC to enter the human body.

Common Questions

How is marijuana used?

Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette, in a pipe or a bong. A marijuana cigarette is often called a joint or a nail. Marijuana has appeared in cigar wrappers called blunts. Blunts often contain marijuana and other drugs such as crack cocaine.

Is marijuana addictive?

Yes. While not everyone who uses marijuana becomes addicted, when a user begins to seek out and take the drug compulsively, that person is said to be dependent on the drug or addicted to it. In 2002, over 280,000 people entering drug treatment programs reported marijuana as their primary drug of abuse, showing they needed help to stop using.

Some heavy users of marijuana show signs of withdrawal when they do not use the drug. They develop symptoms such as restlessness, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, weight loss, and shaky hands.

According to one study, marijuana use by teenagers who have prior serious antisocial problems can quickly lead to dependence on the drug. That study also found that, for troubled teenagers using tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, progression from their first use of marijuana to regular use was about as rapid as their progression to regular tobacco use, and more rapid than the progression to regular use of alcohol.

What are the signs someone may need help?

Changes in behavior

Withdrawal from others, lose touch with family and friends

Depression

Fatigue

Carelessness of grooming

Hostility

Lost interest in sports or other enjoyed activities

Changes in eating and sleeping habits

Use of incense in bedrooms/bathrooms

What are the short term effects?

The short term effects of marijuana usually appear immediately after a single dose. Some common short-term effects include:  problems with memory and learning, distorted sights, sounds, time, touch, trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor coordination and increased heart rate.

What are long term effects?

The user may develop a tolerance to marijuana's high and may need to use more marijuana to experience the same level of pleasure. Long-term marijuana users may develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have: coughing and wheezing. Marijuana users tend to have more chest colds than nonusers and are also at greater risk of getting lung infections like pneumonia. People who smoke marijuana regularly may develop many of the same breathing problems that tobacco smokers have, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent chest colds, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency toward obstructed airways. Cancer of the respiratory tract and lungs may also be promoted by marijuana smoke, since it contains irritants and carcinogens. Marijuana smokers usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer, which increases the lungs’ exposure to carcinogenic smoke. Thus, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may increase the risk of cancer more than smoking tobacco does. 

How long does marijuana stay in the body?

THC in marijuana is rapidly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs Generally, traces of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. In chronic heavy users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using marijuana.

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