How is marijuana harmful?
The active ingredient in marijuana is THC (tetrahydra cannabinol), a mind-altering chemical. The marijuana sold today contains much higher percentages of THC than that sold in the 60's and 70's.
Marijuana has both short and long-term health consequences. Short-term effects include problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, decreased thinking and problem solving skills, loss of motor coordination, increased appetite, increased heart rate and anxiety. Long term effects include risk of cancer, respiratory problems and negative effects on both the male and female reproductive systems.
Students who use marijuana may find it hard to concentrate and learn and may eventually lose their motivation for schoolwork and other activities they once enjoyed. Athletes could find their performance is diminished, since both timing and coordination are affected by use.
In simple terms, marijuana dulls the brain.
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What are the symptoms of marijuana use?
How can you tell if a youth is using marijuana? When high on marijuana, he or she might seem
- dizzy and have trouble walking
- silly and giggly for no reason
- have very red, bloodshot eyes
- have a hard time remembering things that just happened
When the early effects fade over a few hours, the user can become very sleepy.
In addition, parents should be alert to
- marijuana paraphernalia, including pipes, rolling papers, and cigars (the tobacco in cigars is replaced with marijuana)
- odor on clothes or in the bedroom
- use of incense and other deodorizers
- use of eye drops
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What are teen perceptions of marijuana use?
According to the 2007 survey of Chesterfield youths, teens think that people are at much greater risk of harming themselves if they smoke one or more packs of cigarettes a day than if they smoke marijuana regularly. It is important for parents to stress that smoking a joint is as harmful as smoking three to five cigarettes, in addition to the other harmful effects of THC on the brain. |