Marijuana
MaClay Rehabilitation Center
Marijuana
Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States. A dry,
shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the plant Cannabis
sativa, it usually is smoked as a cigarette (joint, nail), or in a pipe (bong). It also is
smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with
marijuana, often in combination with another drug. It might also be mixed in food or
brewed as a tea. As a more concentrated, resinous form it is called hashish and, as a
sticky black liquid, hash oil. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually
sweet and sour odor.
The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The
membranes of certain nerve cells in the brain contain protein receptors that bind to
THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately
lead to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana.
Short-Term Effects
When marijuana is smoked, its effects begin immediately after the drug enters the
brain and last from 1 to 3 hours. If marijuana is consumed in food or drink, the short-
term effects begin more slowly, usually in 1/2 to 1 hour, and last longer, for as long as 4
hours. Smoking marijuana deposits several times more THC into the blood than does
eating or drinking the drug.
Within a few minutes after inhaling marijuana smoke, an individual’s heart begins
beating more rapidly, the bronchial passages relax and become enlarged, and blood
vessels in the eyes expand, making the eyes look red. The heart rate, normally 70 to 80
beats per minute, may increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or, in some cases, even
double. This effect can be greater if other drugs are taken with marijuana.
As THC enters the brain, it causes a user to feel euphoric— or “high”—by acting in the
brain’s reward system, areas of the brain that respond to stimuli such as food and drink
as well as most drugs of abuse. THC activates the reward system in the same way that
nearly all drugs of abuse do, by stimulating brain cells to release the chemical
dopamine.
A marijuana user may experience pleasant sensations, colors and sounds may seem
more intense, and time appears to pass very slowly. The user’s mouth feels dry, and he
or she may suddenly become very hungry and thirsty. His or her hands may tremble
and grow cold. The euphoria passes after awhile, and then the user may feel sleepy or
depressed. Occasionally, marijuana use produces anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic.
Long-Term Effects
Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory
problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more
frequent acute chest illnesses, 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. Marijuana has the potential to promote cancer of the
lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract because marijuana smoke contains 50
percent to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke.
Marijuana's damage to short-term memory seems to occur because THC alters the
way in which information is processed by the hippocampus, a brain area responsible
for memory formation. In one study, researchers compared marijuana smoking and
nonsmoking 12th-graders' scores on standardized tests of verbal and mathematical
skills. Although all of the students had scored equally well in 4th grade, those who were
heavy marijuana smokers, i.e., those who used marijuana seven or more times per
week, scored significantly lower in 12th grade than nonsmokers. Another study of 129
college students found that among heavy users of marijuana critical skills related to
attention, memory, and learning were significantly impaired, even after they had not
used the drug for at least 24 hours.
For more information click here
Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States. A dry,
shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the plant Cannabis
sativa, it usually is smoked as a cigarette (joint, nail), or in a pipe (bong). It also is
smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with
marijuana, often in combination with another drug. It might also be mixed in food or
brewed as a tea. As a more concentrated, resinous form it is called hashish and, as a
sticky black liquid, hash oil. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually
sweet and sour odor.
The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The
membranes of certain nerve cells in the brain contain protein receptors that bind to
THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately
lead to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana.
Short-Term Effects
When marijuana is smoked, its effects begin immediately after the drug enters the
brain and last from 1 to 3 hours. If marijuana is consumed in food or drink, the short-
term effects begin more slowly, usually in 1/2 to 1 hour, and last longer, for as long as 4
hours. Smoking marijuana deposits several times more THC into the blood than does
eating or drinking the drug.
Within a few minutes after inhaling marijuana smoke, an individual’s heart begins
beating more rapidly, the bronchial passages relax and become enlarged, and blood
vessels in the eyes expand, making the eyes look red. The heart rate, normally 70 to 80
beats per minute, may increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute or, in some cases, even
double. This effect can be greater if other drugs are taken with marijuana.
As THC enters the brain, it causes a user to feel euphoric— or “high”—by acting in the
brain’s reward system, areas of the brain that respond to stimuli such as food and drink
as well as most drugs of abuse. THC activates the reward system in the same way that
nearly all drugs of abuse do, by stimulating brain cells to release the chemical
dopamine.
A marijuana user may experience pleasant sensations, colors and sounds may seem
more intense, and time appears to pass very slowly. The user’s mouth feels dry, and he
or she may suddenly become very hungry and thirsty. His or her hands may tremble
and grow cold. The euphoria passes after awhile, and then the user may feel sleepy or
depressed. Occasionally, marijuana use produces anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic.
Long-Term Effects
Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory
problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more
frequent acute chest illnesses, 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. Marijuana has the potential to promote cancer of the
lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract because marijuana smoke contains 50
percent to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke.
Marijuana's damage to short-term memory seems to occur because THC alters the
way in which information is processed by the hippocampus, a brain area responsible
for memory formation. In one study, researchers compared marijuana smoking and
nonsmoking 12th-graders' scores on standardized tests of verbal and mathematical
skills. Although all of the students had scored equally well in 4th grade, those who were
heavy marijuana smokers, i.e., those who used marijuana seven or more times per
week, scored significantly lower in 12th grade than nonsmokers. Another study of 129
college students found that among heavy users of marijuana critical skills related to
attention, memory, and learning were significantly impaired, even after they had not
used the drug for at least 24 hours.
For more information click here
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