HERE ARE THE STRAIGHT FACTS ABOUT MARIJUANA

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States and tends to be the first illegal drug teens use. The physical effects of marijuana use on developing adolescents are alarming.

Marijuana blocks the messages going to your brain and alters your perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing and coordination.

The short-term effects of using marijuana include:

* sleepiness

* difficulty keeping track of time; impaired or reduced short-term memory

* reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination

* increased heart rate

* potential cardiac dangers for those with preexisting heart disease

* bloodshot eyes

* dry mouth and throat

* decreased social inhibitions

* paranoia, hallucinations

 

The long-term effects of using marijuana include:

* enhanced cancer risk

* decrease in testosterone levels for males

* lower sperm counts and difficulty having children

* increase in testosterone levels for women

* increased risk of infertility

* psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect

* diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure

Who Is A Marijuana Addict?

We who are marijuana addicts know the answer to this question.

Marijuana controls our lives! We lose interest in all else.

Our dreams go up in smoke.

Ours is a progressive illness often leading us to addictions to other drugs,

including alcohol.

Our lives, our thinking, and our desires center around marijuana---

scoring it, dealing it, and finding ways to stay high.

A recent study of 1,023 trama patients admitted to a shock trama unit found

that one-third had marijuana in their blood.

Although most of the public feels that marijuana is "harmless", the statistics show otherwise.

Main Physical Signs

Altered perceptions, red eyes, dry mouth, reduced

concentration and coordination, euphoria.

LOOK FOR:

Rolling papers, pipes, dried plant material, odor of burnt hemp rope, roach clips.

Dangers of Abuse

Panic reaction, impaired short-term memory, hampered judgment, accelerated heartbeat, possibly increased blood pressure.

The information above came from these many web sites.

I have summarized each site so you can have an idea about the detail they show.

WEB SITES ABOUT MARIJUANA

http://www.acde.org/parents.html What parents & youth need to know about the use of marijuana as a child/teen. Lesson plans for teachers as well.

http://www.nida.nih.gov/Prevention/Prevopen.html Information on the research-based guide, "Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents."

http://drugs.ort.org/cannabis.htm General information on marijuana.

http://www.ctclearinghouse.org/proct96.htm The straight forward facts on marijuana.

http://bizweb.lightspeed.net/~sro/drugmari.html Long/Short term effects of marijuana.

http://www.cyberlink.bc.ca/~teenline/reefer.htm Information on how smoking today is much different than in the 1960’s. For example- the potency level of marijuana has increased 275% in the last decade.

http://www.estreet.com/orgs/dsi/Legalizit/Marijuananotprovensafe.html An article from the Boston Herald, "Marijuana Not Proven Safe".

http://www.drugtext.nl/hempnation/rec/potency.html "Cannabis 1998: Old Drug, New Dangers, the Potency Debate."

http://www.caron.org/Marijuana.htm Marijuana & today’s youth. How to keep teens away from it.

http://quark.foobar.co.uk/users/ukcia/effects/index.html Marijuana myths, facts, dangers, information, JUST EVERYTHING!

http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/parentpg1-2N.html Marijuana Facts parents NEED to know.

http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/Marijteens.html Have a question about marijuana? If so, or if your interested in learning about marijuana, take a look at this page. It has all the facts you could possibly think of about marijuana, teen facts. *

http://www.tustinpd.org/cannabis.html Comments, symptoms & dangers of marijuana in summary.

http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Colleges/BSOS/Depts/Cesar/metnet/MARJA2B.TXT Marijuana vs. Tobacco. Which is more dangerous? Find out here.

http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Colleges/BSOS/Depts/Cesar/metnet/MARJA1C.TXT The effect of marijuana on children.

http://www.tiua.edu/Personal/Student/97Studnt/~hkubota/Drug-Group/Pot-E.htm Information on marijuana teens NEED to know.

http://www.elfheart.com/stoned.htm Teens & Drugs-THE FACTS.

Last Updated 08/13/06.

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