Marijuana - The Facts

Marijuana may be the most commonly accepted drug within our society, but the truth is that it can be very dangerous. “Some common names are: pot, grass, herb, weed, Mary Jane, reefer, skunk, boom, gangster, kif, chronic, and ganja,” (teens.drugabuse.gov). A common misconception is that everybody uses it, when in fact marijuana use is on the decline. People generally choose to use it to escape from their everyday lives into a more calm and mellow place. However, this mellow place isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…

Short term effects:
(+) Dopamine is released which creates the good feeling
(-) Loss of coordination can occur
(-) Impacts perception, memory, and judgment skills
(-) May increase the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors
(-) Increases Heart Rate
(-) Effects are often unpredictable

The most dangerous aspect of using marijuana is that it may affect the brain in irreversible ways. The THC in marijuana is suspected to affect the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the cerebral cortex of the brain; these areas of the brain are mostly responsible for coordination, learning and memory. Many users’ brains are still developing and because the effects of marijuana use are so unpredictable, one must decide if the risk is really worth the benefit?

Sources:
-Marijuana What is it? http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_mj1.php
-Image from: http://latinolikeme.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/marijuana.jpg

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