The Dangers of Marijuana

1
The Dangers of Marijuana

• Decisions about Marijuana will make a major
  impact on your life.
• Big decision / big consequences

2
Introduction to Marijuana

• Marijuana
• AKA Cannabis, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Pot,
  Weed
• Marijuana is a mind-changing drug. It is made
  from a plant called Cannabis sativa, which
  thrives in many parts of the world. A marijuana
  cigarette, or joint, is made from dried parts of
  the plant, everything but the main stem and
  roots.
• Marijuana is deemed as the most commonly abused
  illegal drug in the United States. Teens are the
  most vulnerable to being exposed to marijuana.

3
Whats In Marijuana?

• The cannabis plant, from which marijuana is
  derived, has over 400 different chemicals. The
  change in the users physical and mental state,
  or high, is caused by the chemical called
  delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. THC is a
  psychoactive or mind-changing drug. The more THC
  that is contained in marijuana, then the stronger
  the high and the longer it lasts.

4
This is not your parents pot!

• Based on tested drug levels in seized or
  confiscated Marijuana over the years.
• The average THC levels in current marijuana on
  the street is more than four times that found in
  the marijuana of the 1970s.

5
What Happens When Youre Smoking Marijuana?

• People have different reactions when smoking
  marijuana. Some people become hysterical and
  laugh at things that they normally wouldnt laugh
  at. Others start talking a lot or become very
  quiet. Thinking becomes slower and time seems to
  slow down. Marijuana users may experience panic
  reactions such as paranoia, abnormal fears, and
  anxiety.

6
What Happens When Youre Smoking Marijuana?

• First time users reactions vary. Some people may
  have little reaction such as an upset stomach,
  others may even become scared of the feelings
  marijuana causes.
• Marijuana alters your decision making process by
  lowering your inhibitions and perceptions of
  consequences of risky decisions.
• Perhaps one of the most well known side effect is
  hunger.
• the Munchies as commonly called

7
Marijuana and School

• Marijuana and school dont mix. Marijuana makes
  it harder for users to concentrate, and thinking
  slows down. Marijuana damages the users memory,
  and things such as simple math problems become
  extremely difficult. One of the prevalent effects
  of marijuana is the decline in school performance.

8
Impact On Your Health

• Short-term effects
• - Problems with memory and learning
• - Distorted perception
• - Trouble with thinking and problem solving
• - Loss of motor coordination
• - Increased heart rate
• Using marijuana weekly or more frequently can
  double the risk of teen depression and anxiety.
  Smoking marijuana during depression can also make
  teens more addicted to marijuana and other
  illicit drugs.
• Marijuana can also be connected to suicide.
• Marijuana smokers have the same respiratory
  problems as tobacco smokers, since the chemicals
  in tobacco smoke is similar to marijuana smoke.
  Smoking marijuana can lead to lung diseases such
  as bronchitis, pneumonia, and lung cancer.
  Marijuana smoke has more cancer-causing
  ingredients than tobacco smoke.
• Smoking marijuana can lower the amount of
  testosterone in males and it affects the
  menstrual cycle in females. Babies that are born
  to marijuana smoking mothers gain a greater than
  normal risk of receiving birth defects.
• Marijuana can increase the heart rate up to 50
  faster than the normal heart rate. It can also
  lead to chest pains and very low blood pressure
  in people with heart diseases. Since it increases
  the heart rate, marijuana makes it harder to play
  sports.

9
Statistics
Percentage of 8th-Graders Who Have Used
Marijuana
 
10
Statistics (cont.)
Percentage of 10th-Graders Who Have Used
Marijuana
Percentage of 10th-Graders Who Have Used
Marijuana
 
 
11
Statistics (cont.)
Percentage of 12th-Graders Who Have Used
Marijuana