Commonly Asked Questions About Marijuana
Q: How
long does marijuana stay in the user's body?
A: THC in marijuana is strongly
absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces (metabolites) of
THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a
smoking session. However, in heavy chronic users, traces can sometimes be
detected for weeks after they have stopped using marijuana.
Q: What are
the short-term effects of marijuana use?
A: The short-term effects of
marijuana include:
· problems with memory and learning;
· distorted
perception (sights, sounds, time, touch);
· trouble with thinking and
problem-solving;
· loss of coordination; and
· increased heart rate,
anxiety.
These effects are even greater when other drugs are mixed with the
marijuana; and users do not always know what drugs are given to them.
Q:
Does marijuana affect work, school, sports, or other activities?
A: It can.
Marijuana affects memory, judgment and perception. The drug can make you mess up
in work, school, or in sports. If you're high on marijuana, you are more likely
to make stupid mistakes that could hurt yourself or othres. If you use marijuana
a lot, you could start to lose interest in your appearance and how you're doing
at school or work. Athletes could find their performance is off; timing,
movements, and coordination are all affected by THC.
Q: What are the
long-term effects of marijuana use?
A: Findings so far show that regular use
of marijuana or THC may play a role in some kinds of cancer and in problems with
the respiratory, immune, and reproductive systems.
· Cancer
It is known
that marijuana contains some of the same, and sometimes even more, of the
cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Studies show that someone who
smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as
someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.
· Lungs and
airways
People who smoke marijuana often develop the same kinds of breathing
problems that cigarette smokers have: coughing and wheezing. They tend to have
more chest colds than nonusers. They are also at greater risk of getting lung
infections like pneumonia.
· Immune system
Animal studies have found that
THC can damage the cells and tissues in the body that help protect people from
disease. When the immune cells are weakened, you are more likely to get sick.
Q: Does marijuana lead to the use of other drugs?
A: It could.
Long-term studies of drug use show that very few people use other illegal drugs
without first trying marijuana. For example, the risk of using cocaine is 104
times greater for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have never
tried it. Using marijuana puts children and teens in contact with people who are
users and sellers of other drugs. So there is more of a risk that a marijuana
user will be exposed to and urged to try more drugs.
To better determine
this risk, scientists are examining the possibility that long-term marijuana use
may create changes in the brain that make a person more at risk of becoming
addicted to other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine. While not all people who
use marijuana go on to use other drugs, further research is needed to predict
who will be at greatest risk.
Q: How does marijuana affect
driving?
A: Marijuana has serious harmful effects on the skills required to
drive safely: alertness, the ability to concentrate, coordination, and the
ability to react quickly. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking
marijuana. Marijuana use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to
signals and sounds on the road.
Marijuana may play a role in car accidents.
In one study conducted in Memphis, TN, researchers found that, of 150 reckless
drivers who were tested for drugs at the arrest scene, 33 percent tested
positive for marijuana, and 12 percent tested positive for both marijuana and
cocaine. Data have also shown that while smoking marijuana, people show the same
lack of coordination on standard "drunk driver" tests as do people who have had
too much to drink..
Q: What does marijuana do to the brain?
A: Some
studies show that when people have smoked large amounts of marijuana for years,
the drug takes its toll on mental functions. Heavy or daily use of marijuana
affects the parts of the brain that control memory, attention, and learning. A
working short-term memory is needed to learn and perform tasks that call for
more than one or two steps.
Smoking marijuana causes some changes in the
brain that are like those caused by cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Some
researchers believe that these changes may put a person more at risk of becoming
addicted to other drugs, such as cocaine or heroin. Scientists are still
learning about the many ways that marijuana could affect the brain.
Q:
Can people become addicted to marijuana?
A: Yes. While not everyone who uses
marijuana becomes addicted, when a user begins to seek out and take the drug
compulsively, that person is said to be dependent or addicted to the drug. In
1995, 165,000 people entering drug treatment programs reported marijuana as
their primary drug of abuse, showing they need help to stop using the
drug.
According to one study, marijuana use by teenagers who have prior
serious antisocial problems can quickly lead to dependence on the drug.
Some
frequent, heavy users of marijuana develop a tolerance for it. "Tolerance" means
that the user needs larger doses of the drug to get the same desired results
that he or she used to get from smaller amounts.
Q: What if a person
wants to quit using the drug?
A: Up until a few years ago, it was hard to
find treatment programs specifically for marijuana users.
Now researchers
are testing different ways to help marijuana users abstain from drug use. There
are currently no medications for treating marijuana addiction. Treatment
programs focus on counseling and group support systems. There are also a number
of programs designed especially to help teenagers who are abusers. Family
doctors are also a good source for information and help in dealing with
adolescent marijuana problems.
If you have questions
whether you or a loved one has a problem with drug use or alcohol use or if
you believe you or a loved one may be an addict please click here.
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