Marijuana Information
Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal
drug. It is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems,
seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. You may hear marijuana called by other
street names, as there are more than 200 slang terms for marijuana. Sinsemilla
(sin-seh-me-yah; it’s a Spanish word), hashish (“hash” for
short), and hash oil are stronger forms of marijuana.
All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana’s effects on the user depend on it’s strength or potency, which is related to the amount of THC it contains. The THC content of marijuana has been increasing since the 1970s.
The short-term effects of marijuana include: problems with memory and learning; distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch); trouble with thinking and problemsolving; loss of motor coordination; and increased heart rate. 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.
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.
Animal studies have found that THC can damage the cells and tissues in the body that help protect against disease. When the immune cells are weakened you are more likely to get sick.
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