The National Institute on Drug Abuse Offers the Facts on Marijuana

From the website:

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana

Marijuana…

Use is rampant:

“Marijuana is the most common illicit drug used in the United States.”

Has a powerful effect on the brain:

“Marijuana overactivates the endocannabinoid system, causing the high and other effects that users experience. These include distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory.”

Interferes with successful lives:

“Heavy marijuana users generally report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, relationship problems, and less academic and career success.”

Damages the brains of young people:

“Research from different areas is converging on the fact that regular marijuana use by young people can have long-lasting negative impact on the structure and function of their brains.”

Permanently lowers IQ:

“A recent study of marijuana users who began using in adolescence revealed a profound deficit in connections between brain areas responsible for learning and memory. And a large prospective study (following individuals across time) showed that people who began smoking marijuana heavily in their teens lost as much as 8 points in IQ between age 13 and age 38; importantly, the lost cognitive abilities were not restored in those who quit smoking marijuana as adults.”

Causes heart disease:

“Marijuana raises heart rate by 20-100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to 3 hours. In one study, it was estimated that marijuana users have a 4.8-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug.” 

Causes car wrecks:

“A recent analysis of data from several studies found that marijuana use more than doubles a driver’s risk of being in an accident.”

Damages the lungs:

“People who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers, mainly because of respiratory illnesses.”

Causes psychiatric illness:

“A series of large prospective studies also showed a link between marijuana use and later development of psychosis. Associations have also been found between marijuana use and other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances.”

Damages babies:

“Marijuana use during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of neurobehavioral problems in babies. Consequences for the child may include problems with attention, memory, and problem solving.”

Is NOT a legitimate medicine:

“The FDA requires carefully conducted studies in large numbers of patients (hundreds to thousands) to accurately assess the benefits and risks of a potential medication. To be considered a legitimate medicine, a substance must have well-defined and measureable ingredients that are consistent from one unit (such as a pill or injection) to the next.”

Is definitely addictive:

“Contrary to common belief, marijuana is addictive. Estimates from research suggest that about 9 percent of users become addicted to marijuana; this number increases among those who start young (to about 17 percent, or 1 in 6) and among daily users (to 25-50 percent).”

And is more potent that ever:

“The amount of THC in marijuana samples confiscated by police has been increasing steadily over the past few decades.”

Read more:  http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana-abuse