NARCOTIC NEWS
Marijuana Information
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Marijuana Information
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| Marijuana Info Continued Page 2 |
| Effects of Marijuana |
On The Brain
Scientists have learned a great deal about how THC acts in the brain to produce its many effects. When
someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries
the chemical to organs throughout the body, including the brain.
In the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and influences
the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or
none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory,
thought, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.
The short-term effects of marijuana can include problems with memory and learning; distorted
perception; difficulty in thinking and problem solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate.
Research findings for long-term marijuana abuse indicate some changes in the brain similar to those
seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs. For example, cannabinoid (THC or synthetic forms of
THC) withdrawal in chronically exposed animals leads to an increase in the activation of the stress-
response system and changes in the activity of nerve cells containing dopamine. Dopamine neurons
are involved in the regulation of motivation and reward, and are directly or indirectly affected by all
drugs of abuse.
On the Heart
One study has indicated that an abuser's risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the first hour
after smoking marijuana. The researchers suggest that such an effect might occur from marijuana's
effects on blood pressure and heart rate and reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.
A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke
tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers. Many of the extra
sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.
Even infrequent abuse can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, often accompanied by a
heavy cough. Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory
problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute
chest illness, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency to obstructed airways.
Smoking marijuana possibly increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the head or neck. A study
comparing 173 cancer patients and 176 healthy individuals produced evidence that marijuana smoking
doubled or tripled the risk of these cancers.
Marijuana abuse also has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the
respiratory tract because it contains irritants and carcinogens. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to
70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. It also induces high levels of
an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into their carcinogenic form—levels that may
accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells. Marijuana users usually inhale more
deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which increases the lungs' exposure to
carcinogenic smoke. These facts suggest that, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may be more harmful
to the lungs than smoking tobacco.
On the Lungs
A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke
tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers. Many of the extra
sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.
Even infrequent abuse can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, often accompanied by a
heavy cough. Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory
problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute
chest illness, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency to obstructed airways.
Smoking marijuana possibly increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the head or neck. A study
comparing 173 cancer patients and 176 healthy individuals produced evidence that marijuana smoking
doubled or tripled the risk of these cancers.
Marijuana abuse also has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the
respiratory tract because it contains irritants and carcinogens. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to
70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. It also induces high levels of
an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into their carcinogenic form—levels that may
accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells. Marijuana users usually inhale more
deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which increases the lungs' exposure to
carcinogenic smoke. These facts suggest that, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may be more harmful
to the lungs than smoking tobacco.
Additional Health Effects
Some of marijuana's adverse health effects may occur because THC impairs the immune system's
ability to fight disease. In laboratory experiments that exposed animal and human cells to THC or other
marijuana ingredients, the normal disease-preventing reactions of many of the key types of immune
cells were inhibited. In other studies, mice exposed to THC or related substances were more likely
than unexposed mice to develop bacterial infections and tumors.
Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make
a person's existing problems worse. Depression, anxiety, and personality disturbances have been
associated with chronic marijuana use. Because marijuana compromises the ability to learn and
remember information, the more a person uses marijuana the more he or she is likely to fall behind in
accumulating intellectual, job, or social skills. Moreover, research has shown that marijuana’s adverse
impact on memory and learning can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.
Students who smoke marijuana get lower grades and are less likely to graduate from high school,
compared with their nonsmoking peers. A study of 129 college students found that, among those who
smoked the drug at least 27 of the 30 days prior to being surveyed, critical skills related to attention,
memory, and learning were significantly impaired, even after the students had not taken the drug for at
least 24 hours. These "heavy" marijuana abusers had more trouble sustaining and shifting their
attention and in registering, organizing, and using information than did the study participants who had
abused marijuana no more than 3 of the previous 30 days. As a result, someone who smokes
marijuana every day may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level all of the time.
More recently, the same researchers showed that the ability of a group of long-term heavy marijuana
abusers to recall words from a list remained impaired for a week after quitting, but returned to normal
within 4 weeks. Thus, some cognitive abilities may be restored in individuals who quit smoking
marijuana, even after long-term heavy use.
Workers who smoke marijuana are more likely than their coworkers to have problems on the job.
Several studies associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness,
accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover. A study among postal workers found that
employees who tested positive for marijuana on a pre-employment urine drug test had 55 percent
more industrial accidents, 85 percent more injuries, and a 75-percent increase in absenteeism
compared with those who tested negative for marijuana use. In another study, heavy marijuana
abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement including
cognitive abilities, career status, social life, and physical and mental health
Scientists have learned a great deal about how THC acts in the brain to produce its many effects. When
someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries
the chemical to organs throughout the body, including the brain.
In the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and influences
the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or
none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory,
thought, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.
The short-term effects of marijuana can include problems with memory and learning; distorted
perception; difficulty in thinking and problem solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate.
Research findings for long-term marijuana abuse indicate some changes in the brain similar to those
seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs. For example, cannabinoid (THC or synthetic forms of
THC) withdrawal in chronically exposed animals leads to an increase in the activation of the stress-
response system and changes in the activity of nerve cells containing dopamine. Dopamine neurons
are involved in the regulation of motivation and reward, and are directly or indirectly affected by all
drugs of abuse.
On the Heart
One study has indicated that an abuser's risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the first hour
after smoking marijuana. The researchers suggest that such an effect might occur from marijuana's
effects on blood pressure and heart rate and reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.
A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke
tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers. Many of the extra
sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.
Even infrequent abuse can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, often accompanied by a
heavy cough. Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory
problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute
chest illness, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency to obstructed airways.
Smoking marijuana possibly increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the head or neck. A study
comparing 173 cancer patients and 176 healthy individuals produced evidence that marijuana smoking
doubled or tripled the risk of these cancers.
Marijuana abuse also has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the
respiratory tract because it contains irritants and carcinogens. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to
70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. It also induces high levels of
an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into their carcinogenic form—levels that may
accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells. Marijuana users usually inhale more
deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which increases the lungs' exposure to
carcinogenic smoke. These facts suggest that, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may be more harmful
to the lungs than smoking tobacco.
On the Lungs
A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke
tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers. Many of the extra
sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.
Even infrequent abuse can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, often accompanied by a
heavy cough. Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory
problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute
chest illness, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency to obstructed airways.
Smoking marijuana possibly increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the head or neck. A study
comparing 173 cancer patients and 176 healthy individuals produced evidence that marijuana smoking
doubled or tripled the risk of these cancers.
Marijuana abuse also has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the
respiratory tract because it contains irritants and carcinogens. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to
70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. It also induces high levels of
an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into their carcinogenic form—levels that may
accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells. Marijuana users usually inhale more
deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which increases the lungs' exposure to
carcinogenic smoke. These facts suggest that, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may be more harmful
to the lungs than smoking tobacco.
Additional Health Effects
Some of marijuana's adverse health effects may occur because THC impairs the immune system's
ability to fight disease. In laboratory experiments that exposed animal and human cells to THC or other
marijuana ingredients, the normal disease-preventing reactions of many of the key types of immune
cells were inhibited. In other studies, mice exposed to THC or related substances were more likely
than unexposed mice to develop bacterial infections and tumors.
Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make
a person's existing problems worse. Depression, anxiety, and personality disturbances have been
associated with chronic marijuana use. Because marijuana compromises the ability to learn and
remember information, the more a person uses marijuana the more he or she is likely to fall behind in
accumulating intellectual, job, or social skills. Moreover, research has shown that marijuana’s adverse
impact on memory and learning can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.
Students who smoke marijuana get lower grades and are less likely to graduate from high school,
compared with their nonsmoking peers. A study of 129 college students found that, among those who
smoked the drug at least 27 of the 30 days prior to being surveyed, critical skills related to attention,
memory, and learning were significantly impaired, even after the students had not taken the drug for at
least 24 hours. These "heavy" marijuana abusers had more trouble sustaining and shifting their
attention and in registering, organizing, and using information than did the study participants who had
abused marijuana no more than 3 of the previous 30 days. As a result, someone who smokes
marijuana every day may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level all of the time.
More recently, the same researchers showed that the ability of a group of long-term heavy marijuana
abusers to recall words from a list remained impaired for a week after quitting, but returned to normal
within 4 weeks. Thus, some cognitive abilities may be restored in individuals who quit smoking
marijuana, even after long-term heavy use.
Workers who smoke marijuana are more likely than their coworkers to have problems on the job.
Several studies associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness,
accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover. A study among postal workers found that
employees who tested positive for marijuana on a pre-employment urine drug test had 55 percent
more industrial accidents, 85 percent more injuries, and a 75-percent increase in absenteeism
compared with those who tested negative for marijuana use. In another study, heavy marijuana
abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement including
cognitive abilities, career status, social life, and physical and mental health
| Marijuana Information |
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