Marihuana

BY

• Constable Gordon Dicks, Fredericton Police Force, with information from

• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (www.camh.net)

• Health Canada (www.hc-sc.gc.ca)

• National Anti Drug Strategy (www.nationalantidrugstrategy.gc.ca)

Marihuana

• Marihuana is the world’s most commonly used illicit drug.

• The main psychoactive substance is cannabinoid – THC – delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol.

• The average THC level in marihuana is 10%

• In 1970 it was 1%

• Other Names: pot, Acapulco gold, chronic, Columbian, weed, grass, reefer, bud, ace, dope, green, hemp, hoppy, herb, Indian hemp, hydro, Jamaican, jive, jive sticks, Mary Jane, Maui wowie, Mexican, panama gold, panama red, Thai sticks, hash, hash oil, honey oil, herb, etc.

Marihuana

Marihuana

• Teenagers who smoke marihuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than their non-marihuana smoking peers.

• 60% of teens who use marihuana before they turn 15 will go on to use cocaine.

Marihuana

What are the ways of consuming marihuana?

• Smoking – joint, pipe or bong

• Inhaling – hash oil using hot knives

• Eaten – in baked goods

• Drinking – an “herbal” tea

Marihuana

SHORT TERM EFFECTS

• Can last up to 2 – 7 hours.

• Calm

• Relaxed

• Talkative

• Drowsy

• Mild Paranoia

Marihuana

SHORT TERM EFFECTS

• Anxiety

• Panic

• Fearfulness

• Impaired reaction time

• Impaired short term memory

• Hallucinations with large doses

Marihuana

SHORT TERM EFFECTS

• Enhanced perceptions – colours brighter, sounds more distinct

• Sense of time and space distorted

Marihuana

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

• Increased heart rate and blood flow to the brain

• Red eyes

• Dry mouth and throat

• Increased appetite

• Impaired coordination and balance

Marihuana

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

• Impaired fine and gross motor skills

• For patients who use marihuana for medical purposes, they may note a reduction in nausea and pain

Marihuana

LONG TERM EFFECTSLONG TERM EFFECTS

•Decreased motivation and interestDecreased motivation and interest

•Difficulty with memory and concentrationDifficulty with memory and concentration

•Research indicates lasting harmful effects on Research indicates lasting harmful effects on mental functionsmental functions

•Damaged respiratory systemDamaged respiratory system

•Possible developmental delays in children Possible developmental delays in children

Marihuana

LONG TERM EFFECTS

• Born to a heavy drug user during pregnancy

• Prone to chest colds, bronchitis and asthma

• Affects hormones – regular use in males may delay the onset of puberty and reduce sperm production. For females regular use may disrupt the menstrual cycle and inhibit ovulation

Marihuana

Which is worse: cigarette smoke or marihuana smoke?

• When comparing cigarette smokers who smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day to marihuana smokers who smoked 3 to 4 joints per day:

Marihuana

• the marihuana smokers coughed and wheezed as much as cigarette smokers.

• In both groups, about 1 in 5 complained of coughing up phlegm and suffering bouts of bronchitis.

• Marihuana contains 400 toxic chemicals.

• Marihuana contains 4X the amount of tar compared to cigarettes.

Marihuana

• 1/3 more tar is retained when smoking marihuana.

Marihuana

Marihuana is a “Gateway drug”!

• Users are more likely to use hard drugs

• Almost all hard drug users used marihuana first but also smoked tobacco and drank alcohol

Marihuana

Marihuana and driving

• Marihuana use can:• Impair the ability to drive

• Slow reaction time, affect coordination and cause drowsiness.

• Affect judgement of distance & reaction to signals & sounds on the road.

Marihuana

Marihuana and driving

• 1 in 5 drivers in grade 10-12 report driving within one hour of using marihuana in the last year.

• 22% of students report that they were passengers in a vehicle driven by someone who has used marihuana prior to driving.

Marihuana

TRUE OR FALSE

• There has NEVER been a reported or documented case in Canada where marihuana use was a direct factor in a motor vehicle accident.

Marihuana

FALSE

• Marihuana has been found in 6-11% of fatally injured drivers in Canada.

Marihuana

Criminal Code of Canada

• Section 253 – Impaired driving by alcohol

• July 2008, new legislation – Section 253 changes to reflect impaired driving by alcohol and/or drugs

Marihuana

Criminal Code of Canada

• New legislation also incorporates DRE & SFST

• DRE – Drug recognition experts – police officers who are trained to detect types of drugs being used based on observations.

• SFST – Standardized field sobriety testing

Marihuana

Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• HGN (horizontal gaze nystagmus)

• Involuntary movement of the eyes that is controlled by the central nervous system

Marihuana

Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• Walk & Turn Test

• Divided attention test – physical & mental test. Nine steps heal to toe along a straight line, turn and return.

Marihuana

Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• One Leg Stand Test

• Divided attention test. Stands on one leg while lifting the other 6 inches off the ground for 30 seconds.

Marihuana

• Failing all three tests – 85-90% accuracy rate that you are impaired.

• Police officer must be trained to administer SFST.

• Standardized across Canada and USA.

Marihuana

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

• Unlawful Possession is a criminal offence

• Punishment

• 30g or less $1000/and/or 6 months

• 30g or more 5 years or $1000 and/or 6 months

Marihuana

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

• 2nd offence - $2000 and/or 1 year

• Trafficking 3kg or less

• 5 years

• Trafficking 3kg or more

• Up to life

Marihuana

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

• Production

• Marihuana – up to 7 years

Marihuana

Health Canada

• Medical use of Marihuana

• Severe pain from, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, spinal cord disease, cancer, AIDS, arthritis, epilepsy, chronic back pain.

Crystal Meth

What is Meth?

• Crystal meth is a smokeable form of methamphetamine

• Methamphetamine is an illegal synthetic (man-made) drug

• It is a powerful stimulant that speeds up the CNS by releasing dopamine

• Users tend to binge and crash resulting in poor health and addiction

What is Meth?

• Common street names, ICE, CRYSTAL, GLASS, JIBB, SPEED, FAST, etc.

• Meth is easy to produce and can be made just about anywhere. While it is easily made it is extremely dangerous

Is Crystal Meth ADDICTIVE?

• It is like trying to eat one potato chip!

• After one single use it will take your brain TWO YEARS to repair itself

• The addiction rate is 90%. If 100 people tried it 90 would be addicted after one single use

Long Term Effects

• Permanent brain damage

• More people who have used Crystal Meth are being diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, including:

• Bipolar disorder

• Schizophrenia

• Chronic short term memory loss

What is Crystal Meth made from?

• Pseudoephedrine or ephedrine (cough and cold products)

• Anhydrous ammonia (kitty litter & fertilizer)

• Sulfuric acid (drain cleaner)

• Lithium batteries

• Ether (quick start for motors)

• Red phosphorous (road flares or match tips)

What is Crystal Meth made from?

• Drano

• Brake Fluid

• Lighter fluid

What is Crystal Meth made from?

Physical Changes

17 months

3 months

3 years 5 months

Irreversible Gum and Enamel Damage

THIS IS RALPH

Have you heard of METH

MOUTH?

Lets take a closer look inside

Ralph’s mouth

Vascular Damage

Stay AWAY!

• Do not hang out with people who do crystal meth

• Do not experiment: crystal meth has a 90% addiction rate

• If you see signs of a crystal meth lab, report it to the local police

• Crystal meth causes permanent BRIAN DAMAGE

References

• National Institutes on Drug Abuse (www.drugabuse.gov)

• The Faces of Meth (oregonlive.com)

• Crystalrecovery.com