THE TRUTH ABOUT MARIJUANA

Presentation for College Freshmen

Regarding Marijuana

Kimberly Loliva, Erin Rosaasen

Lacie McCall, Kristin Skelton

Ch. #26, Illegal Drugs, Lesson #3

DRUG DEFINITIONSDefinitions

Drug Drug Use Drug Misuse Drug Abuse

Types of Marijuana Marijuana Hashish Hashish Oil

DrugDrug

Any substance, natural or artificial, other than food, that by its chemical nature alters structure or function in the living organism.

Drug UseDrug Use

The use of any of these substances

Drug MisuseThe use of a non-prescription drug or

substances for purposes other than those intended by the manufacturer.

The use of prescribed drugs in greater amounts than, or for purposes other than those prescribed by a physician.

Drug AbuseThe use of a substance in a manner,

amounts, or situations such that the drug use causes problems or increases the chances of problems occurring.

INSTRUCTIONSEach student has three cards with the

words use, misuse, and abuse on them.A scenario will be read. Hold up card that matches the scenario.Does the scenario describe drug use, drug

misuse, or drug abuse? Any questions??

Scenario #1

Your friends mom has cancer and goes to chemotherapy every Monday. The doctor prescribed that after her chemo session, she smokes Marijuana to help ease her pain and help her eat.

Drug Use

Scenario #2

Your friends mom has cancer and goes to chemotherapy every Monday. Initially, she smokes marijuana after her session, which is what her doctor prescribed. She begins to smoke more and more everyday. On Tuesday, she forgets to pick Billy up from school.

Drug abuse

Scenario #3

You have not been sleeping well lately because school has been so stressful, so you smoke marijuana before you go to bed to help you get a good nights sleep.

Drug Misuse

Scenario #4

You are at a party and offered weed brownies. Everyone else is eating them, so you decide to join in. You realize it’s getting late, and you have to get home for early morning class, so you decide to drive home.

Drug Abuse

Scenario #5

Suzy has a stressful day at work. She comes home, relaxes on her porch, and smokes a joint.

Drug use/Drug misuse

Marijuana

Green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds and flowers of the cannabis plant

Contains over 400 chemicalsTHC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the

primary chemicalAlso known as pot, weed, herb, grass,

Mary Jane, or chronic.

Hashish

Sticky concentrated resin from the leaves and stems of the cannabis plant

Hashish Oil

Thick dark, tar-like substanceObtained by boiling marijuana plants in

alcohol, filtering the solids out and allowing the liquid to be evaporated.

Routes of Administration

Usually smoked May be used alone or combined with other

substances Smoked through “joints or bongs”

May be placed in food items Teas Brownies

EFFECTS ON MARIJUANA

General EffectsShort-Term EffectsLong-Term EffectsSymptoms of OverdoseEffects on LearningEffects on DrivingEffects on Pregnancy

General Effects

When smoked: Effects felt within minutes, peaking in 10-30

minutes, and lingering 2-3 hoursWhen eaten:

Effects felt within 30-60 minutes, peaking 2-3 hours, and lingering 3-5 hours

Short-Term Effects

Problems with memory and learningTrouble with thinking and problem solvingDistorted perception (sights, sounds, time,

touch)Increased heart rate AnxietyIncreased appetite

Long-Term Effects

CancerImpairment of T-cells in lung immune

defense systemLung and airway problems

Daily cough and phlegm Frequent chest cold

Amotivational Syndrome Lack of concern about life's consequences

Symptoms of Overdose

FatigueParanoiaDelusionsHallucinationsPossible psychosis

Effects on Learning

Students: Receive lower grades Are less likely to graduate from high school Score lower on standardized tests of verbal

and mathematical skills Critical skills related to attention, memory, and

learning are significantly impaired

Effects on Driving

Marijuana may affect: Alertness The ability to concentrate Coordination Reaction time The ability to judge distance

Effects on Pregnancy

Babies born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy were shorter, weighed less, and had smaller head size

THC is passed to baby through breast milk Breast milk’s THC is more concentrated than

that of the mother’s blood.

Medical Uses

Treatment of nausea and vomiting Certain cancer treatments AIDS patients

As an appetite stimulant for HIV/AIDS, cancer, and eating disorder patients

Treatment of glaucoma symptoms

Societies Views on Marijuana

People believe that..

using marijuana is detrimental to your health

since Marijuana is illegal, it should be avoided.

Societies Views on Marijuana

People believe that…

marijuana is a gateway drug to other more dangerous and addictive drugs.

marijuana causes people to make bad decisions

Societies Views on Marijuana

People believe that…

marijuana is acceptable to use when prescribed for medical purposes

marijuana does neither harm nor good

Potential Challenges

Peer pressure

Feeling “out of the in-crowd”

Conflicting ideas and values with marijuana users

Potential Challenges:Statistical Graph

College Students Use of Marijuana Within 5

Year Span

0

10

20

30

40

1996 1998 2000 2002

Years

Perc

enta

ge o

f M

arijua

na U

sage

Daily withinLast Month

Last Month

Last Year

THE ENDDo you have any questions?