The effects it has on the human mind and body.

In the family of:Distortion of reality

How the drug affects you:Impairs or reduce short-term memoryAlter sense of timeReduce ability to do things which require

concentration, swift reactions, and coordination, such as driving a car or operating machinery.

Marijuana impairs a user’s judgmentShortened attention span and distractibility.Anxiety and panic attacks (fear of losing control)Increased heart rate and risk of heart attackIncreased risk of schizophrenia in vulnerable

individuals. Problems with memory and learningLowered motivation.

Mental addictionWithdrawal symptoms from stopping drug

use (in a chronic user).Irritability, sleeplessness, impaired appetite,

aggression.

Slang termsGrassPotDankBudMary JaneDopeIndoHydroGanga

M.J.Cannabis teaJointBlunt

Ways to smoke marijuana

Myths: Marijuana is harmless Marijuana is not as bad as cigarettes. Driving while high is safer then driving

drunk I can smoke pot and still get straight A’s Marijuana is not addictive

Dangers of Marijuana on body:Contains more than four hundred dangerous

chemicals.THC changes how the brain works.Harmful to the lungs because users often inhale the

unfiltered smoke deeply and hold it in their lungs as long as possible. Therefore, the smoke is in contact with lung tissues for long periods of time, which irritates the lungs and damages the way they work.

Marijuana smoke contains some of the same ingredients in tobacco smoke that can cause emphysema and cancer.

Similar drugs:HashHash oilKiefResin

Short term effects of Marijuana:Dizzy and trouble walkingSilly and giggly for no reasonVery red, bloodshot eyesHard time remembering things that just

happened.“Munchies”: Really hungryIt can cause chest pain in people who have a

poor blood supply to the heart.

Long term effects of MarijuanaYoung people who smoke marijuana heavily

over long periods of time can become dull, slow moving, and inattentive

Respiratory problemsEffects immune system

Medical use:In the treatment of cancer to reduce the

nausea caused by chemotherapyFor aids wasting syndromeTo relieve muscle spasms and tremors in

people with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries

To treat glaucoma by reducing intraocular pressure

To treat chronic pain.

Works CitedHermes, William J. Marijuana: Its Effects On the Mind

and Body. New York City: Chelsea House, 1992. Print.

"Marijuana: Quick Facts." Drug Free World. Web. 16 Oct. 2009. <http://www.drugfreeworld.org/#/drugfacts/joints-page>.

"Marijuana." The Foundation for a Drug-Free America. Web. 17 Oct. 2009. <http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/Drug_Guide/Marijuana>.

Somdahl, Gary L. Marijuana: Drug Dangers. Berkely Heights: Enslow, 1999. Print.