# Presentation: 356184

## Session 10:Marijuana

## The Importance of Total Abstinence

- 	Abstinence from all substances that affect 	the brain—even alcohol and marijuana—	greatly increases the chances of a 	successful recovery.

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## Is Marijuana Harmless?

- Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug.
- More young people go into treatment for marijuana use than for all other illegal drug use combined.
- Marijuana use affects nearly every organ system in the body. It can have a profound impact on people’s education, employment, and personal life.

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## Marijuana Prevalence

- 2 out of 5 Americans have tried marijuana.
- 1 in 10 has used marijuana in the last year.

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## Marijuana is a greenish gray mixture of dried parts of the Cannabis sativa plant.
It is usually smoked.

- It is usually smoked.

**What Is Marijuana?**

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## Street Names

- Pot, weed, bud, herb, ganja, hash, grass, and chronic
- Marijuana cigarettes = joints
- Pipes = bongs
- Marijuana cigars = blunts

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## History

- Marijuana is a controlled substance, like heroin and LSD.
- Marijuana (except for medical use) has been illegal in the United States since 1937.

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## Medical Marijuana

- Marijuana has been used to treat
- Loss of vision from glaucoma
- Nausea that can come with AIDS and cancer treatments
- The pain of multiple sclerosis
- Marinol is a prescription medicine that contains marijuana’s active ingredient.
- Marinol is used to treat nausea and vomiting.

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## Active Ingredient

- 	Today’s marijuana has 3 times as much 	THC (the active ingredient) as marijuana 	 	of 20 years ago, making it more potent.

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## Short-Term Effects

- 	While high
- 	Relaxed, euphoric 	feelings
- 	Increased heart rate
- 	Poor balance and 	coordination
- 	Slow reaction time
- 	Disorientation
- 	Panic

- After high fades
- 	Sleepiness
- 	Depression
- 	Distrust

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## Long-Term Effects

- Marijuana can impair learning and memory.
- Lower grades and poor work performance can result.

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## Cancer Risks

- Puff for puff, smoking marijuana is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes.
- Marijuana is linked to head and neck cancer.

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## Risk of Infection and Disease

- 	THC makes it harder for the body to fight 	infection and disease.

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## Marijuana and Driving 

- Marijuana is a factor in many fatal car crashes.
- Driving ability is impaired for hours even after the high fades.

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## Marijuana and Pregnancy

- Using marijuana during pregnancy can cause
- Low birth weight
- Problems with fetal brain and nerve development

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## Marijuana Addiction

- People who keep using marijuana even though it hurts their family and work may be addicted.
- Withdrawal can include
- Cravings
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Trouble sleeping

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## Marijuana and Other Drugs

- 	Marijuana use is linked with heavy drinking 	and use of other drugs.

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## Marijuana and Relapse

- 	People who use marijuana have relapse 	rates to stimulants 2 to 3 times higher 	than 	people who abstain from marijuana.

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## Marijuana and Families

- 	People may use marijuana as a way to avoid 	coping with important family problems.

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