About Marijuana Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States and tends to be the first illegal drug teens use. However, this is not to say that the majority of teens use marijuana. Additionally, most marijuana users do not go on to use other illegal drugs.
Marijuana has several negative physical and mental effects.
Use of marijuana may impair or reduce short-term memory and comprehension, alter sense of time, and reduce ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving a car. If you or someone you know has been using marijuana, there is help available. Talk to a school counselor, a friend, or a parent, and check the back of this pamphlet for some valuable resource information. Alcohol blocks the messages going to your brain and alters your perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing, and coordination. Some people find that marijuana can increase their appetites which may lead to gorging on junk food and possible weight gain.