Drug Awareness
You can say "NO" when you
have the power of drug awareness!!
This page of my web
site is to assist in my work as the Drug
Awareness Chairman and as a parent who feels
compelled to let all parents know the
importance in being educated and informed
about illegal drugs.
I can't think of
one thing "mind altering drugs" are good
for. Having a nation of drug addicts is unacceptable in my opinion
and its weakens us as a nation. We
need our kids and citizens at their best and
being a drug addict isn't the way. There is
an internal war in our country being waged
by its own citizens that want to legalize
illicit drugs. I can't for the life of think
why anyone would want to champion such a
cause.
This web page is also a starting point
to help parents be aware
of what their kids have facing them. It can
be tough just to say "NO" when you child is
dealing with pier pressure. Is a friend a
friend if he tries to get your child to try
drugs? Explain that to your kids!
There is information and web addresses if
you suspect your kids of taking drugs. I am
not an expert and don't claim to be and this
page is only a basic starting point. I have
tried to include enough web address's "web
sites" that have the best knowledge and
information so you can become thoroughly
informed.
There is power in being informed!!!
DRUG FREE PLEDGE
I pledge to stay in school and learn the
things that I need to know.
I pledge to make the world a better place
for kids like me to grow.
I pledge to keep my dreams alive and be all
that I can be.
I pledge to help others and to keep myself
drug free.
FACTS:
1.
Drugs drive crime
in your neighborhoods.
2.
Drugs remain the
biggest threat to your communities and
families.
3.
There is no way to
keep people safe if drug traffickers rule
your streets.
4.
2/3 of the men
arrested across the US tested positive for
illegal drugs.
5.
Drugs were killing
10 times the number of people killed in 911
attacks.
6.
The economic cost
of drug abuse in America topped $180 billion
a year.
HOW
BIG IS THE PROBLEM
§
In
2006, one third of our adolescents aged 12
to 17 drank alcohol!
§
In
2006 one fifth of our adolescents aged 12 to
17 used an illicit drug!
§
In
2006 one sixth of our adolescents aged 12 to
17 smoked cigarettes!
22
to 17 Years of Age On The Average Day
§
7,970 Drank alcohol for the first time-
§
630,539 Drank alcohol-
§
4,348 Used illicit drug for the first time-
§
1,924,480 Used an illicit drugs-
§
1,245,240 Cigarettes
§
586,454 Marijuana
§
49,263 Inhalants
§
26645 Hallucinogens
§
13,125 Cocaine
§
3,753 Heroin
WHAT
HAPPENS TO THESE KIDS!
In the year
2005
§
76,240 were clients in outpatient treatment-
§
10,313 were clients in non-hospital
residential treatment-
§
1,058 were clients in hospital inpatient
treatment.
***These
figures have not changed much for 2006 –
2007***
GEORGIA
FACTS
§
Population - 9,072,576
§
State Prison Population – 51,104
§
Probation Population – 419,350
§
Violent Crime Rate National Ranking – 19
Note! 1 out
of every 19.3 persons in Georgia is in
prison or on probation!
2006
Federal Drug Seizures in Georgia
§
Cocaine – 1,102.1 kgs
§
Heroine – 11.6 kgs
§
Methamphetamine – 209.5 kgs
§
Marijuana – 1,558.8 kgs
§
Meth
Lab Incidents – 156
Drug
Situation in Georgia
§
Georgia serves as both a final destination
point, and as a smuggling corridor for Drugs
being transported to the East Coast
§
5%
of Georgia's population is Hispanics which
includes undocumented immigrants (mostly
from Mexico). The Mexican community has
grown, and with it has also grown the
presence of Mexican traffickers. They have
become the largest foreign threat in the
State predominantly trafficking in cocaine,
meth, marijuana, and heroin.
Prisoners
reporting drug use at time of crime!
§
74%
with a mental health problem were under
influence of drugs at time of crime.
§
56%
without a mental health problem were under
the influence of drugs at time of crime.
§
74%
with mental health problem were dependent on
drugs.
§
56%
without a mental health problem were
dependent on drugs.
METH
& GEORGIA
o
A
vicious storm is blowing across Georgia.
o
It
is destroying homes.
o
It
is spewing toxic waste into the environment.
o
It
is tearing apart families.
o
It
is overwhelming law enforcement and social
service agencies.
o
It
is killing some people. It’s ruining
others’ lives.
o
The
storm hit first in the northwest corner of
our state, and as forecasters warned, it is
moving steadily to the south and to the
east.
o
Like
Katrina, Rita and Wilma, this storm has a
name.
o
Its
name is Meth.
***Meth
abuse causes more emergency room visits than
all other drugs. ***
***Need for
meth treatment programs growing
dramatically. ***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HARM
REDUCTION
- (A Flawed Program)
·
Harm
reduction attempts to reduce the
consequences of drug use without reducing
the use of illegal drugs.
·
The
idea is used by those who would like to
normalize drug use in our society and is
actually drug promotion.
·
It
creates the illusion that if people use
drugs properly that they can use them in a
safe manner; however, it ignores the fact
that drugs themselves are harmful.
·
Needle Exchange Programs are program that
gives clean needles to heroin addicts in
exchange for clean ones in hope to decrease
the spread of HIV and Hepatitis.
·
Safe
crack kits encourage people to smoke crack
instead of use drugs intravenously, and
also, they’re used so people won’t spread
diseases.
·
Needle exchange programs encourage people to
continue using, instead of stopping using
altogether.
·
Also, the programs do not prevent the spread
of disease. A 1997 study revealed that
participants in a Vancouver needle exchange
program experienced an increase of AIDS from
2% to 27%.
·
Kids
are taught that drugs can be used safely,
which is never true. It is as if you tell a
child they can play in the street as long as
they wear a helmet. The child will still
get hurt.
Europe’s
Wrong Idea
·
The
idea is attractive in Europe because it’s a
diverse human behavior that supposedly needs
to be accepted and tolerated.
·
Switzerland was the poster child of harm
reduction, and it failed miserably. The
program prolonged people’s addiction and
increased the problem.
·
Drug
dealers in the Netherlands are allowed to
deduct from their taxes business expenses of
dealing drugs, such as guard dogs and
assault rifles.
·
People in the United States who are
advocates of harm reduction use the models
of European countries. However, these
programs have obviously been proven
ineffective.
STEPPING
STONES FOR LEGALIZING DRUGS
·
First, drugs are normalized. This means
that society will no longer see a moral or
legal dilemma associated with drug use.
·
Next, a policy of harm reduction is
introduced. This also assists in the
normalization process and is a Trojan Horse
for legalization.
·
Then, drugs are decriminalized. This is
something that is being pushed by
legalization groups now.
·
Lastly, drugs themselves are legalized.
This is a very dangerous idea and is pushed
by ideas such as harm reduction. The New
England Journal of Medicine estimates that
if cocaine were legal, the number of cocaine
addicts would increase from 2 million to at
least 20 million.
DON'T
BE FOOLED BY HARM
·
Don’t be fooled by so-called safe use
messages.
·
Drugs are dangerous and often lead to
addiction and premature death.
·
Don’t think you’re immune to an accident or
overdose.
·
Reject teaching that says illegal drugs can
be used safely.
·
Needle exchange programs prolong and promote
addiction.
·
Harm
Reduction is the Trojan Horse for
legalization.
·
If
you or a friend is addicted, seek competent,
abstinence-based treatment
·
Avoid addiction – don’t ever start.
Introducing... Your Brain!
The brain is the command center of your
body. It weighs about three pounds, and has
different centers or systems that process
different kinds of information.
The brainstem is the most primitive
structure at the base of your brain. The
brainstem controls your heart rate,
breathing, and sleeping; it does the things
you never think about.
Various parts or lobes of the brain process
information from your sense organs: the
occipital lobe receives information from
your eyes, for example. And the cerebral
cortex, on top of the whole brain, is the
"thinking" part of you. That's where you
store and process language, math, and
strategies: It's the thinking center. Buried
deep within the cerebral cortex is the
limbic system, which is responsible for
survival: It remembers and creates an
appetite for the things that keep you alive,
such as good food and the company of other
human beings.
The cerebellum is responsible for things you
learn once and never have to think about,
such as balance when walking or how to throw
a ball.
How Does Your Brain Communicate?
The brain's job is to process information.
Brain cells called neurons receive and send
messages to and from other neurons. There
are billions of neurons in the human brain,
each with as many as a thousand threadlike
branches that reach out to other neurons.
In a neuron, a message is an electrical
impulse. The electrical message travels
along the sending branch, or axon, of the
neuron. When the message reaches the end of
the axon, it causes the release of a
chemical called a neurotransmitter. The
chemical travels across a tiny gap, or
synapse, to other neurons.
Specialized molecules called receptors on
the receiving neuron pick up the chemical.
The branches on the receiving end of a
neuron are called dendrites. Receptors there
have special shapes so they can only collect
one kind of neurotransmitter.
In the dendrite, the neurotransmitter starts
an electrical impulse. Its work done, the
chemical is released back into the synapse.
The neurotransmitter then is broken down or
is reabsorbed into the sending neuron.
Neurons in your brain release many different
neurotransmitters as you go about your day
thinking, feeling, reacting, breathing, and
digesting. When you learn new information or
a new skill, your brain builds more axons
and dendrites first, as a tree grows roots
and branches. With more branches, neurons
can communicate and send their messages more
efficiently.
What Do Drugs Do to the Brain?
Some drugs work in the brain because they
have a similar size and shape as natural
neurotransmitters. In the brain in the right
amount or dose, these drugs lock into
receptors and start an unnatural chain
reaction of electrical charges, causing
neurons to release large amounts of their
own neurotransmitter.
Some drugs lock onto the neuron and act like
a pump, so the neuron releases more
neurotransmitter. Other drugs block
reabsorption or reuptake and cause unnatural
floods of neurotransmitter.
All drugs of abuse, such as nicotine,
cocaine, and marijuana, primarily affect the
brain's limbic system. Scientists call this
the "reward" system. Normally, the limbic
system responds to pleasurable experiences
by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine,
which creates feelings of pleasure.
What Happens if Someone Keeps Using Drugs?
Think about how you feel when something good
happens—maybe your team wins a game, you're
praised for something you've done well, or
you drink a cold lemonade on a hot
day—that's your limbic system at work.
Because natural pleasures in our lives are
necessary for survival, the limbic system
creates an appetite that drives you to seek
those things.
The first time someone uses a drug of abuse,
he or she experiences unnaturally intense
feelings of pleasure. The limbic system is
flooded with dopamine. Of course, drugs have
other effects, too; a first-time smoker may
also cough and feel nauseous from toxic
chemicals in a tobacco or marijuana
cigarette.
But the brain starts changing right away as
a result of the unnatural flood of
neurotransmitters. Because they sense more
than enough dopamine, for example, neurons
begin to reduce the number of dopamine
receptors. Neurons may also make less
dopamine. The result is less dopamine in the
brain: This is called down regulation.
Because some drugs are toxic, some neurons
may also die.
How Many Times Does Someone Have To Take a
Drug To Become an Addict?
No one knows how many times a person can use
a drug without changing his or her brain and
becoming addicted.
A person's genetic makeup probably plays a
role. But after enough doses, an addicted
teen's limbic system craves the drug as it
craves food, water, or friends. Drug craving
is made worse because of down regulation.
Without a dose of the drug, dopamine levels
in the drug abuser's brain are low. The
abuser feels flat, lifeless, depressed.
Without drugs, an abuser's life seems
joyless. Now the abuser needs drugs just to
bring dopamine levels up to normal levels.
Larger amounts of the drug are needed to
create a dopamine flood or high, an effect
known as tolerance.
By abusing drugs, the addicted teen has
changed the way his or her brain works. Drug
abuse and addiction lead to long-term
changes in the brain. These changes cause
addicted drug users to lose the ability to
control their drug use. Drug addiction is a
disease.
If Drug Addiction Is a Disease, Is There a
Cure?
There is no cure for drug addiction, but it
is a treatable disease; drug addicts can
recover. Drug addiction therapy is a program
of behavior change or modification that
slowly retrains the brain. Like people with
diabetes or heart disease, people in
treatment for drug addiction learn
behavioral changes and often take
medications as part of their treatment
regimen.
References:
1.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The Brain: Understanding Neurobiology
Through the Study of Addiction
(http://science-education.nih.gov/Customers.nsf/highschool.htm):
NIH Pub. No. 00-4871.
2.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Brain Power! The NIDA Junior Scientists
Program
(http://www.nida.nih.gov/JSP/JSP.html):
NIH Pub. No. 01-4575. Bethesda, MD: NIDA,
NIH, DHHS. 2000.
3.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Mind Over Matter: The Brain's Response to
Drugs Teacher's Guide
(http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/tg_intro.asp):
NIH Pub. No. 020-3592. Bethesda, MD: NIDA,
NIH, DHHS. Printed 1997. Reprinted 1998,
2002. Revised 2000.
4.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.
NIDA InfoFacts: Drug Addiction Treatment
Methods
(http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofax/treatmeth.html):
Bethesda, MD: NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Retrieved
June 2003.
Cartersville Elks
Lodge Donates Comic Books to Bartow County
DARE Unit.
Picture:
(Left to Right) Paul R. West / Drug
Awareness Chairman, Investigator Richey
Harrell / DARE Officer, Sheriff Clark
Millsap, Greg Taylor / Exalted Ruler
Cartersville Elks.
Members of
Cartersville Lodge 1969 met with Bartow
County DARE officers and presented 200 Drug
Awareness Comic Books for the 5th
grade Cartersville Elementary School. During
the hour long meeting with Investigator
Harrell, Paul West and Greg Taylor discussed
the various ways the local Elks lodge could
help assist Bartow County’s DARE unit.
DARE investigators Harrell and Morgan
instruct over 1800 5th graders in
a year’s time through out the county and
city school systems. They also speak to the
lower elementary grades and to the freshman
high school classes.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
and The National Elks Drug Awareness Program
have formed a partnership with SAMHSA (The
Federal governments - Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration) and
Marvel Comic Books to produce an action
Comic Book called “Hard Choices”. The comic
book features Elroy the Elk, Spider Man and
the Fantastic Four.
Through the Cartersville Elks lodge, schools
are eligible to receive up to 250 comic
books, along with other drug awareness
pamphlets and supplies. The Elks also
support a poster contest for 3-5th
grades. School counselors can contact the
lodge Drug Awareness Chairman at
paulrwest@comcast.net
for information.
Red Ribbon Week:
The annual
celebration of National Red Ribbon week
starts today, with communities and students
across America committing themselves to
living drug-free lives. It is very
appropriate for the men and women of the
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to
join with other Americans to support the
dreams and goals of our children, and to
commemorate the ultimate sacrifice made by
Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena on our
behalf.
National
Red Ribbon week serves as a tribute to
Special Agent Camarena, who was kidnapped
and brutally tortured and murdered by drug
traffickers in Mexico. This tragic event
produced an immediate outpouring of grief,
but over time has generated a sense of hope
across America. That hope is being kept
alive through the hard work of thousands of
Americans ---particularly our young
people---who participate in Red Ribbon
events during the last week in October. This
tradition is stronger than ever today, as an
increasing number of Americans are saying
“yes” to a drug-free life.
Red Ribbon
Week is the most far-reaching and well-known
drug prevention event in America. The
National Family Partnership, which
coordinates Red Ribbon activities
nationally, estimates that over 80 million
Americans participate in Red Ribbon events.
It’s also a chance for DEA to show our
support for citizens throughout the United
States who support our efforts to keep
communities free from the ravages of drug
trafficking and drug abuse.
Please join
me this week in wearing a Red Ribbon to
affirm our commitment to drug prevention and
education, and to honor the memory of Kiki
Camarena. I also ask you to take time to
talk to your families, your neighbors and
your communities about living a drug-free
lifestyle. I am also asking supervisors to
encourage their employees to spread this
message of hope with their children’s’
schools, their churches and synagogues, and
businesses in their communities. Employees
may obtain materials and ribbons from Demand
Reduction at Headquarters, and from Demand
Reduction coordinators in DEA Field
Divisions.
This is a
great opportunity for all of us to send a
clear and unequivocal message that drugs
damage lives---whether it is through lost
productivity, unfulfilled dreams, drugged
driving incidents, or addiction. And it’s a
chance for us to show that Kiki Camarena’s
spirit---and hope for a drug-free
America---can never be extinguished.
Red Ribbon
Week
What is Red
Ribbon Week?
-a time for
gratitude for all the lives that remain drug
free
-a time to
pledge to live a safe and drug-free life
-a time to
remember those we have lost in the fight
against drugs
***The Elks have been supporters of this
cause for many years.***
<DEA
administrator Karen Tandy spoke these words
during Red Ribbon week 2004.>
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
and The National Elks Drug Awareness Program
have formed a partnership with SAMHSA (The
Federal governments - Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration) and
Marvel Comic Books to produce an action
Comic Book called “Hard Choices”. The comic
book features Elroy the Elk, Spider Man and
the Fantastic Four.
Marijuana: Medicine or Snake Oil?
Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I
drug. This means that it has no medical use,
but does have a high potential for abuse.
Some people want to reclassify marijuana,
claiming that marijuana is a medicine.
These people base their claims on
“anecdotal” evidence. They are relying on
anecdotes, or stories that they have heard
from people who claim to have received
medical benefits from smoking marijuana.
To understand why DEA is opposed to
reclassifying marijuana, it is important to
know how drugs become medicine. All drugs
to be used as medicine must pass through a
comprehensive review before they appear on
the market. The proposed drug must be
tested on animals and humans; the safety and
effectiveness of the drug must be assured;
the drug’s sponsor must provide information
on how the drug is made and quality
maintained. It must be determined that the
side effects of the drug do not outweigh its
usefulness. For example, in the 1960s, many
people—doctors included—found thalidomide to
be effective in treating morning sickness in
pregnant women. However, the side effects
of using thalidomide were tragic. Women who
had taken the drug bore children with severe
birth defects, such as missing limbs.
Because the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration did not approve thalidomide
in this country, many American families were
spared the tragedies that women in other
countries faced.
What
does science say?
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is
the major mind-altering component in
marijuana. Research has resulted in the
development of dronabinol, (marketed under
the name Marinol), a product containing
synthetic THC for the control of nausea and
vomiting caused by some cancer treatment,
and to stimulate appetite in AIDS patients.
Marinol does not contain the harmful side
effects that smoking crude marijuana
causes.
Marijuana smokers experience the same health
problems as tobacco smokers such as
bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial
asthma. Other side effects include
increased heart rate, dry mouth, reddening
of the eyes, impaired motor skills and
concentration. Extended use increases risk
to the lungs and reproductive system as well
as suppression of the immune system.
Marijuana as medicine is not endorsed by the
American Medical Association, American
Academy of Ophthalmology, American Cancer
Society, National Eye Institute, National
Institute of Dental Research, National
Institute on Allergy and Infectious Diseases
(HIV-AIDS), or the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Multiple
Sclerosis).
Why
would anyone want to make marijuana legal
and available if it is so harmful?
Behind the movement to make marijuana
available for “medical use “are people who
use illegal drugs and want to legitimize
their actions as well as those who are
simply misguided. The movement to simply
legalize drugs failed several times, but has
been more successful when hidden behind the
euphemisms of “compassion” and “harm
reduction.”
In fact, members of the pro- legalization
movement have stated that the medical use of
marijuana is an integral part of the
strategy to legalize marijuana. Everyone
wants to be seen as having compassion on
those who are suffering, so many people have
supported the legalization movement without
knowing the true facts behind it.
To further understand the real motive behind
the movement to allow marijuana to be used
for “compassionate purposes,” look at the
wording of the legislation passed in
California and Arizona, and proposed in many
other states. In California, one needs only
a recommendation, not a prescription from a
physician to use marijuana.
The dose you use would be up to you. And
there is no need to go to a pharmacy for
this “medicine;”
it can be grown in your backyard. Have you
ever heard of growing your own heart
medicine or headache remedy?
In Arizona, marijuana is not the only
Schedule I drug with alleged medical
benefit. Legislation in that state makes
all Schedule I drugs available with a
doctor’s prescription, including LSD, PCP,
and heroin. It is plain to see that the
goal of the group advocating the medical use
of marijuana is really the legalization of
all drugs.
What
can we expect if marijuana is legalized?
Studies have shown that when people believe
that drugs are harmful, drug use declines.
Conversely, when drugs are seen as benign,
drug use increases.
If marijuana is legalized, we can be sure
that its use will increase.
With increased drug use comes an increase in
crime. The most recent Drug Use Forecasting
(DUF) report indicated that, on average, 68%
of arrestees in reporting cities had at
least one drug in their system at the time
of arrest. Data from the Bureau of Justice
Statistics corrections surveys show that a
quarter of convicted jail inmates, a third
of state prisoners, and two-fifths of youths
in long-term facilities admit that they were
under the influence of an illegal drug at
the time of their offense.
We can also expect more carnage on our
highways. In a recent study in Tennessee,
59% of reckless drivers who tested negative
for alcohol, tested positive for marijuana
or cocaine. Our health care costs will
increase, and businesses will experience
increased absenteeism and decreased
productivity.
Facts
About Marijuana:
Ø
Marijuana is a mood-altering drug capable of
producing dependency.
Ø
Marijuana contains a complex mixture of over
400 compounds, some of which are
carcinogenic.
Ø
In the 1960s, marijuana had a THC content
between .5 and 1.5%. Today, the THC content
of marijuana ranges from 8-20%, and has been
recorded at a record 29.86%
Ø
Marijuana impairs memory and learning.
Ø
Some of the physical side effects of
marijuana are bloodshot eyes, a speeded-up
heart beat, and dry mouth.
Ø
Other disorders associated with marijuana
use include impaired judgment and motor
coordination, anxiety, sensation of slowed
time, social withdrawal, memory deficit and
disorientation, hallucinations and
delusions.
Ø
Marijuana has triggered attacks of mental
Ø
illness: schizophrenia and bi- polar
Ø
(Manic-depressive) psychosis. Users are six
times more likely to develop schizophrenia
than non-users.
Ø
Marijuana use during pregnancy is associated
with low birth weight babies. Children
parentally exposed to marijuana have more
behavioral problems and decreased visual
perception, attention span, language
comprehension, and memory.
Ø
Of those who use marijuana 3 to 10 times,
20% go on to use cocaine. Of those who use
marijuana 100 times or more, 75% go on to
use cocaine.
Tips for Teens 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. In fact, according to a
1994 survey of high school seniors, while
30.7 percent used marijuana sometime within
the past year, 69.3 percent did not 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.
What
are the short-term effects of using
Marijuana?
Ø
Sleepiness and increased hunger
Ø
Difficulty keeping track of time, impaired
or reduced short-term memory
Ø
Reduced ability to perform tasks requiring
concentration and coordination, such as
driving a car
Ø
Increased heart rate
Ø
Potential cardiac dangers for those with
preexisting heart disease
Ø
Bloodshot eyes
Ø
Decreased social inhibitions
Ø
Risk of paranoia, hallucinations, intense
anxiety
What are the long-term effects of using
Marijuana?
Ø
Increased risk of chronic pulmonary
disorders, including cancer
Ø
Decrease in testosterone levels for men
Ø
Increase in testosterone levels for women
Ø
Lower sperm counts and difficulty having
children in men
Ø
Increased risk of infertility in women
Ø
Diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure
Ø
Psychological dependence requiring more of
the drug to get the same effect
A recent study of 1,023 trauma patients
admitted to a shock trauma unit (receiving
only the most seriously injured accident
victims) found that one-third had detectable
levels of marijuana in their blood.
Some people find that marijuana can increase
their appetites, which may lead to gorging
on junk food and possible weight gain.
If you or someone you know has been using
marijuana, help is available. Talk to a
school counselor, a friend, or a parent.
What Is It?
Marijuana
is a mixture of the dried and shredded
leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the
hemp plant. The mixture can be green, brown,
or gray. Hemp's scientific name is Cannabis
sativa.
A bunch
of leaves seems harmless, right? But think
again. Marijuana has a chemical in it called
tetrahydrocannabinol. Better known as THC. A
lot of other chemicals are found in
marijuana too—about 400 of them, some of
which can cause lung cancer. But THC is the
main active ingredient.
What Are the Common Street Names?
There are more than 200 slang terms for
marijuana from city to city and from
neighborhood to neighborhood. Some common
names are: pot, grass, herb, weed, Mary
Jane, reefer, skunk, boom, gangster, kif,
chronic, and ganja.
How Is It Used?
Marijuana is used in many ways. Some users
brew it as tea or mix it with food. Others
smoke blunts—cigars hollowed out and filled
with the drug. And sometimes marijuana is
smoked through a water pipe called a bong.
The most common method is smoking loose
marijuana rolled into a cigarette called a
joint or nail.
How Many Teens Use Marijuana?
Ever
heard that lame line "everybody's doing it?"
Tell that person to check the facts. As part
of a 2002 NIDA-funded study, researchers
asked teens if they had used marijuana or
hashish (another form of marijuana) in the
past month. Of all the 8th graders surveyed,
only 8.3% said yes; only 17.8% of 10th
graders had used the drug in the past month;
and just 21.5% of 12th graders.
What Are the Common Effects?
Imagine
this: You're in a ball game, playing out in
left field. An easy fly ball comes your way,
and you're psyched. When that ball lands in
your glove your team will win, and you'll be
a hero. But, you're a little off. The ball
grazes your glove and hits dirt. So much for
your dreams of glory.
Such
loss of coordination can be caused by
smoking marijuana. And that's just one of
the many negative side effects. Under the
influence of marijuana, you could forget
your best friend's phone number, watch your
grade point average drop like a stone, or
get into a car accident. Even worse, high
doses of marijuana use can cause anxiety and
panic attacks.
Before
we look at the damage marijuana can do,
let's back up for a second and discuss a
tricky truth. For some people, smoking
marijuana makes them feel good. Within
minutes of inhaling, a user begins to feel
"high," or filled with pleasant sensations.
A chemical in marijuana, THC, triggers brain
cells to release the chemical dopamine.
Dopamine creates good feelings—for a short
time.
Addiction
Here's the thing: Once dopamine starts
flowing, a user feels the urge to smoke
marijuana again, and then again, and then
again. Repeated use could lead to addiction,
and addiction is a brain disease.
THC Attaches to Specific Receptors in the
Brain
THC is up to no good in the brain. THC finds
brain cells, or neurons, with specific kinds
of receptors called cannabinoid receptors.
Then, it binds to these receptors.
When it attaches to a neuron, THC interferes
with normal communication between neurons.
Think of it as a disruption in the phone
service, caused perhaps by too many users
all at once. Let's say Neuron #1 needs to
tell Neuron #2 to create a new memory. If
THC is in the mix, this communication is
likely to fail.
Certain parts of the brain have high
concentrations of cannabinoid receptors.
These areas are: the hippocampus, the
cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the
cerebral cortex.
THC Creates Learning and Memory Problems
The hippocampus is a part of the brain with
a funny name and a big job. It's in charge
of certain types of learning and memory.
Disrupting the normal functioning of the
hippocampus can lead to trouble studying and
learning and problems recalling recent
events. The difficulty can be a lot more
serious than "Did I take out the trash this
morning?"
Interference with the hippocampus may also
lead to lasting memory loss. Studies in rats
show that taking in a lot of THC over a long
period of time can damage neurons in the
hippocampus. Chances are, if it happens to
rats, it's happening to people who smoke
marijuana.
Smoking Marijuana Can Make Driving Dangerous
The cerebellum is the section of our brain
that does most of the work on balance and
coordination. When THC finds its way into
the cerebellum, it makes scoring a goal in
soccer or hitting a home run pretty tough.
THC also does a number on the basal ganglia,
another part of the brain that's involved in
movement control.
These THC effects can spell disaster on the
highway. Research shows that drivers on
marijuana have slow reaction times, impaired
judgment, and problems responding to signals
and sounds on the road. In one study of 150
reckless drivers, 33 tested positive for
marijuana.
Smoking Marijuana May Lead to Lung Cancer
The list of negative effects goes on and on.
Smoking marijuana may increase the risk of
heart attack. Smoking marijuana may cause
lung cancer because it has some of the same
cancer-causing substances as tobacco. Plus,
marijuana smokers tend to inhale more deeply
and hold their breath longer than cigarette
smokers do. So more smoke enters the lungs.
Puff for puff, smoking marijuana may
increase the risk of cancer even more than
smoking cigarettes does.
What about Medical Marijuana?
THC, the main active ingredient in
marijuana, produces effects that potentially
can be useful for treating a variety of
medical conditions. It is the main
ingredient in a pill that is currently used
to treat nausea in cancer chemotherapy
patients and to stimulate appetite in
patients with wasting due to AIDS.
Scientists are continuing to investigate
other potential medical uses for
cannabinoids.
However, smoking marijuana is difficult to
justify medically because the amount of THC
in marijuana is not always consistent. It
would be difficult—if not impossible—to come
up with a safe and effective use of the drug
because you could never be sure how much THC
you were getting. Moreover, the negative
effects of marijuana smoke on the lungs will
offset the helpfulness of smoked marijuana
for some patients.
Finally, little is known about the many
chemicals besides THC that are in marijuana,
or their possible negative impact on
patients with medical conditions.
References:
1.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Marijuana: Facts for Teens
(http://www.drugabuse.gov/
MarijBroch/MarijIntro.html).
NIH Pub. No. 98-4037. Bethesda, MD: NIDA,
NIH, DHHS, Revised Mar. 2003.
2.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know
(http://www.drugabuse.gov/
MarijBroch/MarijIntro.html).
NIH Pub. No. 02-4036. Bethesda, MD: NIDA,
NIH, DHHS, Revised Nov. 2002.
3.
National Institute on Drug Abuse.
NIDA InfoFacts: High School and Youth Trends
(http://www.drugabuse.gov/
Infofax/HSYouthtrends.html):
Bethesda, MD: NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Retrieved
