MARIJUANA

common names for this drug?

Marijuana•Marijuana is usually rolled up in a cigarette called a joint or a nail. It can also be brewed as a tea or mixed with food, or smoked through a water pipe called a bong.•Cannabis is number three of the top five substances which account for admissions to drug treatment facilities in the United States, at 16%

Appearance of Marijuana

Short-term effects

• Loss of coordination and distortions in the sense of time, vision and hearing, sleepiness, reddening of the eyes, increased appetite and relaxed muscles.• Heart rate can speed up. In fact, in the first hour of smoking marijuana, a user’s risk of a heart attack could increase fivefold. • School performance is reduced through impaired memory and lessened ability to solve problems.

Health risks of regular use of this drug • Memory and learning problems• Decreased motivation• Poor school and work performance• Respiratory conditions such as bronchitis or chronic cough• Increased risk for psychosis in susceptible individuals• Raised heart rate• Decreased life satisfaction• Increased risk of heart attack• Easily distracted• Decreased motor coordination• Decreased time with family or children because of marijuana

abuse• Shortened attention span• Loss of mental alertness and impaired judgment• Increased risk for car accidents or STD due to altered

decision-making while high

Risks of dependence on marijuana

• People who are dependent on marijuana are at a higher risk of suffering from the negative consequences of using the drug, such as short term memory impairment, mental health problems and respiratory diseases (if marijuana is smoked). Regular use and dependence also leads to problems with finances, conflict in relationships with family and friends, and employment problems.

• The earlier a person starts using marijuana, and the more they use, the more likely they are to become dependent.

legal penalties for possessing and/or using Marijuana• For a first conviction, if you had less than 30 grams of marijuana, the maximum penalties are a fine of $1000 or 6 months in jail, or both. But the penalty for a first offense is usually much less.• You may also get a criminal record. That can prevent you from traveling to other countries, getting certain jobs, being bonded (which some jobs require), and applying for citizenship. • If it is your first offence, ask the judge for a discharge or ask the Crown for diversion (or alternative measures). If you meet the conditions of the discharge or if you complete the alternative measures, you will not get a criminal record. • The legal issues for this crime can be complex and a conviction can seriously harm you

Resources for getting help with marijuana dependancy• Marijuana helpline• During marijuana addiction treatment, clients are offered medications and counseling that make the difficult withdrawal process easier, lessoning and/or eliminating withdrawal symptoms. After withdrawal, or detox, is complete, individual and group counseling sessions teaches ways to stay clean and sober for good, and promotes strategies for relapse prevention and information on helpful, local support groups.

Strategies for saying "NO" to Marijuana if under peer pressure to use it • Try to associate with people who do not use drugs, and avoid situations where drugs will be used or offered to you.• Prepare yourself for occasions when friends, peers, or even strangers offer drugs to you.• Participate in activities that are fulfilling to you. They are more fun, cheaper, safer, and healthier than abusing drugs.• Recognize your talents, skills, and accomplishments; remind yourself of them when you feel worthless.• Realize that the future is full of hope and promises, even though it might not seem that way at the time, and abusing drugs will rob you of them.