Marijuana and Anabolic Steroids

By: Rachel LaBoone and Matthew Mobley

Marijuana: What it is?

• Scientific name = Cannabis sativa• Plant called “cannabis”

– Consists of seeds, flowers, stems and bud.

• Color can be green, brown, or gray or any mixture of the three.

• Main chemical is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.

• About 400 other chemicals found in marijuana.

Marijuana: THC Content

• Between and 1970’s and 2007, the THC content of marijuana has been going up.

• On the streets, the higher the THC content the better the marijuana.

• On average, marijuana has 10% THC.

Marijuana: Street Names

• Pot• Grass• Herb• Weed• Mary Jane• Reefer

• Kif• Chronic• Ganja• Boom• Gangster• Skunk

Marijuana: How it’s used

• Most common method = smoking.– Joints or nails– Blunts (cigar wrappers)– Bong (water pipe)

• Brewed with tea

• Mixed with food– Brownies, cookies, or any sweets.

Marijuana: Teens

• Most teens use the excuse, “Everyone’s doing it.”

• A survey from 2009 shows that 7% of 8th graders, 16% of 10th graders, and 21% of 12th graders had used marijuana the previous month.

Marijuana: Short Term Effects

• Good feeling after use• THC triggers brain cells to release dopamine

– Creates the good feeling• Off balance• Loss of concentration • Failure to remember things• Possible death

– Car crash, etc.• Risky sexual behavior • Increases heart rate

Marijuana: Long Term Effects

• Could be harder to complete everyday tasks– Take 100% of your focus to do tasks

• Hallucinations or false ideas

• Respiratory damage

• Getting colds and coughs easier

• Risk of cancer

• Addiction

Marijuana: When long term use is stopped

• Irritability

• Sleep problems– Insomnia

• Weight loss

• These effects can last from days to weeks

• Relapse can occur.

Marijuana: Lead to other drugs

• Teens who use marijuana have a higher chance of using other drugs, such as cocaine or meth, than teens who do not use marijuana.

• Since it is illegal, you have to buy it “under the table” which could lead to peer pressure of other drugs.

Marijuana: Medical uses

• THC is used to treat:– Nausea in cancer patients– Anything that happens undergoing

chemotherapy– Stimulate appetite in patients– Involuntary weight loss due to AIDS.

Marijuana: Article

http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/180/2003_pot_arrests.htm

Anabolic Steroids: What is it?

• Synthetic steroid hormone that resembles testosterone in promoting the growth of muscle

• Anabolic = muscle building

• Can be legally prescribed

Anabolic Steroids: Abuse

• Used to enhance performance or physical appearance

• Athletes and non-athletes use it• Taken orally or injected in cycles

– “Cycles”: a pattern of use in which steroids are taken for periods of weeks or months

• Users normally combine diff. types to increase effectiveness– Practice called “Stacking”

Anabolic Steroids: Effects on body

• Anabolic Steroids connect to androgen and estrogen receptors on the surface of the cell

• Long term use: – Effects brain pathways and chemicals in the brain

such as:• Dopamine• Serotonin• Opioid Systems

• Effects can effect the mood of the person taking the steroids

Anabolic Steroids: Adverse Effects

• Liver damage• Pigment in skin• Tissues• Bodily fluids• High blood pressure• LDL increase• HDL decrease• Severe acne• Trembling• Renal Failure

• For men: Shrinking of testicles, reduced sperm count, baldness, breast development, risk of prostate cancer

• For woman: Facial hair, baldness, change in menstrual cycle, depended voice,

Anabolic Steroids: In students

• 8th grade = 1.4%

• 10th grade = 1.4%

• 12th grade = 2.2%

Sources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabolic_steroid (Picture)

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_sativa (Picture)

• http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/steroids.html

• http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_mj1.php