The Risks of MarijuanaThe Risks of Marijuana

Captain Scott E. Murphy CAPCaptain Scott E. Murphy CAP

Dakota Ridge Composite SquadronDakota Ridge Composite Squadron

Why focus on marijuana?Why focus on marijuana?

• Most widely used illicit drug among youth

• Challenges to seeing the risks:• Normalization in popular culture• Medical marijuana & legalization efforts• Widespread ambivalence,

misinformation among youth and parents

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

Marijuana is not all that Marijuana is not all that harmful.harmful.

FalseFalse

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

Marijuana, unlike some Marijuana, unlike some other illegal drugs, is not other illegal drugs, is not addictive.addictive.

FalseFalse

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

Kids are more likely than Kids are more likely than adults to become adults to become dependent on marijuana.dependent on marijuana.

TrueTrue

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

Marijuana is less popular Marijuana is less popular among kids today because among kids today because of ecstasy and other new of ecstasy and other new club drugs.club drugs.

FalseFalse

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

Smoking pot only makes Smoking pot only makes people feel mellow.people feel mellow.

FalseFalse

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

Marijuana does not have Marijuana does not have any long-term effects.any long-term effects.

FalseFalse

Smoking one marijuana Smoking one marijuana joint is as harmful as joint is as harmful as smoking how many smoking how many cigarettes?cigarettes?

FIVE? FIVE? FOUR?FOUR?

TWO?TWO? ONE?ONE?

Smoking Smoking one marijuana joint one marijuana joint is equal to smoking is equal to smoking

FIVEFIVE cigarettes. cigarettes.

What percentage of 12th What percentage of 12th graders in Washington say graders in Washington say that marijuana is “sort of”that marijuana is “sort of”easy or “very” easy to easy or “very” easy to obtain?obtain?

27%27% 39%39%

52%52% 74%74%

74% of high school seniors 74% of high school seniors find marijuana “fairly” or “very” find marijuana “fairly” or “very” easy to obtain. easy to obtain.

More than one-third of teens More than one-third of teens ages 14 - 17 say they could ages 14 - 17 say they could purchase marijuana within a purchase marijuana within a five-block radius from their five-block radius from their house.*house.*

The majority of kids who The majority of kids who enter drug treatment are enter drug treatment are there for addiction to:there for addiction to:

•CocaineCocaine•HeroinHeroin

•EcstasyEcstasy•MarijuanaMarijuana

•AlcoholAlcohol

More teens enter More teens enter treatment for treatment for

marijuana usemarijuana use each each year than for year than for

all other illicit drugs all other illicit drugs combined.combined.SAMHSA, TEDS, 2001SAMHSA, TEDS, 2001

A marijuana joint can contain:

•PCP•LSD

•Pesticides•Cocaine or Crack

•All of the above

All of the chemicals All of the chemicals listed: PCP, pesticides, listed: PCP, pesticides, LSD, cocaine and crack LSD, cocaine and crack can be added to can be added to marijuana leaves without marijuana leaves without users knowing it.users knowing it.

What percentage of What percentage of Washington 12th graders Washington 12th graders believe there is believe there is no riskno risk or or only a only a slight riskslight risk to smoking to smoking marijuana occasionally?marijuana occasionally?

•23% 23% •33%33%

•40%40%•66%66%

40% of 12th graders 40% of 12th graders surveyed in surveyed in

Washington think Washington think occasional marijuana occasional marijuana use is not harmful.use is not harmful.

Marijuana use has been Marijuana use has been associated with:associated with:

• CancerCancer• School FailureSchool Failure• Traffic accidentsTraffic accidents• Sexually transmitted Sexually transmitted

diseasesdiseases• All of the aboveAll of the above

Marijuana use has been Marijuana use has been associated with cancer, associated with cancer, school failure, traffic school failure, traffic accidents and sexually accidents and sexually transmitted diseases, transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.including HIV/AIDS.

What happens when a person What happens when a person uses marijuana, other than uses marijuana, other than feeling high?feeling high?• Loss of motor coordination• Distorted perception• Increased heart rate• Trouble with thinking & problem solving • All of the above

A person who uses A person who uses marijuana experiences all marijuana experiences all these effects. The effects these effects. The effects are even greater when are even greater when other drugs are mixed other drugs are mixed with marijuana.with marijuana.

How long does marijuana How long does marijuana stay in the body?stay in the body?

• Up to 3 daysUp to 3 days• Up to 10 daysUp to 10 days• Up to a few weeksUp to a few weeks• Up to several monthsUp to several months

Even after users stop feeling Even after users stop feeling the effects of marijuana, the the effects of marijuana, the drug can linger in the body drug can linger in the body for a few weeks. for a few weeks.

That means it can be detected That means it can be detected by a standard drug test long by a standard drug test long after its initial use.after its initial use.

According to kids ages 13-17, According to kids ages 13-17, what’s the #1 reason they do what’s the #1 reason they do NOT smoke marijuana or use NOT smoke marijuana or use other drugs?other drugs?

• Risk of getting kicked off a sports team

• Losing their parent’s respect• Worry they’ll look silly or stupid in

front of their friends• Concern about being suspended

from school

Parents Parents are theare the most important most important influenceinfluence on children when it on children when it comes to drugs. comes to drugs.

Two-thirds of youth say losing their Two-thirds of youth say losing their parents’ respect is one of parents’ respect is one of the main reasons they don’t the main reasons they don’t smoke marijuana or use other smoke marijuana or use other drugs.drugs.

Free Resources and Materials Free Resources and Materials can be ordered through:can be ordered through:

• www.TheAntiDrug.comwww.TheAntiDrug.com• www.mediacampaign.orgwww.mediacampaign.org• National Clearinghouse National Clearinghouse

for Alcohol and Drug Information for Alcohol and Drug Information @ 800-788-2800@ 800-788-2800