What
is it?
Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug. Marijuana is a
green, brown or greyish mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems,
seeds and flowers of the hemp plant. Marijuana and other drugs made
from the same plant are also known as cannabis. All forms of cannabis
are mind-altering and all contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the
main active ingredient in marijuana.
How
is it used?
Most marijuana users roll loose marijuana into a "joint" - a cigarette,
or smoke it in a pipe. Others mix marijuana into foods.
How
does it affect you?
Marijuana's effect on the user depends on the potency of THC it
contains. There are stronger forms of marijuana available today
than in the 1960s which means stronger effects. There are serious
consequences to marijuana use, especially by children, which include
impairment of short-term memory, concentration and motor skills
critical for a child's intellectual and social development; greater
likelihood of use of another illegal drug such as cocaine or heroin;
increased likelihood of having unprotected sex or sex with multiple
partners, leaving them at greater risk of pregnancy, AIDS and other
sexually-transmitted diseases; possible long-term physical and psychological
dependence and/or slowed reaction time, impaired coordination and
decrease attention span, leading to increased highway accidents
and fatalities.
©
Information on drugs facts comes from a number of sources, primarily
the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Partnership For A Drug-Free
America.
|
