IdentifyingMarijuanaAbuse

Mostpeopleknowwhatmarijuanalookslike.Itmostoftenappearsasadry,shreddedmixofflowersand
leavesfromacannabisplant.Thesubstancemaybegreenorbrown,oroccasionallygray,haveseedsinit,
andsometimesappeartobesoakedwithoil.HashishISthatoil.Mostoften,marijuanaissmokedina
joint,ahandrolledcigarette.Itisalsofrequentlysmokedinatallglasspipecalledabong,oranypipe.As
discussedearlier,itcanbeaddedtofoodsormadeintoatea.

Apersonusingmarijuanamayleavebehindrollingpapers,smallendsofburntjointsthatcanbesmokedin
apipeorreassembledintoanewjoint,orglassorceramicpipescoatedwithresin.
Somepeoplepartiallyhollowoutacigarandfillitwithweed.Theymayfeeltheycansmokethiscigarin
publicandnotbedetected.Amarijuanatobaccocigariscalledablunt,saidtobebecausePhilliesBlunt
cigarswereoriginallyused.SwisherSweetsbrandofsmallcigarsareoftenusedtomakeblunts,alongwith
GarciayVegaandWhiteOwlcigars.Thispracticemayhavestartedbeingpopularamongtherapmusic
crowdbutithasspreadmuchfarthertoday.

Todetectmarijuanauseinafamilymember,lookfor
thesesigns

Red,bloodshoteyes

Laughterandgleewhenitisnotwarranted

Euphoria

Stronglyincreasedappetiteforsnackfoodsorsweets

Foggy,slowmemory

Artificiallyincreasedtendencytochatterorbesociable

Loweredinhibitions

Impairedjudgment

Dizziness

Sedation,slowmovement

Lethargy,lackofactivity

EffectsontheBody
Amarijuanasmokeractslethargicandmaysufferlungirritationandbronchitis.Theheartrateincreases
whilebloodvesselsdilate,leadingtoloweredbloodpressure.Continuoususemaysuppresstheimmune
system,resultinginmorefrequentillnesses.
Otherphysicaleffectsinclude:

Urinaryretention

Constipation

Slurredspeech

Drowsiness

Marijuanaisgenerallylessphysicallydamagingthansomeotherdrugs,butitisverycommonforaperson
whostartsabusingmarijuanatoprogressontotheuseofotherdrugs.Marijuana,alcohol,tobaccoor
prescriptiondrugs,particularlypainrelievers,arethefirstdrugsusedbymostyoungpeople.
Forphysicaleffectsofheavyuseofhighpotencymarijuana,pleaseseenextpage.

EffectsontheMind
Marijuanacreatesitsmostdamaginganddangerouseffectsonthemind.
Duringimmediateuse,marijuanarelaxesinhibitionsandcausesanartificialsenseofwellbeingthatis
completelyunrelatedtoonessurroundingsorsituation.Apersonmayfeelthathehasamorevividsense
oftaste,sight,smellandhearing.Hewillprobablybelessincontrolofhisownconcentrationorabilityto
formcompletethoughtsorexpresshisideas.Hewillbelessabletoabsorborretaininformation,which
impedeshisabilitytolearn,ofcourse.
Forthelongertermmentaleffectsofheavyuseofhighpotencymarijuana,pleaseseenextpage.

EffectsonOnesAbilitytoDriveorOperateMachinery

Amarijuanausersperceptionsoftimeandspacearedistorted,whichcanmakeastonedpersona
dangerousdriver.Hewillhavedifficultysolvingproblemssuchasthoserequiredbychangesintraffic.He
willlosesomeofhiscoordination.Aheavyusermaysufferagreaterlossinhisabilitytofocushis
attentionorshifthisattentionwhenrequiredbychangesintheenvironment,andinregisteringandusing
informationhereceivessuchasachangeintrafficlights.Reactionanddecisiontimesarelengthenedand
thestoneddriverisnormallylessvigilant.Theselossesarethegreatestinthefewhoursaftermarijuanause
butresidualeffectsarenotedupto24hourslater.
Astoneddrivermaybeabletopullhimselftogetherforashortperiodbutheisunlikelytobeableto
maintainthisgreaterfocus.Monotonousandprolongeddrivingwillbethemostgreatlyimpactedby
marijuanaabuse.
TheprimaryintoxicatingingredientofmarijuanaistetrahydrocannabinolorTHC.InColorado,theState
Senatesetastandardoffivenanograms(fivebillionthsofagram)ofTHCpermilliliterofbloodto
constituteimpairmentwhendriving.Thisrulingiscontroversialandmaybemodifiedwhenmore
researchisdoneonthesubject.TheNationalHighwayTransportationSafetyAdministrationstatesthat
THCconcentrationsgenerallyfallbelowfiveng/mLlessthan3hoursaftersmoking.Thismeansthat
someonedrivingwithin3hoursofsmokingpotwouldprobablybelegallydrivingundertheinfluence.

BeDrugFree.ForGood.
GetHelpNow
CALL
18007758750