Why not to smoke marijuana.
Dependence Potential: Psychologically addictive …
Marijuana is the common name for a crude drug made from the plant Cannabis Sativa. The main mind-altering (psychoactive) ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). More than 400 other chemicals also are in the plant….
Signs and Symptoms of Marijuana Use
Loud talking and bursts of laughter in early stages of intoxication
Drowsiness or stupor in later stages of intoxication
Forgetfulness in conversation
Chronic redness of the eye
Odor similar to burning rope on clothing or breath
Decrease in school or work performance; truancy
Neglect of personal hygiene
Change of friends
Paranoia, defensiveness, secretiveness, self-centeredness
Depression
Mood swings
A motivational syndrome
Distorted sense of time …
Immediate Effects of Marijuana …
Marijuana impairs or reduces short-term memory, alters one's sense of time, and reduces the ability to do things which require concentration, swift reactions, and coordination. Experiments have shown that marijuana affects a wide range of skills needed for safe driving. These skills are impaired for a least 4-6 hours after smoking a single marijuana cigarette, long after the "high" is gone. Thinking and reflexes are slowed, making it hard for an impaired driver to respond to sudden, unexpected events. A driver's ability to steer properly, brake quickly, and maintain speed and proper distance between cars is affected, according to research.
Long-Term Effects of Marijuana
Marijuana and its potent chemical THC cause cell abnormalities, alter normal cell division, affect genetic make-up of new cells and lower cell immunity, increasing the possibility of viral infections among users.
THC causes enlargement of the area between nerve cells, resulting in poor transmission of nerve impulses between these cells. This "tampering" has several effects on the nervous system including:
Impaired speech
Difficulty in comprehending complex ideas
Loss of memory
Difficulty in concentrating or focusing on one subject
Irregular sleep habits; insomnia
Mood swings
Lack of body coordination
Decrease in muscle strength
Blurred vision and impaired visual perception
Marijuana is harmful to the entire respiratory system from the sinus cavities to the air sacs within the lungs.
http://www.gmu.edu/resources/fac...
“EEG studies show that very long duration marihuana exposure might be associated with slowed cognitive processing.” (http://www.psychotropics.dk). And, there is an analogy between Russian Roulette and marijuana use, the bullet may or may not be beneath the hammer. If one is genetically predisposed, smoking marijuana as a teenager increases the probability of psychosis as an adult (Eagleman, 2011). “A slight change in the balance of brain chemistry can cause large changes in behavior. … Substance abuse and exposure to a variety of toxins can damage the brain, modifying intelligence, aggression, and decision-making abilities” (Eagleman, p. 157). The four major classes of abused toxins (alcohol, nicotine, psychostimulants, and opiates) microscopically plug into the reward systems of the brain, causing the circuits to be “hijacked” and enslaved (pages 204-205). These toxins artificially stimulate “the mesolimbic dopamine system (and) have self-reinforcing effects, and users (as a worst-case scenario) will rob stores and mug elderly people to continue obtaining these specific molecular shapes” (p. 205).
All mental processes are bio-chemical in nature. And, depression can be triggered by defective assimilation of sugar. One should not underestimate the effects of proper diet (minimal sugar and fat, avoiding processed and refined foods and soft drinks, minimal fast food; seek out vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, a small amount of whole grains, fish, poultry, and an occasional small amount of lean meat; but treat yourself occasionally), avoiding drugs (legal and illegal) and alcohol, and adequate sleep (consistent each day and preferably more than 7 hours), which are essential for optimal physical and mental functioning. ADHD can be treated in this way. And, meditation has been proven to reduce stress (many books are available). Also, self-absorption can be associated with some level of depression. The American Journal of Physiology (Sep 2011) explained how exercise improves memory, treats depression, and makes people feel better.
“A 2012 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people who started smoking before age 18 showed a greater decline in IQ and cognitive functioning than people who started toking as adults. Even more: Heavy teen users—an average of four or more times a week—who continued to smoke as adults experienced an 8-point IQ drop. …
THC has what doctors and researchers know as biphasic activity. ‘At low doses it has certain effects, and at high doses it has opposite effects.’ … Someone using at the right dose could see medicinal benefits, too. But take in too much THC, and you can become irritable, even psychotic. ‘There are more emergency room admissions today than ever because of marijuana use,’ … simply because of the psychoactive side effects of the high THC content that the public uses.’”
(http://www.menshealth.com/medica...)
Empirical research has indicated that even after 28 days “residual diminished brain activation is still observed after discontinuing cannabis use in motor cortical circuits” (Pillay, Rogowska, Kanayama, Gruber, Simpson, Pope, & Yurgelun-Todd, 2008, p. 22).“(Empirical) results suggest that marijuana users display persistent metabolic alterations in brain regions responsible for ECF. It may be that marijuana users recruit an alternative neural network as a compensatory mechanism during performance on a modified version of the Stroop task. These differences in brain activity may be a common denominator in the evolution of maladaptive behaviors such as substance abuse and other neuropsychiatric disorders.” (Edreth, Matochik, Cadet, & Bolla, 2004, p. 914)
References:
“Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain,” by Dr David Eagleman, who directs the Laboratory for Perception and Action and the Initiative on Neuroscience and Law, Baylor College of Medicine
Edreth, D. A., Matochik, J. A., Cadet, J. L., & Bolla, K. I. (2004, November). Abnormal brain activity in prefrontal brain regions in abstinent marijuana users. NeuroImage, 23 (3). 914-920.
Pillay, S. S., Rogowska, J., Kanayama, G,. Gruber, S., Simpson, N., Pope Jr., H. G., & Yurgelun-Todd, D. A.(2008). Cannabis and motor function: fMRI changes following 28 days of discontinuation. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 16 (1). 22-32.
Smoking weed causes memory and learning difficulties. It dulls your thinking, problem solving, and physical coordination. And it can interfere with your thinking for days or even weeks after you smoke. So frequent users may operate at a lower level all the time.
Ref: http://www.webmd.com/brain/rm-qu...
Large doses of medical marijuana can make some people have hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. Research suggests that smoking marijuana can make breathing problems, like bronchitis, worse.
http://www.webmd.com/brain/ss/sl...
Regular smokers of medical marijuana may get respiratory problems, such as a daily cough and a higher risk of lung infections.
Studies also link routine use to mental illness, depression, anxiety, less motivation, and suicidal thoughts among young people. Marijuana use during pregnancy can raise the risk of health problems in babies. Marijuana use can result in addiction.
http://www.webmd.com/brain/ss/sl...
http://www.webmd.com/brain/ss/sl...
“Marijuana smokers are five times more likely than nonsmokers to develop a problem with alcohol,” according to a Colombia University study of 27,000 adults (p. 15).
Reference:
BottomLine Personal (2016, July 1). Pot smoking is linked to alcohol abuse. BottomLine Personal, 37(13), 15-16.
New research published on-line in advance of print in the journal Psychological Medicine, concludes that continued use of cannabis causes violent behavior as a direct result of changes in brain function that are caused by smoking weed over many years.
Fields, R. D. (2016, March 26). Marijuana Use Increases Violent Behavior: 50-year study finds causal link between cannabis and subsequent violent behavior. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/...
R. Douglas Fields is Chief of the Nervous System Development and Plasticity Section at the National Institutes of Health, NICHD, in Bethesda, Maryland
“Marijuana smokers are five times more likely than nonsmokers to develop a problem with alcohol,” according to a Colombia University study of 27,000 adults (p. 15).
Reference:
BottomLine Personal (2016, July 1). Pot smoking is linked to alcohol abuse. BottomLine Personal, 37(13), 15-16.
“Whether you smoke it or eat it, studies show that in addition to fueling long stories with no ending, marijuana depresses testosterone levels for up to 24 hours.”
Ref: http://www.eatthis.com/foods-bad...
To help reduce your chances of suffering from dementia:
Do not smoke
Severely restrict alcohol
Avoid recreational drugs
Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine, November 29, 2015, citing:Memory (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 2011; 108(7): 3017–22)
Brain size (Psychol. Sci, 2003; 14(2): 125–30; J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci, 2006; 61(11): 1166–70; Hum. Brain Mapp, 2013; 34(11): 2972–85)
Blood flow to the brain (Stroke, 2013; 44(11): 3235–8; J. Hypertens, 2013; 31(12): 2400–9)
Brain function in general (J. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 2013; 38(5): 1169–76)
Brain function by preventing strokes (Stroke, 2003; 34(10): 2475–81)
Brain function by preventing Alzheimer's disease (Lancet Neurol, 2014; 13(8): 788–94)
Conclusions Early subjective responses to cannabis are prognostic of later cannabis dependence. … Clinicians should be aware that young people who report positive reactions to early use of cannabis are at increased risks of later cannabis dependence.
Ref: Early Reactions to Cannabis Predict Later Dependence. David M. Fergusson, PhD; L. John Horwood, MSc; Michael T. Lynskey, PhD; Pamela A. F. Madden, PhD. Archives of General Psychiatry. 2003; 60(10):1033-1039. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.60.10.1033. Retrieved from: http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/...
New research published on-line in advance of print in the journal Psychological Medicine, concludes that continued use of cannabis causes violent behavior as a direct result of changes in brain function that are caused by smoking weed over many years.
Fields, R. D. (2016, March 26). Marijuana Use Increases Violent Behavior: 50-year study finds causal link between cannabis and subsequent violent behavior. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/...
R. Douglas Fields is Chief of the Nervous System Development and Plasticity Section at the National Institutes of Health, NICHD, in Bethesda, Maryland
The arrests for possession of marijuana will obviously have an effect. And there are negative effects of marijuana legalization, as in Colorado:
In 2014, when retail marijuana businesses began operating, that in only a year:
– Marijuana-related traffic deaths increased 32 percent
– Almost 20 percent of all traffic deaths were marijuana related compared to only
– 10 percent less than five years ago
– Marijuana-related emergency department visits increased 29 percent
– Marijuana-related hospitalizations increased 38 percent
– Marijuana-related calls to the rocky mountain poison center increased 72 percent
– Diversion of Colorado marijuana to other states increased 25 percent
In 2013, the year marijuana was legalized in Colorado:
– Colorado teenagers now rank #3 in the nation for marijuana use and 56 percent higher than the national average
– Colorado college-age group now rank #2 in the nation for marijuana use and 54 percent higher than the national average
RMHIDTA also conducted a survey of school resource officers and counselors who say pot is having a tremendous impact inside schools. “Kids going out on lunch breaks, getting high and coming back to school loaded on marijuana,” Clarke said. Many of the resource officers and counselors say the students got the pot from people who can legally purchase it or family members. “That’s happening in our schools every day,” Clarke said. RMHIDTA says the public has the right to know the facts and leaders need to know the truth about what has happened in Colorado since the state legalized marijuana in 2013.
“Marijuana is impacting all of us in one way or another – whether we realize it or not – and having a relaxed attitude is dangerous,” Clarke said.
Ref: The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado. Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Sep 2016.