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Marijuana and its effects on Teenagers Marijuana has been considered an illegal substance in the United States since the 1940's. It is currently recognized as a
the flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant Cannabis Sativa, smoked or eaten for its hallucinogenic and pleasure-giving effects. The psychoactive ingredient of marijuana,
grows wildly in places like India and Jamaica and these are the country's that first discovered its effects on the body. Marijuana was introduced into the United
Effects, and Prevention." Alcoholism and drug abuse has existed for as long as we can remember. For teenagers its something cool to do and numb whatever pains they
and Long Term Effects of Marijuana Use Among Adolescents Substance use, especially the smoking of marijuana, has been a major part of societal functions since the
Submitted by LisaO on November 5, 2005
Category: Social Issues
Words: 783 | Pages: 4
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Marijuana has been considered an illegal substance in the United States since the 1940's. It is currently recognized as a Schedule I, Class A drug, which means that being caught with the drug can mean imprisonment or heavy fines. The main reason it is so illegal is because smoking marijuana can cause long-term health and mental problems, as well as an addiction to this and possibly "harder substances" like cocaine and heroin.
One of the major effects of smoking marijuana is that the person looses their ability to function properly. Driving, for example, after smoking dope is really dangerous because marijuana can slow down your reflex times and affect your coordination. The Dawn Report (2004) noted that nearly 120,000 people were admitted to emergency rooms suffering from marijuana-induced problems in 2002, which was an increase of more than 139% since 1995 (Dawn Report, 2004). The University of California, Los Angeles School of Medical Studies completed a report that showed that marijuana smoke is four times more harmful to your lungs that an ordinary cigarette, and that a marijuana joint can contain up to 400 different chemicals (1997). This same study found that smoking marijuana can prevent a body from fighting off infections and diseases, so marijuana smokers get sick more often and stay sick for longer, than a person who does not smoke marijuana (1997).
The National Institute of Drug Abuse completed a study in 2002 that showed that long-term marijuana use can increase the chances of a person getting a mental illness such as schizophrenia. Their study also showed that one of the main problems with marijuana is that it can be laced with other drugs such as crack cocaine, PCP or even embalming fluids, but because the smell and effects of a marijuana smoke is so strong, users are unlikely to realize their smoke has been laced until they start to suffer immediate effects from the introduced drug (National Institute of Drug Abuse,...
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