Author: Charles Frank

Cannabis Marijuana DrugFacts National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA

The term thus becomes a part of social vernacular, reflecting both collective and individual identities. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. The first state in the union to legalize the medical use of marijuana was California in 1996 with Proposition 215.

Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 3 Mar 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Mar 2024), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2024) and others. Frequent use of high-potency THC over extended periods of time suggests that there can be negative effects on learning, memory, attention and problem-solving ability, as reported in Pediatrics. The AAP suggests that doctors urge parents not to use marijuana around children.

1. Yes, marijuana can be addictive, although the risk is generally considered to be lower compared to substances like alcohol, opioids, or stimulants.
2. Physical effects include increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, nausea, and behavioral problems in children whose mothers used cannabis during pregnancy; short-term side effects may also include dry mouth and red eyes.
3. It is the most commonly used largely-illegal drug in the world, with the highest use among adults in Zambia, the United States, Canada, and Nigeria.
4. In addition, research demonstrates that babies born to mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy at least once per week (or more) were smaller than those born to mothers who used the drug less frequently.
5. No medications are currently available to treat marijuana use disorder, but behavioral support has been shown to be effective.
6. Some people think that since it is legal in some places, it must be safe.

Some heavy users develop a tolerance to marijuana, meaning that the user needs larger amounts to get the same desired results that he or she used to get from smaller amounts, as noted by the NIDA. THC in marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days or more after a smoking session. The devices concentrate the THC from the marijuana into a storage unit and the person then inhales the vapor, not the smoke. Some vaporizers use a liquid marijuana extract that can be extremely high in THC content and can be dangerous to novice users, resulting in emergency room admissions.

How does marijuana affect the brain?

When marijuana smoke is inhaled, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream and is carried to the brain and other organs throughout the body. There is an ever-growing gap between the latest science about marijuana and the myths surrounding it. Some people think that since it is legal in some places, it must be safe. The purpose of this publication is to clear up some of the misunderstandings about pot. While marijuana studies are still in the early stages, evidence points to CBD as having more genuine medicinal applications than THC.

Shortly after smoking marijuana the heart rate increases drastically and may remain elevated for up to 3 hours. This effect may be enhanced if other drugs, such as stimulants, are taken with marijuana. Both dronabinol (Marinol and Syndros) and nabilone (Cesamet) are approved to treat patients receiving anti-cancer medicine (chemotherapy) who have nausea and vomiting, particularly patients who do not respond to other treatments. Marijuana’s strength is correlated to the amount of THC it contains and the effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC. In general, the THC content in marijuana has been increasing since the 1990s, when it contained less than 4% of THC. Today it may contain much higher percentages of THC and extracts can contain upwards of 50% or more of THC.

The “blunts” retain tobacco leaf used to wrap the cigar and therefore it combines marijuana’s active ingredients with nicotine and other harmful chemicals. Hashish is tan, brown or black resin that is dried and pressed into bars, sticks or balls. When smoked, both marijuana and hashish give off a distinctive, sweet odor.

Are there effects of inhaling secondhand marijuana smoke?

Names like “weed,” “pot,” “ganja,” and “grass” have various origins, ranging from slang to cultural references. Each name carries its own connotations and is often indicative of the user’s relationship with the substance, or the social setting in which it’s used. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. In all states, including states that allow recreational marijuana, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal. Rules surrounding recreational use of marijuana vary by state or territory. Check the laws in each area, as differences exist for quantity allowed, plant growing, and retail sales, among other factors.

Weed includes unhealthy ingredients such as pesticide, herbicide, bacteria, and fungi. Using weed can impair the way you think, feel, and experience reality, meaning you should never drive or operate machinery while using it. Using weed can also lower your inhibitions and contribute to reckless behavior such as having unprotected sex or driving under the influence. Long-term use of weed that contains high levels of THC may affect the way your brain develops and may contribute to neurologic conditions as you grow older. The term “Mary Jane” is one of the many colloquial names for marijuana, a psychoactive drug derived from the Cannabis plant. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, approximately 91% of U.S. adults believe marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use, or solely for medical use, reflecting the drug’s widespread societal acceptance.

Marijuana use may have a wide range of effects, both physical and mental. The popularity of edibles also increases the chance of harmful reactions. Therefore, people may consume more to feel the effects faster, leading to dangerous results. Cultural factors play a significant role in the naming conventions for marijuana.

Drug Addiction Treatment for Marijuana

THC from marijuana acts on specific receptors in the brain, called cannabinoid receptors, starting off a chain of cellular reactions that finally lead to the euphoria, or “high” that users experience. Activation of the endocannabinoid system leads to the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked with the reward system. Certain areas in the brain, such as the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex, have a higher concentration of cannabinoid receptors. These areas influence memory, concentration, pleasure, coordination, sensory and time perception. Marijuana may be smoked as a cigarette (called a joint or a nail) or in a glass pipe or a water pipe (“bong”). It may be smoked in “blunts”, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana, often in combination with another drug, such as crack.

What Is The Cultural Significance of Mary Jane?

Research findings suggest that, unless people are in an enclosed room, breathing in lots of smoke for hours at close range, they aren’t likely to fail a drug test.15,16 Even if some THC was found in the blood, it wouldn’t be enough to fail a test. People smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes (joints) or in pipes or water pipes (bongs). They also smoke it in blunts—emptied cigars that have been partly or completely refilled with marijuana.

Hydrocodone Addiction: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects

The active agent that leads to the “high” is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), marijuana is the most abused drug in the U.S. Other indicators can be spending a significant amount of time obtaining, using, or recovering from the effects of marijuana, or neglecting responsibilities and activities in favor of using.

They struggled more with their tasks and had an overall more stressful experience. Researchers asked participants to complete tasks and rate their stress levels. They also monitored the groups’ heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol (stress hormone) levels.