Marijuana, also called herb, pot, weed, grass and various other slang names, is the common name for a crude drug made from the plant Cannabis stiva. The main mind-altering (psychoactive) ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), but there are also over 400 other chemicals in the plant. Hashish, or hash is made by taking the resin from the leaves and flowers of the marijuana plant and pressing it into cakes or slabs. Hash is usually stronger than crude marijuana and may contain five to ten times as much THC. Hash oil may contain up to 50 percent THC.

Statistics

• Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.
• About 68.5 million Americans (32%) have tried pot at least once.
• Over the past 4 years, the number of 12- to 17-year olds using pot has doubled.
• The average age for trying pot for the first time is now about 13 years old.

The effects of Marijuana:

Physical effects of using marijuana includes: faster heartbeat and pulse rate, bloodshot eyes, and a dry mouth and throat. Studies show that marijuana can impair or reduce short-term memory, alter your sense of time, and reduce the ability to do things which require concentration, swift reactions, and coordination.

Large doses of marijuana may sometimes cause hallucinations.

Long-term regular users of marijuana may become psychologically dependent. They have a hard time limiting their use, they may need more of the drug to get the same effect, and they may develop problems with their jobs and personal relationships. The drug can become the most important aspect of their lives. Animal studies suggest marijuana causes physical dependence, and some users report withdrawal symptoms.

The marijuana scent when smoked is so strong and potent that it is very hard to mask. It saturates clothing, furniture, carpets, curtains, and it stays in the hair follicles for a minimum of 30 days.

The earlier young people start using marijuana, the more likely they are to go on to experiment with other drugs. When young people start using marijuana regularly, they often lose interest and are not motivated to do their schoolwork, get jobs, go to college, or do anything constructive.

The effects of marijuana can interfere with learning by impairing thinking, reading comprehension, and verbal and mathematical skills. Research shows that students do not remember what they have learned when they are "high". Research suggests that the use of marijuana during pregnancy may result in miscarriages, premature babies and low birth weights. It may cause irregular menstrual cycles in women, and both men and women may have a temporary loss of fertility. It may be especially harmful during adolescence, a period of rapid physical and sexual development. Marijuana use increases the heart rate as much as 50 percent, depending on the amount of THC in the joint. It causes chest pain in people who have a poor blood supply to the heart, and it produces these effects more rapidly than tobacco smoke does.

Marijuana smoke has been found to contain more cancer-causing agents than is found in tobacco smoke. 5 marijuana joints carry as much cancer-causing agents as 112 cigarettes.