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Marijuana
Marijuana is the most widely used illegal substance in the world today. It's also the most
controversial.
Illicit drug use increased substantially across the country between 1993 and 1994. Use of
cannabis increased from 4.2% to 7.4%, cocaine increased from 0.3% to 0.7% and use of LSD,
speed or heroin increased from 0.3% in 1993 to 1% in 1994. No recent national data are
available to determine if this trend continues. An (under) estimated 132,000 (7.7%) Canadians
who use cocaine, LSD, speed, heroin or steroids have injected drugs. Of these, 41% have
shared needles. (Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy November, 2001).
As you might expect, college students use marijuana at higher rates
than the general population. 16.8 per cent of Canadians between the
ages of 15 and 64 smoked pot or ingested one of its derivatives last year
(compared to 7.4). (Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy November,
2001)
Marijuana Quiz: What's Your PQ?
1. Q: Chocolate and marijuana stimulate the same receptors in the brain.
A: True. However, you would have to eat about 25 pounds of chocolate in one
sitting to get the same effect as smoking one joint.
2. Q: Smoking pot kills brain cells and causes brain damage.
A: False & Undetermined. It probably doesn't kill brain cells, and early studies
purporting to show structural changes in the brains of heavy marijuana users have
not been replicated with more sophisticated techniques. However, smoking pot
clearly interferes with learning and memory. Occasional users experience residual
effects on cognitive functioning, including memory, for up to 48 hours after smoking.
Habitual users experience ongoing impaired ability to learn new information, which
continues for up to several weeks after quitting use.
3. Q: Pot is the most popular illegal drug in Canada.
A: True. Cannabis (marijuana/hashish): Cannabis is the most widely used illegal
drug in Canada. Just over 23% of Canadians report having used cannabis at
some point in their life. Current use is around 7.5% as compared to 6.5% in 1989.
Twice as many males (10%) as females (5%) report use in the past 12 months.
(Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy November, 2001).
"Used by permission UT Counseling and Mental Health Center, The University of Texas at Austin."
Counselling & Career Centre | Department Phone: 403.343.4064 | Department Fax: 403.342.3424
Red Deer College | 100 College Boulevard | Box 5005 | Red Deer | AB | Canada | T4N 5H5 | [email protected]
4. Q: Marijuana can be habit-forming but is not addictive.
A: False. Pot was once considered a non-addictive substance, and many people still
believe this. But current research shows that use of the drug by some people can
lead to both psychological and physical dependence. A drug is addictive if it causes
craving, loss of control, and compulsive use even in the face of negative
consequences. Pot meets these criteria. Furthermore, many habitual marijuana
users who quit using experience physical withdrawal symptoms that are similar to,
though usually milder than, those suffered by cigarette smokers who quit smoking.
5. Q: Smoking marijuana causes laziness and saps motivation.
A: Undetermined, but it appears to be more false than true. The lack of motivation
that some heavy users experience often can be attributed to other factors such as
the use of alcohol or other drugs, depression, or other underlying personality
characteristics.
6. Q: Marijuana is a "gateway drug." (That is, smoking pot leads to using harder drugs.)
A: This is most likely false. Most drug users don't begin with marijuana, but start
with tobacco and alcohol at a fairly young age. People who go on to use harder
drugs tend to be experimenters. Pot is just one of several or many drugs that
experimenters may try.
7. Q: Today's marijuana is 10 times more potent than the marijuana of the 1960's and
1970's.
A: Yes and no. The THC content of regular marijuana has consistently ranged from
2% to 5% in most samples over the past three decades. Several stronger varieties
have always been available. These are easier to obtain and more popular today than
in past decades.
8. Q: Use of marijuana promotes aggression and crime.
A: This is generally false. Marijuana usually has a calming effect. Most criminals
who use marijuana began committing crimes before they started smoking pot. On
the other hand, a couple of studies have shown a correlation between heavy
marijuana use in teenagers and aggressive behavior, disruptive behavior, and crime.
It's important to note that correlations do not necessarily show cause and effect.
9. Q: Marijuana is classified as a central nervous system depressant.
A: True to some extent. Marijuana a member of the cannabis family of drugs that
also includes hashish, hashish oil, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the main
psychoactive substance in the cannabis plant). Medically, it is also classified as a
CSN depressant, muscle relaxant, appetite stimulant, hallucinogenic, antiemetic
(alleviates nausea and vomiting), and bronchodilator (improves air flow to the lungs).
"Used by permission UT Counseling and Mental Health Center, The University of Texas at Austin."
Counselling & Career Centre | Department Phone: 403.343.4064 | Department Fax: 403.342.3424
Red Deer College | 100 College Boulevard | Box 5005 | Red Deer | AB | Canada | T4N 5H5 | [email protected]
10. Q: Smoking pot can make you sterile.
A: Undetermined. More research is needed. We know that many long-term, heavyusing males suffer from a lowered sperm count and slower moving sperm, and some
experience impotence. This isn't the same as sterility, which indicates the absence
of motile sperm.
11. Q: No one has ever died from an overdose of marijuana.
A: True. But that doesn't mean that marijuana is safe. There are many risks involved
with using marijuana beyond its illegality. People sometimes die as a result of
accidents associated with being high on pot.
12. Q: Smoking pot causes lung cancer.
A: Undetermined. Marijuana smoke and tobacco smoke are known to be similar in
several ways. They both contain at least one well-known carcinogen, benzopyrene,
and it occurs in greater concentration in marijuana smoke. On the other hand, a
recent study at the University of California Los Angeles, found no elevated cancer
risk for pot smokers, even the heaviest ones. Apparently, the jury is still out on this
one.
13. Q: Smoking pot impairs the immune system.
A: Unknown. Cannabinoid receptors are highly concentrated in certain immunesystem cells as well as in the brain. Researchers have found that THC impairs
immune system function in laboratory animals, but the doses in those studies were
extremely high. Corroborating research has not been conducted on humans.
14. Q: The effects of smoking pot can last up to two full days.
A: True. THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, is extremely fat-soluble,
which means it is stored in the body's fatty tissues and can slowly enter the
bloodstream for up to two days after smoking.
15. Q: Modern drug testing techniques can identify marijuana in your system up to one
month after use.
A: This may be true for heavy users if the test is particularly sensitive. Most
tests, especially those available over the counter, are less sensitive, but even they
can detect the presence of THC in heavy users for up to two to three weeks.
16. Q: Smoking pot can make you go crazy.
A: Go crazy? Probably not. But some pot users experience mild flashbacks,
anxiety or panic attacks, and marijuana clearly has been shown to exacerbate
certain pre-existing psychological conditions such as anxiety and panic disorders.
"Used by permission UT Counseling and Mental Health Center, The University of Texas at Austin."
Counselling & Career Centre | Department Phone: 403.343.4064 | Department Fax: 403.342.3424
Red Deer College | 100 College Boulevard | Box 5005 | Red Deer | AB | Canada | T4N 5H5 | [email protected]
Marijuana Basics
How Marijuana Works
“HowStuffWorks”, a reliable online source for clear,
unbiased explanations, offers a lively, in-depth description
of marijuana the plant and marijuana the drug.
The Vaults of Erowid
Erowid provides reliable, non-judgmental information
about psychoactive plants and chemicals and related
issues. The site includes input from academic, medical,
and experiential experts. The comprehensive section on
marijuana includes not only general information but also pages on marijuana history and
culture.
Please note: The information above is not intended as a substitute for contact with a mental health
professional. It is provided as a means for visitors to this web page to obtain additional information on
topics typically discussed in counseling. Inevitably, some of the information represents opinion. If you
read information that raises concerns or questions, we invite you to come in to the Counselling & Career
Centre in room 1402.
"Used by permission UT Counseling and Mental Health Center, The University of Texas at Austin."
Counselling & Career Centre | Department Phone: 403.343.4064 | Department Fax: 403.342.3424
Red Deer College | 100 College Boulevard | Box 5005 | Red Deer | AB | Canada | T4N 5H5 | [email protected]