Download cannabis-related shape - Nebraska Council of School Administrators

Marijuana
Health Effects on 
Adolescents
Nebraska State Attorney General’s Office
Is Marijuana Harmful?
As marijuana use becomes more widespread and its potency
increases, we need to ask the question:
IS MARIJUANA HARMFUL?
Marijuana use affects every aspect of a user’s life. Negative
consequences for adolescents are even worse than those on the
general population, as marijuana affects teens’
 Mental Health
 Physical Wellbeing
 Academic Performance
Marijuana and Mental Illness

Marijuana use is linked to
increased depression

Studies have found a correlation
between marijuana use and an
increased risk of developing
mental illnesses such as
schizophrenia and other forms of
psychosis

Teenagers who use marijuana
daily are seven times more likely
to attempt suicide
Marijuana and the Brain
Hippocampal Surface Shape
Row A: cannabis-related shape in control
subjects
Row B: schizophrenia-related shape
Row C: cannabis-related shape in
schizophrenia subjects
T-values with cooler colors (t<0) indicate
inward shape differences and warmer colors
(t>0) indicate outward shape differences.
Image Credits: “Cannabis-Related Episodic Memory Deficits
and Hippocampal Morphological Differences in Health
Individuals and Schizophrenia Subjects” Smith, Matthew J., et.
al. Northwestern University.
Side Effects of Marijuana
A 2015 study published by the American Medical Association linked
use of cannabinoids to the following side effects:
 Hallucinations
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 Fatigue
 Disorientation
 Dizziness
 Euphoria
 Drowsiness
Teen Marijuana Use: A Growing Problem
Despite the negative physical and mental side effects of marijuana,
its popularity among the teenage population continues to grow.
 In 2012, an average of 3.2 million adolescents used marijuana on any
given day
 The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that high school
students are more likely to use marijuana than any other illegal drug
 In 2011, marijuana use was responsible for more emergency room
visits by young adults than any other type of drug abuse
Marijuana Use Among High School Students
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
8th Graders
Hallucinogens
10th Graders
Methamphetamine
12th Graders
Heroin
0
10
20
30
40
50
Percent of students who had used the drug, 2015
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Marijuana Use in Marijuana States
States with legalized medical marijuana and recreational
marijuana do have an increase in the number of 12-17 yearolds who used marijuana in the past month.
At Risk For Addiction
 17% of those who use
marijuana as adolescents will
become addicted, and 2550% of daily users become
addicted
 A Hazelden Foundation
survey indicates that the
majority of young people
believe that marijuana is not
addictive
 Children whose parents use marijuana
are 52% more likely to use marijuana
than those whose parents do not
 Adolescents are nearly twice as likely to
become addicted to marijuana as older
users
 Young adults who use marijuana are
Adult Addiction
and Adolescent
Addiction
also eight times more likely to use
other illicit drugs
Marijuana and Academics
 After legalizing marijuana, Colorado experienced a 40% increase
in drug-related suspensions and expulsions
 Colorado Department of Education officials reported that most
drug-related suspensions/expulsions reported since the
2008/2009 academic year have been related to marijuana
 Adolescents who use marijuana daily are more than 60% less
likely to complete high school or obtain a university degree
than those who do not
Marijuana and Academics
 Marijuana use among college students was linked by the
University of Maryland’s School of Public Health to the following
negative academic consequences:
 More absences in class
 Decreased time studying
 Lower grades
 Increased risk of dropping out of college
 Increased risk of unemployment after graduation
Marijuana and Academic Potential
 Exposure to cannabinoids among adolescents causes long-term
behavioral changes
 MRI scans indicate brain anatomy alterations in young adult
marijuana users
 Regular heavy use by adolescents is linked to IQ loss which persists
far into adulthood, even if marijuana is no longer being used
Marijuana: Harms to Non-Users
Availability of marijuana increases
the danger of accidental
ingestion, especially with children.
Colorado, January 1 – April 30, 2014
The American
College of
Pediatricians found
that, by 2011, poison
centers in states
which decriminalized
marijuana prior to
2005 had
experienced a
tripling in calls
related to accidental
pediatric marijuana
ingestion.
Marijuana: Harms to Non-Users
 Marijuana ingestion can cause mental and physical impairment,
increasing the risk of motor vehicle accidents leading to injury
or death
 Colorado marijuana-related traffic deaths increased 92% from
2010-2014. Overall traffic deaths increased only 8%.
 A survey cited by the Hazelden foundation reported that 30% of
young adults indicated that they had driven under the influence
of marijuana.
Marijuana Potency Trends, 1988-2012
Average THC Concentration in Confiscated Samples
(University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring Program)
Average Δ9-THC Concentration in Marijuana and Sinsemilla
14
12
Percent
10
8
6
4
2
0
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Year
Marijuana Potency Increasing
 Marijuana in the 1960s contained an average of 1-2% Δ9-THC.
Currently, Δ9-THC levels in marijuana hover around 15%.
 Some marijuana extractions can contain 80-95% concentrations
of Δ9-THC.
 High-potency marijuana carries a correspondingly increased risk
of developing severe adverse side effects.
Marijuana Potency Increasing
Marijuana proponents support this increase in potency. Denver even
hosts a “Cannabis Cup” where different strains of marijuana compete to
be named the most potent variety.
“Our annual review of the world’s most potent cannabis strains—as
tested by our partner labs around the globe—has taken another big step
forward, raising the bar this year to include only strains that have tested
over 23 percent THC! This represents a significant increase from years
past, when the threshold was a mere 20 percent”
~High Times, “Earth’s Strongest Strains 2014”
 Marijuana-infused edibles popular among
adolescents such as cookies, candy, and
beverages often contain several doses’
worth of marijuana in a single package
 Permissive testing and labeling standards
Potency
Dangers with
Marijuana
Edibles
for edibles often result in THC
concentrations which vary from the
labeled amounts
Other Dangers
Shatter
Shatter is a cannabis product
which contains around 90% THC.
Drug Enforcement
Administration Special Agent
Dennis Wichern warns that the
shatter production process is
very dangerous, often causing
fires and explosions.
In 2014, 30 house explosions in
Colorado were caused by the
production of shatter.
Lacing
Sometimes marijuana is laced
with even more dangerous
drugs, including cocaine and
PCP.
Due to loose regulations, it is
easy to mix marijuana with other
illicit drugs, or it has been found
to be contaminated with heavy
metals or bacteria.
 Marijuana has been shown to cause
many negative side effects, especially in
younger users
 In order to see whether possible
benefits outweigh demonstrated
harms, the best response is to wait,
allowing time for more thorough
investigation and scientific analysis
 The government’s role is to protect its
citizens from those harms until superior
benefits are clearly established
Marijuana: A
Prudent Response