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Marijuana
History of Cannabis
 As early as 2737 B.C., the mystical Emperor Shen
Neng of China was prescribing marijuana tea for the
treatment of gout, rheumatism, malaria and, oddly
enough, poor memory. The drug's popularity as a
medicine spread throughout Asia, the Middle East
and down the eastern coast of Africa, and certain
Hindu sects in India used marijuana for religious
purposes and stress relief. Ancient physicians
prescribed marijuana for everything from pain relief to
earache to childbirth. Doctors also warned against
overuse of marijuana, believing that too much
consumption caused impotence, blindness and "seeing
devils."
History of Marijuana

To prevent more of the
country from being
washed over with a
morphine-induced golden
relief, the government
introduced the Pure Food
and Drug Act in 1906,
creating the Food and
Drug Administration.
While it didn't apply to
marijuana and merely
brought the distribution of
opium and morphine
under doctors' control, the
regulation of chemical
substances was a major
shift in American drug
policy.

It wasn't until 1914 that drug use
was defined as a crime, under the
Harrison Act. To get around states'
rights issues, the act used a tax to
regulate opium- and coca-derived
drugs: it levied a tax on nonmedical
uses of the drugs that was much
higher than the cost of the drugs
themselves, and punished anyone
using the drugs without paying the
tax. By 1937, 23 states had
outlawed marijuana: some to stop
former morphine addicts from
taking up a new drug, and some as
a backlash against newly arrived
Mexican immigrants, some of
whom brought the drug with them.
Also in 1937, the Federal
Government passed the Marihuana
Tax Act, which made nonmedical
use of marijuana illegal.
What is it?
 It's a plant, so it's natural, and natural is always good-
right? Think again, because both natural and synthetic
versions of marijuana can cause a long-lasting,
negative impact on your developing brain.
Short term effects
 Problems with memory
and learning;
 Distorted perception
(sights, sounds, time,
touch)
 Trouble with thinking
and problem-solving;
 Loss of coordination;
 Increased heart rate,
anxiety.

Long term effects of
marijuana
It’s hard to know for sure
whether marijuana use
alone causes cancer,
because many people who
smoke marijuana also
smoke cigarettes and use
other drugs. But it is
known that marijuana
smoke contains some of
the same, and sometimes
even more, of the cancercausing chemicals found
in tobacco smoke. Studies
show that someone who
smokes five joints per day
may be taking in as many
cancer-causing chemicals
as someone who smokes a
full pack of cigarettes
every day (15) .

Lungs and airways: People who
smoke marijuana often develop
the same kinds of breathing
problems that cigarette smokers
have: coughing and wheezing.
They tend to have more chest
colds than nonusers. They are
also at greater risk of getting
lung infections like pneumonia.

Immune system: Our immune
system protects the body from
many agents that cause disease.
It is not certain whether
marijuana damages the immune
system of people, but both
animal and human studies have
shown that marijuana impairs
the ability of T-cells in the lungs'
immune system to fight off some
infections.
Physical effects
 rapid heart rate increased blood pressure increased
rate of breathing
 red eyes
 dry mouth
 increased appetite, or "the munchies "slowed reaction
time
 These effects are reduced after three or four hours.
However, marijuana hangs around in your system for
as long as 24 hours after smoking. The lingering effects
mean you're impaired for several hours after the high
wears off.
Psychological effects
 distorted sense of time
 Paranoia or "random" thinking
 short-term memory loss
 anxiety and depression
 These psychological signs of using pot also generally
ease after a few hours. But residual effects can last
through the next day.
Major Risks
 INTELLECTUAL
DYSFUNCTION
 COGNITIVE
DISTURBANCES
 IMPAIRED
PHYSICAL
PERFORMANCE
 ADDICTION
 Although many
marijuana users do not
display obvious signs of
addiction, the drug may
produce psychological
addiction and interfere
with the mental process
to cause antisocial
behavior
Additional risks
 The risks of smoking marijuana go up with heavy use.
Although the link has never been proven, many
experts believe heavy pot smokers are at increased risk
for lung cancer. Heavy marijuana use lowers men's
testosterone levels and sperm count and quality. Pot
could decrease libido and fertility in some heavysmoking men. Contrary to what many pot smokers
may tell you, marijuana is addictive, at least
psychologically. Even among occasional users, one in
12 can feel withdrawal symptoms if they can't get high
when they want to. Among heavy pot smokers, the
rates of dependence are higher.
Withdrawal
 Emotional and behavioral difficulties, appetite change,
weight loss and physical discomfort. Irritability,
restlessness, insomnia, exhaustion, depressed moods, anger,
aggression and unusual dreams are some of the mental
withdrawal symptoms, according to Health Services at
Columbia University. Physical symptoms may include
shakiness, sweating, nausea and stomach pain. Recovering
marijuana users don't usually need medical treatment, but
often get counseling that focuses on behavioral therapy and
motivation. Marijuana may not be as addictive as other
drugs that can have more serious physical effects, but the
increased need and difficulty giving it up for some users
shows that it can become an addiction
Truth behind Marijuana
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