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Marijuana. Greg Gutkin Eric Neustadt Tommy Parr. What is marijuana?. Marijuana, or cannabis, is a plant found all over the world. How is marijuana used?. In order to use marijuana, people will dry out the leaves and then roll them into a joint and them smoke the drug.
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Marijuana Greg Gutkin Eric Neustadt Tommy Parr
What is marijuana? • Marijuana, or cannabis, is a plant found all over the world
How is marijuana used? • In order to use marijuana, people will dry out the leaves and then roll them into a joint and them smoke the drug. • Marijuana can also be consumed, people who consume marijuana will usually bake it into something like brownies, instead of just eating the raw leaves • THC, which is derived from Marijuana can be made into pills, however ritualistic marijuana users always smoke the drug
How is marijuana used? Cont. Special brownies Marijuana joint
Guiding Question • What are the psychological effects of marijuana and how can these effects be harmful to students who go to the International Academy?
The Myth of Marijuana • Most people believe Marijuana is the least harmful drug to use • This contributes to the idea that Marijuana is not harmful at all • This is true to a certain extent, however Marijuana does have its own harmful effects that are constantly overlooked
What are the desired effects of marijuana? • Marijuana is a psychoactive or brain altering drug • People use marijuana to feel relaxed and euphoric • The reason for this feeling is because of the drug THC or tetra-hydrochloric acid
What are the undesirable short term effects of marijuana? • Problems with memory and learning • Distorted Perception • Loss of motor coordination • Increased heart rate • It has been found that people who do marijuana have a very high chance for getting in car accidents while high
What are the undesirable long term effects? • Increased chance of psychosis • Suicidal thoughts and attempts later in life • Depression • Reduced neurotoxin levels in the brain • Impaired brain development • Long term damage to parts of the brain that control memory, attention and learning • Increased chance of taking more serious drugs such as heroin, cocaine, etc. • Lack of ambition (Amotivational Syndrome)
How this is harmful to IA Students • The IA is an academically intense school focused on learning • Even though marijuana relieves stress it also affects memory and learning making school harder • This can lead to a problematic cycle (Long term damage to memory, learning and attention)
Marijuana Users Regrets • Interference with thinking (43%) • Less Energy (40%) • Involvement with bad influences (33%) • Less interest in other activities (30%) • Regretted Behaviors (25%) • Damaged relationships with parents and friends
Why do people, especially students use marijuana? • There are many reasons for using Marijuana • Entertainment (Less Energy, Less Interest) • Fitting in with friends and other social groups (Involvement with bad influences ) • To get away from the stresses of normal life (Damaged relationships) • Peer Pressure
Prevention • Reasons for quitting: • Concerns people give about marijuana are physical and psychological effects • They quit because they do not feel like getting high, fear of dependency, and parental disapproval
Prevention continued • The best way to prevent use is by getting information to those who are most likely to use the drug • The main deterrent to use is fear of consequences • Morning Announcements
Works Cited • Reduced serum concentrations of nerve growth factor, but not brain-derived neurotrophic factor, in chronic cannabis abusers.(Report)." European Neuropsychopharmacology 18.12 (Dec 2008): 882(6). Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 1 Dec. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>. • Pedersen, W. "Does cannabis use lead to depression and suicidal behaviours? A population-based longitudinal study.(Clinical report)." Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 118.5 (Nov 2008): 395(9). Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 1 Dec. 2008 • Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M., Patrick M. O'Malley, and Lloyd D. Johnston. "Saying no to marijuana: why American youth report quitting or abstaining.(Report)." Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 69.6 (Nov 2008): 796(10). Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 1 Dec. 2008<http://find.galegroup.com/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>. • http://www.nida.nih.gov/index.html