MARIJUANA  (Grass, Dope, Pot, Hashish)

    MARIJUANA is prepared from the cannabis plant (Indian hemp) and is usually smoked in a loose cigarette called a reefer, joint or stick. It contains 421 known chemicals, 61 of which are only found in cannabis and are called cannaboids. The cannaboid most responsible for the "high" is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

    Cannaboids accumulate in the fatty section of all body cells including the brain. It takes about 3 weeks for all the chemicals in a single joint to clear from the body.

    Although marijuana may not be physically addictive, users become psychologically addicted.

    EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN, PERSONALITY AND BODY:

    It can cause-

  • - impaired short-term memory.

  • - listlessness, apathy, lethargy, loss of interest in work, the "dropout syndrome"

  • - marijuana users do not notice that their work performances are slipping.

  • - diminished willpower, concentration, attention span, ability to deal with abstract or complex problems and ability to cope with frustration

  • - increased confused thinking, impaired judgement, hostility towards authority, self-centredness

  • - impaired driving skills including perception, coordination, vision, attention and tracking behaviour. In combination with alcohol the impairment is multiplied.

  • -11% to 15% of drivers injured in accidents have cannabis in their blood.

  • - damage to lungs and airways and the cancer-causing chemicals, benzanthracene and benzopyrene are present in pot smoke in amounts 50% to 70% greater than in tobacco smoke.

  • - increased heart rate and blood pressure during smoking

  • - birth defects, eg. abnormalities to hands and feet, spinabifida.

  • - dizziness and nausea.

  • - a lowering of the white blood cell immune response.

  • - panic attacks, anxiety, depression, paranoia.

  • - schizophrenia in susceptible people.

    USEFUL QUOTES

    While every marijuana user will not go on to use heroin, surveys by the Salvation Army show that more than 90% of those in their treatment programs for heroin addiction in Eastern Australia had 'progressed' from marijuana. (Major Brian Watters, Salvation Army Rehabilitation Services Command. Reported in New Idea, 7/10/95)

    "Marijuana has been shown to be a harmful drug, not a soft drug," and it "certainly can precipitate schizophrenia". (Mental Health Foundation of Australia chairman, Professor Graham Burrows. Reported in Sunday Herald Sun 30/4/95)

    WHY NOT DECRIMINALISE MARIJUANA USE?

    1. The cannabis lobby's aim is legalisation - decriminalisation (saying that it is OK to use marijuana for private use) is a big step towards this by making it socially acceptable and thereby increasing the number of users.

    2. Marijuana is not a "soft" harmless drug. It affects every cell of the body causing physical, social and psychological harm and great cost to individuals and society.

    3. Decriminalisation will encourage many, especially young people, who at present are restrained by its illegal status, to use marijuana. Already, official estimates are that 40% of 16-18 year olds and 50% of 18-24 year olds use marijuana. The aim should be to reduce rather than increase its use.

    4.The ideas of "responsible use" and "harm reduction" which go with needle exchanges as part of the push for decriminalisation are false. Marijuana has a very unstable chemistry so it is impossible to have a uniform content. Even if a low potency marijuana could be made it would easily be "spiked" to increase potency and mix with other drugs.

    5. The fact that many people break the law by using marijuana is no reason to do away with the law. Many people exceed the speed limit and commit crimes such as robbery and get away with it but it is ridiculous to suggest that we decriminalise robbery and do away with speed limits.

    6. Drug use is a major social problem which needs to be reduced, not expanded, through a determined effort by governments, society and the police to educate young people, deal with unemployment , etc, which leads to hopelessness and the desire to escape from reality, and through wise enforcement of existing laws against drug use.

    7. Legal drugs - alcohol and tobacco - already cost the community dearly ($14 billion in 1995) through health costs, accidents, absenteeism, family break-ups, crime, etc..

    It makes no sense to encourage the use of yet another legally acceptable drug.


    Marijuana is prepared from the cannabis plant (Indian hemp). It contains 421 known chemicals, 61 of which are only found in cannabis and are called cannaboids.

    They accumulate in fatty cells, in eg, the brain and reproductive organs and it takes about 4 weeks for all the chemicals in a single joint to clear from the body.

    BRAIN

  • messages between the brain and body are slowed

  • can cause manic depression, psychosis and schizophrenia in susceptible people

  • short term memory loss

  • impairs judgement, coordination, and concentration

  • drowsiness, hallucinations, apathy, decreases motivation, energy and ability to learn

  • can lead to psychological dependence and probably, physical dependence

    LUNGS : risk of

  • cancer

  • respiratory disease

  • emphysema

  • bronchitis

  • asthma

    HEART rate and blood pressure increase during smoking.

    Reproductive Organs

    Reduces fertility and sex drive.

    May damage foetus.

    Vision is affected.

    Increased risk of cancers of mouth, throat and airways.

    Immune System

    - a lowering of the white blood cell immune response

    Stomach -nausea and vomiting may occur



















    • THE EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA USE ON DRIVING

    Smoking marijuana can impair driving skills including-

  • perception (what a driver thinks he sees)

  • coordination (the way his hands, feet and mind work together especially if something unexpected happens)

  • vision (some drivers don't see what they don't expect to see)

  • attention (concentration)

  • tracking behaviour (driving slower and not in a straight line)

  • In combination with alcohol, the impairment is multiplied.

  • 11%-15% of drivers injured in accidents have cannabis in their blood.

  • A Western Australian study found that 80% of those stopped for dangerous driving who had not been drinking alcohol had been smoking cannabis.

    HOME * INTRO * ALCOHOL * SMOKING * DRUGS * MEDIA * LINKS

    Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Victoria, Inc.
    1st Floor, 15 Collins St, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia
    Tel. (03) 9654 6491 - FAX (03) 9650 2890