THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA.

THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF TAKING MARIJUANA INCLUDE RAPID HEART BEAT, DISORIENTATION, LACK OF PHYSICAL COORDINATION, OFTEN FOLLOWED BY DEPRESSION OR SLEEPINESS. 

SOME USERS SUFFER PANIC ATTACKS OR ANXIETY.

BUT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT END THERE.

ACCORDING TO SCIENTIFIC STUDIES, THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN CANNABIS – THC- REMAINS IN THE BODY FOR WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS.

MARIJUANA SMOKE CONTAINS 50% TO 70% MORE CANCER-CAUSING SUBSTANCES THAN TOBACCO SMOKE. ONE MAJOR RESEARCH STUDY REPORTED THAT A SINGLE CANNABIS JOINT COULD CAUSE AS MUCH DAMAGE TO THE LUNGS AS UP TO FIVE REGULAR CIGARETTES SMOKED ONE AFTER ANOTHER.

LONG TIME JOINT SMOKERS OFTEN SUFFER FROM BRONCHITIS, AN INFLAMMATION OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT.

THE DRUG CAN AFFECT MORE THAN YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH. STUDIES IN AUSTRALIA IN 2008 LINKED YEARS OF HEAVY MARIJUANA USE TO BRAIN ABNORMALITIES.
THIS IS BACKED UP BY EARLIER RESEARCH ON THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA, WHICH INDICATE CHANGES IN THE BRAIN SIMILAR TO THOSE CAUSED BY LONG -TERM ABUSE OF OTHER MAJOR DRUGS.

AND A NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE SHOWN A CONNECTION BETWEEN CONTINUED MARIJUANA USE AND PSYCHOSIS.
MARIJUANA CAN CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF SPERM CELLS, DEFORMING THEM.

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS	LONG-TERM EFFECTS
1.Short-term memory problems.	1. The decline in IQ -up to 8 points if prolonged use started in adolescent age.
2.Severe anxiety, including the fear that one is being watched or followed (paranoia).	2.Poor school performance and a higher chance of dropping out.
3. Very strange behavior, seeing, hearing or smelling things that aren’t there, not being able to tell imagination from reality (psychosis).	3.Impaired thinking and ability to learn and perform complex tasks.
4.Panic.	4.Lower life satisfaction.
5.Hallucinations.	5.Addiction -about 9% of adults and 17% of people who started smoking as teens.
6.Loss of sense of personal identity.	6.Potential development of opiate abuse.
7.Lowered reaction time.	7.Relationship problems, intimate partner violence.
8.Increased heart rate (risk of heart attack).	8.Antisocial behavior including stealing money or lying.
9.Problems with coordination.	9.Financial difficulties.
10.Sexual problems (for males).	10.Increased welfare dependence.
11.Increased risk of stroke.	11.Greater chances of being unemployed.