Marijuana

The highest rates of illicit drug use are found among youth ages 18-20 (between 20% and 21%) with marijuana the most commonly used illicit drug (NIDA, 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse).

THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) affects damages the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed, making it hard to remember things.

It is illegal to buy or sell marijuana. In most states, holding even small amounts of marijuana can lead to fines or arrest.

Street names/slang terms:
Weed, pot, reefer, grass, dope, 420, ganja, Mary Jane, sinsemilla, herb, Aunt Mary, skunk, boom, kif, chronic, gangster, kush, hydro, dro, blueberry, Columbian gold, dank, reggie, northern lights, leaves, twig, trees, L, ganja, greens

Drug Type:
Marijuana, the most often used illegal drug in this country, is a product of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The main active chemical in marijuana, also present in other forms of cannabis, is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Of the roughly 400 chemicals found in the cannabis plant, THC affects the brain the most.

What does it look like?
Marijuana is a green or gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).

How is it used?
Most users roll loose marijuana into a cigarette called a "joint". It can be smoked in a water pipe, called a "bong", or mixed into food or brewed as tea. It has also appeared in cigars called "blunts".

Short-term Effects:
• problems with memory, learning
• distorted perceptions
• trouble with thinking, problem-solving
• loss of motor coordination
• increase heart rate
• anxiety, panic attacks, paranoia
• dry mouth, throat
• bloodshot eyes

Long-term Effects:
• cancer
• lung, immune system damage

Source: Partnership for a Drug-Free America, NIDA