3. What is Marijuana?  Marijuana is the dried flowers, leaves and stems of the Cannabis sativa plant.

4. THC  The main active ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta 9 tetrhydrocannabinol).  Marijuana can range from 1% THC to 8%.  THC is a fat soluble substance and can remain in the lungs and brain tissue for up to 3 weeks.

5. There are over 200 nicknames for TTTThere are over 200 nicknames for marijuana including: - pot - herb - mary jane - chronic

6. Why do people use marijuana?  Smoking marijuana can relax a person and elevate their mood.  This can be followed by drowsiness and sedation  Other effects include heightened sensory awareness, euphoria, altered perceptions and feeling hungry ("the munchies").  High concentrations of THC may produce a more hallucinogenic response.

7. Short-term dangers of smoking marijuana  dry mouth  dry eyes  increased heart rate  visible signs of intoxication such as bloodshot eyes and puffy eyelids

8. Other Problems Include  Impaired memory and ability to learn  Difficulty thinking and problem solving  Anxiety attacks or feelings of paranoia  Impaired muscle coordination and judgment  Increased susceptibility to infections  Cardiac problems for people with heart disease or high blood pressure, because marijuana increases the heart rate

9. Recent Analysis Shows that One in Six High School Seniors Admitted Driving While High

10. Today’s teens have gotten the wrong message about marijuana," said John P. Walters,  "Marijuana is harmful and can lead to risky decisions, such as driving while high or riding with drivers who are impaired

11. The dangers of Driving while high  Dangerous impairment of driving skills. Studies show that it impairs braking time, attention to traffic signals and other driving behaviors.

12.  Marijuana affects concentration, perception, coordination and reaction time, many of the skills required for safe driving. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana.  An ongoing study of a large shock trauma unit found that 19 percent of crash victims under age 18 tested positive for marijuana.

13.  An estimated 38,000 high school seniors in the U.S. reported in 2001 that they crashed while driving under the influence of marijuana and 46,000 reported that they crashed while impaired by alcohol.  Alcohol and marijuana are also frequently used together, which results in a dramatic decrease in driving performance and spike in impairment levels.

14. Long Term Effects  Respiratory problems Someone who smokes marijuana regularly can have many of the same respiratory problems as cigarette smokers.  Persistent coughing, symptoms of bronchitis and more frequent chest colds are possible symptoms.

15.  There are over 400 chemicals that have been found in marijuana smoke  Benzyprene, a known human carcinogen, is present in marijuana smoke.

16.  Regardless of the THC content, the amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide are 3 to 5 times higher than in cigarette smoke.  This is most likely due to inhaling marijuana more deeply, holding the smoke in the lungs and because marijuana smoke is unfiltered. Unhealthy lung

17. Marijuana’s effect on Memory and learning  Recent research shows that regular marijuana use compromises the ability to learn and to remember information by impairing the ability to focus, sustain, and shift attention.  One study also found that long-term use reduces the ability to organize and integrate complex information.

18.  In addition, marijuana impairs short-term memory and decreases motivation to accomplish tasks, even after the high is over.  Even small doses marijuana impaired the ability to recall words from a list seen 20 minutes earlier.

19.  Research has been piling up demonstrating clearly that marijuana limits the capacity to absorb and retain information.  heavy marijuana users find it very difficult to focus, sustain attention, and organize data persists for as long as 24 hours after their last use of the drug.

20.  Earlier research, comparing cognitive abilities of adult marijuana users with non- using adults, found that users fall short on memory as well as math and verbal skills.

21.  Heavy marijuana use can cause irreversible loss of intellectual capacity, animal studies have shown marijuana-induced structural damage to portions of the brain essential to memory and learning.

22.  Some of marijuana's adverse health effects may occur because THC impairs the immune system’s ability to fight off infectious diseases and cancer.

23.  Depression, anxiety, and personality disturbances are all associated with marijuana use. Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana use has potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person’s existing problems worse.

24.  Students who smoke marijuana get lower grades and are less likely to graduate from high school, compared to their non- smoking peers.

25. LLLLong-term marijuana use can lead to addiction for some people; that is, they use the drug compulsively even though it often interferes with family, school, work, and recreational activities.

26. Marijuana’s Effect on Reproductive Organs  Decrease in testosterone levels in men, including the slowing of sperm motility and lower sperm counts.  Increase in testosterone levels for women, with an increased risk of infertility.

27.  It also decreases estrogen production, and causes menstrual or ovulatory irregularities  Marijuana crosses the placental barrier, so use during pregnancy is not recommended, and may have adverse effects.

28.  Drug craving and withdrawal symptoms can make it hard for long-term marijuana smokers to stop using the drug. People trying to quit report irritability, sleeplessness, and anxiety.

29.  They also display increased aggression on psychological tests, peaking approximately one week after the last use of the drug.

30. Marijuana is not always what it seems  Marijuana can be laced with other dangerous drugs without your knowledge. "Blunts"--hollowed-out cigars filled with marijuana--sometimes have substances such as crack cocaine, PCP, or embalming fluid added.

31. Get the Facts!  Marijuana affects your brain  Marijuana affects your self-control  Marijuana affects your lungs  Marijuana affects other aspects of your health