This power point was developed in partnership with youth involved in Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and MATFORCE.

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What Will You Learn Today? The Facts about Marijuana Educate you on the effects, dangers, and negative risks associated with marijuana Empower you to take control of your physical and emotional health early Discuss ways to resist using drugs

What is Marijuana? Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp, or cannabis, plant. It goes by many different names—pot, herb, weed, grass—and stronger forms include sinsemilla hashish, and hash oil. All forms of marijuana change how the brain works! Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol).

What is Marijuana?

What is Marijuana? Photo Source: Jessica Smith

Definitions & Facts Tolerance – The power of enduring or resisting the action of a drug or substance. Addiction - the compulsive need for or use of a habit forming substance. Withdrawal - the syndrome of often painful physical and psychological symptoms that follows discontinuance of an addicting drug Addiction The younger you are when you start using substances, the higher your chances of addiction to those substances. 15 y/o student who drinks has a 40% higher chance of alcohol addiction.

Myth, or Fact? Marijuana is not addictive. MYTH! Repeated marijuana use can lead to addiction—which means that people have difficulty controlling their drug use and often cannot stop even though they want to, and even though it undermines many aspects of their lives.

Myth, or Fact? It’s safe to drive while under the influence of Marijuana. MYTH! Marijuana affects a number of skills required for safe driving—alertness, concentration, coordination, and reaction time—so it's not safe to drive high or to ride with someone who's been smoking.

Marijuana won’t effect my ability to perform in sports or other after school activities? MYTH! Marijuana has many short term effects such as impairing memory, attention, judgment, coordination and balance. The long term effects would be impaired memory and learning skills, sleep impairment, and chronic cough/bronchitis, risk of mental disease, anxiety or depression. Myth, or Fact?

Marijuana use, occasional or habitual, will have no effect on my school work. MYTH! Compared with their peers who don't smoke, students who smoke Marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school. Longtime Marijuana users report being less satisfied with their lives, experiencing memory and relationship problems, poorer mental and physical health, lower salaries, and less career success.

Myth, or Fact? Marijuana can help me relax from the stresses of school, work, and life. MYTH! High doses of marijuana can cause psychosis or panic when you're high. Some people experience an acute psychotic reaction (disturbed perceptions and thoughts, paranoia) or panic attacks while under the influence of Marijuana.

Myth, or Fact? There are no withdrawal symptoms from Marijuana use. MYTH! The symptoms are similar in type and severity to those of nicotine withdrawal—irritability, sleeping difficulties, anxiety, and craving. Withdrawal symptoms can make it hard for someone to stay off Marijuana.

Myth, or Fact? Since Marijuana is used as a medicine, it can’t be that bad for me. MYTH! Several states have passed medical marijuana laws, but marijuana has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat any diseases. It still carries the negative consequences and risks that non-medical Marijuana.

Resistance Skills What are some ways you can say no or avoid situations where drugs may be available?

Sources uana-facts-teens acts/marijuana Arizona Youth Survey

Thank you for your attention! Questions?