Marijuana is probably the most known plant for smoking besides tobacco, but unlike tobacco, marijuana causes a high and is considered illegal. Both tobacco and marijuana have one more thing in common, they both create an addiction; even though marijuana addiction appears to be weaker than that of tobacco and nicotine, it is classified as a greater threat as its abuse can lead to various health effects.
Marijuana comes from the plant of Cannabis Sativa and it contains a potent ingredient called THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is what causes the sensation of high in the brain. There is low grade marijuana in terms of potency and high grade marijuana. The low grade comes mostly from leaves and the high grade comes from buds which contain more THC. In most common street terms marijuana is called weed, pot, or reefer, there are various ways one can use marijuana, in some cases it is used for medical purposes.
There are three common types of marijuana use, joints, which is the most common form and it is a hand rolled cigarette which is smoked. Then there is the pipe, just like a smoking pipe or bong which is a more oriental style and there are blunts, removed tobacco from the cigarette replaced with marijuana.
When teen marijuana abuse is in question it can have various consequences, mostly on the brain, but it can leave consequences on mental, emotional, behavioral and physical conditions. Marijuana effects start showing almost immediately and they can last up to a few hours, side effects can be visible for up to a few weeks and with permanent marijuana abuse they can be seen for life as they will alter the brain functions and capabilities.
Most common side effects of teen marijuana abuse:
- Increased respiratory issues and chances of contracting a lung disease
- Increased heart attack possibility by 4 times
- Weakens the immune system
- Increases the risk of cancer
- Lowers concentration
- It is often associated with other drugs and referred to as a gateway drug
- Impaired memory – short term memory
- Learning issues
- Loss of coordination
- Depression
- Anxiety
Teen marijuana abuse can be very hard to notice. The more your teen abuses marijuana the more obvious the signs become, on the other hand it is hard to notice a new marijuana user, but the most common marijuana abuse warning signs are:
- Bloody eyes – or bloodshot eyes
- Lack of coordination
- Memory issues
- Concentration issues
- Has the munchies – overly hungry
- Sleepy as the effects of marijuana wear off
- Smell of marijuana on the clothing
Marijuana is the number one abused drug in the US by teens and adults. Marijuana is still being researched, more and more people and even scientists believe that marijuana has healing effects, but nevertheless they don’t recommend it for use without prescription, which is why it is still illegal to smoke marijuana.
If your teen is using marijuana you should seek professional help and monitor his activities, as it is fairly known that early teen marijuana abuse can lead to other drugs. While teens who tried marijuana for the first time at the age of 17 or older are less likely to try other drugs.
Inhalants are very dangerous
Heroin is a drug processed from morphine, which is extracted from various poppy plants. One of the most alarming facts about heroin is the fact that 90% of the heroin found on the streets is not “pure” heroin; it is mixed with sugar, powder milk and starch or in some cases with various drugs and even poisons, so it poses a great threat to immediate health of the user.
Like many mood effective drugs, Ecstasy stimulates the neurons in our brain that use serotonin. In other words serotonin bridges the gap between our neurons, and MDMA blocks the gap and terminates the communication in our brain and terminates the signal between neurons..jpg)
Cocaine is very powerful and addictive stimulant of the central nervous system that can be smoked, snorted or injected into our body. A very common form of cocaine found on the streets is crack, which is a rock crystal form of cocaine that is usually smoked. Injecting cocaine carries an elevated risk of infection with HIV and other infections.