HOW DOES MARIJUANA AFFECT THE BRAIN?

ever since i started smoking pot i can jump twice as high, whistle three times louder, my hair grows whenever i tell it to, i have no hair on my feet cuz i told it to stop, i am three inches taller and longer, i can eat jalepeno pepers by the dozens, i can snort ice cream through my elbow, and i can look through wood doors with my super sonic eyes.

and english teachers hit on my friends

I have smoked weed everyday for 3 years coming up to 4, sometimes i get short term memory loss but nothing major. Weed helps me write music, art and poetry. I didnt smoke weed much in high school i hated it. But after i left school the stress about finding a job and what not kicked in and i started smoking weed everyday. Started smoking bongs for a year and a half. ( i recommend not to ) and i noticed it was hard to breath ( probably cause im a heavy ciggerette smoker to ) and then i tried to quit smoking all together PPL SAY MARIJUANA IS NOT ADDICTIVE, but when u smoke bongs everday for a year and a half and then trying to quit u will notice u start to become sick when u dont have it ( its not only me all my friends are heavy weed smokers they get the same sickness as i do when i havent smoked ) but now i dont smoke bongs ne more only smoked joints and blunts and i noticed when i didnt have it for like a week or so i didnt feel sick. I didnt have ne breathing problems. SMOKE A J, TO KEEP THE DOCTOR AWAY!

Every day I smoked weed, nothing hapend, Till one day.
I smoked to many times in day *2*.
in other day in Morning I smoked 1 time and in night smoked 1 time.
After that, My brain got fu** up.
I Really don't know what hapend.
But I am deep in reality.
I see world in other way.
All is weard, I feel high all the time, now I don't smoke it.
This high is 3 day's, I don't know what to do.

I've read what the posters voiced. What concerns me, you argue about its efficacy, its science component and positive effects for using marijuana; how the author states its negative effects. There are several web pages and books in support of this plant. Let’s agree that there may be some positive effects from use. As some people use it for health reasons prescribed by their doctor while others use it illegally. Let’s view other factors.

For the non-prescripts, how do you support your habit? If you work or have a regular trust fund available to you, how much money - or the government's money - comes out of your pocket (or somebody else) to support your habit? Do you pay all your bills (and on time), or are you broke living paycheck to paycheck to support this habit? Or, do you borrow money you know you will never pay back to support this habit? What are your hobbies and interests? How does this affect your job? How often are drug test given and when tested how many lose their jobs once tch has been found in your system.

Let’s look at the bigger picture. From a relational view, how are your relationships with your family and friends (the non-dysfunctional ones)? Do you still have the same non-smoking friends as you may have had before this drug became a part of your living? What happened to your healthy friends? Do your friends consist of an aggregate group, who share in your belief to smoke pot or whatever name you want to call it? If you have children, do you smoke in front of them? Or even in tight quarters to smoke around them?

There are many more questions than what I have not been explored. There are similarities to the use of any form of drug that is used, whether it is alcohol, meth and marijuana to its consequences.

You are entitled to your opinions as I and the same as the author of this page. Maybe the author should have included not its science component; the relation. Be sure you look at the complete picture before judging the other party.

To: Pot Heads
I think the folks who post on here highlighting how they are proud to be chronic smokers, are in some serious denial. I am a psychologist and addiction therapist working in the field for years. What I've seen over and over and over again is that pot is an addiction. And pot heads are deluded thinking there are no negative affects on their lives from smoking. In fact, Pot Heads are often times dumb and lazy and unmotivated and exhibit various forms of mental illness; and have a hard time showing up in their own lives, ie consequences of smoking pot. People seeking treatment to stop smoking have an Extremly Difficult time getting clean because substances in pot are ADDICTIVE just like all the other mind mood altering chemicals. THC is addictive. Rather it be physically, emotionally, and/or mentally, it doesn't matter. Ask any pot head to stop smoking and they will tell you how hard it is. Oh, I don't mean not using for a day or a week or a month, I mean Staying Stopped. A drug is a drug is a drug. Track a pot head in his/her life and anyone with a brain will see the negative impact of their using, especially on memory, ability to learn, interpersonal relationships, their goals, their lung health, their cognitive problems, etc. Yes, I agree pot heads think they benifit from somking because often they use pot to address disabilities/disorders they have, such as symptoms of ADHD, Anxiety, Social fears, and other issues associated with their ability to function in a healhy way. Any normal healthy person doesn't need to (get high) use a drug to function! Smoking doesn't fix the problem(s), it only masks things and eventually everything gets worse. Getting clean and dealing with mental health problems with healthy methods is the solution. All you pot heads out there in denail land will one day wake up and realize how you have wasted so many years being unproductive, lost, and screwed up. And please stop comparting pot to other drugs, who cares what the others ones do or don't do. This is just another way of your justifying your addiction. The only way to be authentic, healthy, whole, happy, and to have peace in this life, is to be true to yourself without distructive chemicals and/or behaviors. Get Clean!

I don't even know why marijuana was created... How and why would something so harmful and useless be created. It must have been created by the devil. Marijuana kills! One time I smoked marijuana and I died! Marijuana makes people want to kill other people, use needles, and sleep with black guys. If you smoke marijuana you will die from overdose. It is better to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes like an American, than to smoke marijuana like something that is not American. People that use marijuana should be put on death row and await execution. Schools should teach our children that marijuana is the worst drug known to the human race. I will be so glad whenever all of the pot heads are dead. LOL, By the way, I got some bad ass Hindu kush right meow. Killer buds!

Marijuana is the subject of endless scrutiny and debate. Many people believe it is bad for reasons that are understandable, and many believe it is good for reasons that are understandable. I have been smoking weed since i was sixteen, I'm eighteen now, and the course of my life has changed. For better or worse is apparently for others to judge, and not for me to say. I believe that marijuana is a great tool, and tools can be good or bad depending on who uses them. If used moderately and responsibly, it can be beneficial to you, but if abused, it can be a disaster for you and all those around you. Marijuana effects us all differently and its effects can never be pinpointed. My advice on the subject is live and let live. If you don't smoke marijuana, be responsible, if you do smoke marijuana, be responsible. Hold yourself to a set of values that is constructive to humanity, and don't try to make the world into your vision.

One Love

I have never read a more stupid list of comments, such as, "It isn't as hard on your lungs as ciggs" and "there is no long term damage to smoking pot"... Smoking one joint the size of a cigg is 5 times as dirty as a cigg. Think about the bong water and how disgusting it is. And can anyone tell me the biological half life of marijuana??? Hmmmmm, well it's 8 days. Stop and think about that one. (Unless you stoners haven't made it that far in school to know what that term means.)

I've been reading through all of these replies, and some of these people are just ignorant. For myself, smoking marijuana curbs my anxiety, gives me more patience with my kids, helped me concentrate in college to graduate with highest honors, and helps me work through my problems by aiding with meditation and yoga.
I have been smoking everyday for 16 years, and the only people who know are the people I choose to tell. Even my own boyfriend can't tell the difference in me being high or sober other than the fact that I deal with life and people in a calm manner when high. I've been open with my kids about it. I don't avoid people to hide it. I don't just sit on my butt and eat and watch tv. I maintain a clean household, I work out every single day, and have an energy level like no other, I am a single mother of 3, all 3 of my kids are straight A students who never miss a day of school, and I am always the Go-To girl when someone needs something or just needs a shoulder to cry on. Oh and I NEVER miss work, where by the way, I happen to be the most hard-working employee.
There are, however, people who can't handle smoking weed, and those are the people who make it bad for everyone. I had a boyfriend at one time who smoked constantly. He would become lazy and very stupid when he smoked. He couldn't or should I say, wouldn't hold down a job, or clean out to get a good one. This caused problems. If you can't handle it in a productive way, then you shouldn't use it. Period. Just like alcohol. I cannot seem to cut myself off when I drink, so being a smart person, I choose to not ever drink. Same principle should go for weed.
Most anti-weed people either A. have never smoked before or B. are so stuck on the fact that it's illegal and lumped into the same category as other more harmful drugs to look at it in a less stereotypical way. I am in no way saying that they are wrong for thinking the way they do because everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and that's okay, but before they bash on those of us who are fully functioning smokers, they should really get their facts straight, and understand that it does effect people differently. We are so big on not being stereotypical when it comes to race or sex, so why not this?
Oh, and if you are on here defending weed, it would be wise and more productive to our cause if you didn't come off sounding unintelligent. There are quite a few replies on here where the people just sound plain stupid. You are the people who can't use it in a mature way, so you probably shouldn't be smoking.

What everybody who agrees with me is really trying to say is that weed really is a natutal drug that was put on this earth for a reason. I'm a user and have been ever since i was in the womb pretty much. My mother was a heavy smoker since age 13. Up untill about 2 years ago she was also an addict to cocaine and crack. Im 17 yearsold now and while i was growing up i couldn't stand to even be in my bedroom because i could smell it coming through my door at the bottom. I turned 13 and decided enough was enough when my mother couldn't even aford groceries for me and my little brother to eat with. My father lived in a differnt state at the time and i finally decided to call him and let him know what all was going on. DEFAX came and took me and my little brother away from my mom and sent us to live with our dad while my mom was being shipped to a rehab center to get better. When i moved in with him i was in 7th grade and that's when i first tried it under peer preasure. It was very difficult for me to enjoy it because i knew what all it had destroyed and taken away from me. After i found my first boyfriend in 9th grade i really started using it heavily. He was a reagular pot smoker and i loved him so i started using it too. After about a year it just came natural to smoke pot and and be high all afternoon. Now for about the past two years ive used it and loved every minute of it. My boyfriend and i are still users and probably will always be users. It openes your mind to so many different levels of life you really just cant explain it. What im trying to get at is you can't knock it till you try it and even if you have tried and dont like it then that's you. it affects everybody differently. And if we made it legal then there would be more time for cops to worry about all the rapists and murders then being to busy worrying about all the dope dealers and dope deals. To sum it all up i think our government just wastes to much time worrying about all the non important things. For instance, a 8 yearold girl somewhere is being raped and murdered, and somewhere a drug dealer is selling a dime bag. Which more seems more like we need to worry about? Exactly. Im no ordinary tenneage girl, i view life as a gift from god and everyday im glad i woke up. Marijuana just has horrible misconceptions and i hope one day everyone will realise the true wonderful affects it has on a single person.

"HOW DOES MARIJUANA AFFECT THE BRAIN?"
"AKUDO EJELONU"

(notice how the propaganda is in caps locks to SCARE YOU)
-note:I will analise about every sentence in parenthesis all parenthesis are me talking not the propaganda, not all parenthesis are corrections)if you get confused check the this is on

"Pot, weed, grass, ganja and skunk, are some of the common words used to describe the "dried leaves"(first of all its not just the leaves,")its the BUD mainly ,then the leaves, and stems and seeds,stems and seeds should not be smoked, and high quality cannabis usually has no seeds and not much stems)
"Marijuana is a cannabis plant(its not "a" cannabis plant, it IS THE ONLY CANNABIS PLANT there is 3 different species,and many strains from those species of cannabis, its not called marijuana its called CANNABIS) "that is usually "smoked or eaten to entice euphoria.""(you can also vaporize it which is not harmful like smoking is, and notice how they only said euphoria, it has MANY MANY more effects just research and/or see for yourself)
"Throughout the years, there has been research on the negative(no) and positive(yes) effects of marijuana on the human body and the brain."(Doesn't Marijuana cause brain damage?
the short answer: No.
The long answer: The reason why you ask this is because you
probably heard or read somewhere that marijuana damages
brain cells, or makes you stupid. These claims are untrue.
The first one -- marijuana kills brain cells -- is based on
research done during the second Reefer Madness Movement. A
study attempted to show that marijuana smoking damaged brain
structures in monkeys. However, the study was poorly
performed and it was severely criticized by a medical review
board. Studies done afterwards failed to show any brain
damage, in fact a very recent study on Rhesus monkeys used
technology so sensitive that scientists could actually see
the effect of learning on brain cells, and it found no
damage.

But this was Reefer Madness II, and the prohibitionists were
looking around for anything they could find to keep the
marijuana legalization movement in check, so this study was
widely used in anti-marijuana propaganda. It was recanted
later.

(To this day, the radical anti-drug groups, like P.R.I.D.E.
and Dr. Gabriel Nahas, still use it -- In fact, America's
most popular drug education program, Drug Abuse Resistance
Education, claims that marijuana ``can impair memory
perception & judgement by destroying brain cells.'' When
police and teachers read this and believe it, our job gets
really tough, since it takes a long time to explain to
children how Ms. Jones and Officer Bob were wrong.)

The truth is, no study has ever demonstrated cellular
damage, stupidity, mental impairment, or insanity brought on
specifically by marijuana use -- even heavy marijuana use.
This is not to say that it cannot be abused, however.

``The Chronic Cerebral Effects of Cannabis Use I Methodological Issues
and Neurological Findings '' by Renee C. Wert Ph.D., Michael L. Raulin
Ph.D Vol. 21 Iss. 6 pp. 605-628. 1986.

``The Chronic Cerebral Effects of Cannabis Use II Psychological
Findings and Conclusions '' by Renee C. Wert Ph.D., Michael L. Raulin
Ph.D Vol. 21 Iss. 6 pp. 629-642. 1986.

``Neurotoxicity of Cannabis and THC A Review of Chronic Exposure
Studies in Animals '' by Andrew C. Scallet in ``Pharmacology,
Biochemistry & Behavior'' Vol. 40 pp. 671-676. 1991.

``Chronic Marijuana Smoke Exposure in the Rhesus Monkey IV
Neurochemical Effects and Comparison to Acute and Chronic Exposure to
Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Rats'' by Syed F. Ali, Glenn D.
Newport, Andrew C. Scallet, Merle G. Paule, John R. Bailey, William
Slikker Jr in ``Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior'' Vol. 40 pp.
677-682. 1991.

``Behavioral, Neurochemical, and Neurohistological Effects of Chronic
Marijuana Smoke Exposure in the Nonhuman Primate'' by William Slikker
Jr. et al. in ``Marijuana Cannabinoids Neurobiology and
Neurophysiology'' Laura Murphy, Andrzej Bartke ed. pub. CRC Press Boca
Raton, FL, 1992.

(the following are the studies which were found to be flawed)

``Effects of Cannabis Sativa on Ultrastructure of the Synapse in
Monkey Brain'' by J. W. Harper, R. G. Heath, W. A. Myers in ``Journal
of Neuroscience Research'' Vol. 3 pp. 87-93. 1977.

``Chronic Marihuana Smoking Its Effects on Function and Structure of
the Primate Brain '' by R. G. Heath, A. T. Fitzjarrell, R. E. Garey,
W. A. Myers in ``Marihuana: Biological Effects Analysis, Metabolism,
Cellular Responses, Reproduction and Brain '' Gabriel G. Nahas, W. D.
M. Paton ed. pub. Pergamon Press Oxford, 1979.

``Cannabis Sativa Effects on Brain Function and Ultrastructure in
Rhesus Monkeys '' by R. G. Heath, A. T. Fitzjarrell, C. J. Fontana, R.
E. Garey in ``Biological Psychiatry'' Vol. 15 pp. 657-690. 1980.

(D.A.R.E. says pot kills brain cells)

DARE Officers training manual section T page 5.)

[edited for length - mod.]