Facts on Marijuana
(Cannabis and Hashish)

The Truth About Joints dispels the false propaganda that cannabis is “not as bad” as other drugs and provides accurate information about the real dangers of marijuana and hashish.

Street names for Marijuana:

• Pot
• Ganja
• Texas tea
• Herb
• Dope
• Roach
• Weed
• Hemp
• Reefer
• Grass
• Mary Jane
• Dagga

Cannabis is usually rolled up in a cigarette called a joint or a nail. It can also be brewed as a tea or mixed with food, or smoked through a water pipe called a bong.

Sixty percent of teenagers in drug treatment programs are there because of marijuana. According to a National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, kids who frequently use marijuana are almost four times more likely to act violently or damage property. They are five times more likely to steal than those who do not use the drug.

Marijuana is often more potent today than it used to be. Growing techniques and selective use of seeds have produced a more powerful drug. Correspondingly, there has been a sharp increase in the number of marijuana-related emergency room visits by young pot smokers.

Because a tolerance builds up, marijuana can lead users to consume stronger drugs to achieve the same “high.” When the effects start to wear off, the person may turn to more potent drugs to rid himself of the unwanted conditions that prompted him to take marijuana in the first place.

Marijuana itself does not lead the person to the other drugs: people take drugs to get rid of unwanted situations or feelings. The drug (marijuana) masks the problem for a time (while the user is “high.”). When the "high" fades, the problem, unwanted condition or situation returns more intensely than before. The user may then turn to stronger drugs since marijuana no longer “works.”

Short-term Effects:

• Users suffer loss of coordination and distortions in their sense of time, vision and hearing. Other effects are sleepiness, reddening of the eyes, increased appetite and relaxed muscles. Heart rate can speed up. In fact, in the first hour of smoking marijuana, a user’s risk of a heart attack increases at least five-fold. School performance is reduced through impaired memory and lessened ability to solve problems.

Long-term Effects:

• Long-term use can cause psychotic symptoms. It can also damage the lungs and the heart, worsen the symptoms of bronchitis and cause coughing and wheezing. It may reduce the body’s ability to fight lung infections and illness.