Marijuana, Inhalants, and Steroids

Marijuana

Main Idea: Using marijuana has serious physical, mental, social, and legal consequences.

Every day, you make choices based on information that’s available to you. Before deciding to see a particular movie, you may read a review. Before deciding what to eat, you might browse the list of ingredients. Illegal drugs don’t come with warning labels that help you make smart decisions. Drugs like marijuana can be mixed with unknown chemicals and have unexpected effects on your health. Even when you are certain of the source of a drug, using it illegally may cause serious harm to your health. Misusing any drugs can have serious consequences to your health.

Marijuana is a plant whose leaves, buds, and flowers are usually smoked for their intoxicating effects. Marijuana may be included in some foods and eaten to gain it’s intoxicating effects. The drug is also known as grass, weed, or pot. Marijuana is one of the most widely used illegal drugs. Hashish, or hash, is a stronger form of marijuana.

Marijuana is considered a possible gateway drug, a drug that may lead to the user to try other, more dangerous drugs. Studies have shown that a teen who uses marijuana is 15 times more likely to use cocaine than a teen who has never used marijuana. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering and can damage the user’s health. Some forms of marijuana may be combined with other drugs during processing, making the effects of marijuana even more unpredictable. Marijuana use can lead to risky behavior and even death.

Mental and Emotional Consequences

Marijuana raises levels of a brain chemical called dopamine. This chemical produces a pleasurable feeling. In some users, marijuana triggers the release of so much dopamine that the user reaches a feeling of intense well-being or elation, called a “high.” When the drug wears off, however, the pleasure sensation stops, often dramatically. This abrupt letdown is called a “crash.”

Marijuana users can experience slow mental reflexes and may suffer from sudden feelings of anxiety and paranoia, an irrational suspiciousness or distrust of others. The user might feel dizzy, have trouble walking, and have a hard time remembering things that just happened. Short-term memory is affected, which can lead to problems at school and at work. Users often experience distorted perception, loss of coordination, and trouble with thinking and problem solving. A few hours after use, the person can become very sleepy. These consequences can be deadly if the user is driving a vehicle.

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Driving and Marijuana Use

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 10 to 22 percent of drivers involved in car crashes were on drugs. Driving under the influence of marijuana can be dangerous because marijuana interferes with depth perception, increases reaction time, causes sleepiness, impairs judgment, and slows reflexes. The penalties and legal consequences of driving under the influence of any drug-including marijuana-include suspension of a driver’s license, fines, loss of eligibility for federal college loans, and possibly a jail term. If injury or death of another person results, the driver may face serious legal prosecution as well as devastating emotional consequences.

Inhalants

Main Idea: Inhalants can cause the death of brain cells.

Inhalants are substances whose fumes are sniffed or inhaled to give effect. Some inhalants are prescribed by doctors to treat allergies, asthma’ and other medical conditions. However, some substances are inhaled to achieve a high. Solvents, aerosols, glues, paints, varnishes and gasoline can cause brain damage.

Most inhalants depress the central nervous system. Immediate effects include a glassy stare, slurred speech, impaired judgement, nausea, coughing, nosebleeds, fatigue, and lack of coordination. Using inhalants can lead to permanent loss of brain cells. Long-term use can cause liver and kidney damage, blindness, brain damage, paralysis, cardiac arrest, and death.

All inhalants are extremely dangerous, and many are labeled as poisons. Inhalants can be harmful even if you are not trying to abuse them. They can be accidentally inhaled when doing household chores. When using inhalants work in a well-ventilated room and wear a mask if a project requires long exposure to the fumes.

Consequences of Steroid Use

Main Idea: Steroids can cause severe health problems.

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic substances similar to male sex hormones. Anabolic refers to muscle building, and androgenic refers to increased male characteristics. Steroids may be prescribed for some medical conditions, but using steroids without medical supervision is dangerous.

Steroid use can result in unnatural muscle growth. When combined with physical conditioning, steroids can increase muscle strength, but the tendons and ligaments do not get stronger which can lead to injury. Other side effects include weight gain, acne, high blood pressure, and liver and kidney tumors. Steroid users who inject the drug may contract HIV or hepatitis B. These drugs may also cause violent behavior, extreme mood swings, depression, and paranoia. The effects on males include shrinking testicles, reduced sperm count, baldness, development of breasts, and an increased risk for prostate cancer. The effects on females include facial hair, baldness, menstrual cycle changes, and a deepened voice.

Any non-medical use of steroids is illegal. Athletes who use steroids can face expulsion from a team or event, monetary fines, tarnished reputation and jail time.