A PROJECT TO A PROJECT TO MARIJUANA ABUSEMARIJUANA ABUSE

By Christos Pallouras and Efterpi By Christos Pallouras and Efterpi TingiTingi

Contents► What is marijuana?What is marijuana?► How is marijuana used?How is marijuana used?► Why people use drugs?Why people use drugs?► How can you recognize someone who uses marijuana?How can you recognize someone who uses marijuana?► Short-term effects of marijuana use.Short-term effects of marijuana use.► Long-term effects of marijuana use.Long-term effects of marijuana use.► Alert! Signs indicating that the user is in a serious situation.Alert! Signs indicating that the user is in a serious situation.► Marijuana affects dramatically our life.Marijuana affects dramatically our life.► Treatment of the addict.Treatment of the addict.► Marijuana myths and facts.Marijuana myths and facts.► Marijuana myths and facts (2).Marijuana myths and facts (2).► Summary.Summary.

What is marijuana?What is marijuana?

► Marijuana is a grey Marijuana is a grey or green mixture of or green mixture of dried flowers and dried flowers and leaves from the leaves from the Cannabis sativa, or Cannabis sativa, or hemp plant.hemp plant.

How is marijuana used?How is marijuana used?

► Marijuana is Marijuana is actually smoked as actually smoked as a cigarette (called a a cigarette (called a joint or a nail) or in joint or a nail) or in a pipe or a bong. a pipe or a bong. Recently it has Recently it has appears in cigars, appears in cigars, called blunts.called blunts.

Why people use drugs?Why people use drugs?

►Family InfluenceFamily Influence►Genetic FactorsGenetic Factors►Psychiatric DisordersPsychiatric Disorders►Bad FriendsBad Friends►Problems in Social LifeProblems in Social Life

How can you recognize someone who How can you recognize someone who uses marijuana?uses marijuana?

He or she might:He or she might:► Seem dizzy and have trouble Seem dizzy and have trouble

walking walking ► Seem silly and giggly for no Seem silly and giggly for no

reasonreason► Have very red, bloodshot eyesHave very red, bloodshot eyes► Have a hard time remembering Have a hard time remembering

things that just happened.things that just happened.► He laughs without reason all He laughs without reason all

the timethe time

Short-term effects of marijuana use.Short-term effects of marijuana use.

A few minutes after inhaling marijuana :

The user’s heart start to beat rapid

•The bronchial passages relax and become expanded

•Blood vessels in the eyes expands

Then the user :

• May experience pleasant sensations

•Colours and sounds may seem more intense

•Time appears to pass very slowly

•May suddenly become very hungry and thirsty

Long-term effects of marijuana use.Long-term effects of marijuana use.

Long-term use of marijuana Long-term use of marijuana may produce damages to may produce damages to ::

► Brain and Central Brain and Central Nervous SystemNervous System

► Endocrine SystemEndocrine System► LungsLungs► Immune SystemImmune System► Reproductive SystemReproductive System► The infant of a pregnant The infant of a pregnant

womanwoman

Alert ! Signs indicating that the user is in a Alert ! Signs indicating that the user is in a serious situation.serious situation.

► Altered Perception of RealityAltered Perception of Reality► Continued marijuana use despite Continued marijuana use despite

the problems related to the use of the problems related to the use of the drugthe drug

► Craving marijuanaCraving marijuana► The user cant resist to marijuanaThe user cant resist to marijuana► Unsuccessful attempts to cut it Unsuccessful attempts to cut it

downdown► Quitting from social and Quitting from social and

occupational activities due to occupational activities due to marijuana usemarijuana use

Marijuana affects dramatically our life.Marijuana affects dramatically our life.

► Students take lower grades than Students take lower grades than non user studentsnon user students

► Workers have a lot of problems in Workers have a lot of problems in their jobs and many of them are their jobs and many of them are sackedsacked

► Users isolate themselves from the Users isolate themselves from the society and communicate only with society and communicate only with other usersother users

Treatment of the addict.Treatment of the addict.

► Actually there is no specific treatment of marijuana Actually there is no specific treatment of marijuana users as many of them are also addicted to stronger users as many of them are also addicted to stronger drugs as cocaine and heroin and there is no medicine drugs as cocaine and heroin and there is no medicine which reduces the need of marijuana.which reduces the need of marijuana.

► Users enter specific centers and are kept for about 3 Users enter specific centers and are kept for about 3 months without having marijuana.months without having marijuana.

► The most difficult stage, isn’t the detoxification. When The most difficult stage, isn’t the detoxification. When they exit the center we must support them to enter in they exit the center we must support them to enter in the real life again, something very difficult for them.the real life again, something very difficult for them.

► If we don’t help them to find a job, make new friends If we don’t help them to find a job, make new friends non-users of marijuana, they will fill isolated from the non-users of marijuana, they will fill isolated from the society and start using marijuana to feel happinesssociety and start using marijuana to feel happiness

Marijuana Myths and Facts.

► MYTH:MYTH: Marijuana is safe because it is a plant. Marijuana is safe because it is a plant.► FACT: Many plants are toxic and unsafe for FACT: Many plants are toxic and unsafe for

human use, including marijuana. human use, including marijuana. ► MYTH: MYTH: Marijuana users do not go on to use Marijuana users do not go on to use

other drugs. other drugs. ► FACT: Studies show that marijuana users FACT: Studies show that marijuana users

may have a predisposition to use other drugs. may have a predisposition to use other drugs. ► MYTH: MYTH: Marijuana wears off in a few hours. Marijuana wears off in a few hours. ► FACT: Because marijuana is stored in the FACT: Because marijuana is stored in the

body, its effects may be felt for days or weeks body, its effects may be felt for days or weeks following ingestion. following ingestion.

► MYTH:MYTH: Marijuana relieves stress. Marijuana relieves stress. ► FACT: Marijuana, like all drugs, merely FACT: Marijuana, like all drugs, merely

postpones coping with problems and postpones coping with problems and deadlines; marijuana can lead to depression. deadlines; marijuana can lead to depression.

Marijuana Myths and Facts (2).

► MYTH: MYTH: Marijuana is safer than alcohol. Marijuana is safer than alcohol. ► FACT: Marijuana contains carcinogenic FACT: Marijuana contains carcinogenic

chemicals, and it is a dangerous chemicals, and it is a dangerous substance that should not be considered substance that should not be considered a "safe" alternative to other drugs. a "safe" alternative to other drugs.

► MYTH: MYTH: Marijuana expands the mind. Marijuana expands the mind. ► FACT: Marijuana clouds the mind, FACT: Marijuana clouds the mind,

interfering with memory, speech, interfering with memory, speech, comprehension and decision-making comprehension and decision-making ability. ability.

► MYTH: MYTH: Marijuana today is safer than Marijuana today is safer than earlier varieties. earlier varieties.

► FACT: Horticultural development has FACT: Horticultural development has increased the potency of marijuana and increased the potency of marijuana and added many other dangerous chemicals. added many other dangerous chemicals.

Summary.► Marijuana is a very harmful drug and usually leads the user Marijuana is a very harmful drug and usually leads the user

to try stronger drugs.to try stronger drugs.► Marijuana affects not only our body but our mind too making Marijuana affects not only our body but our mind too making

the users to isolate themselves from societythe users to isolate themselves from society► Marijuana is very spread among the young people so we Marijuana is very spread among the young people so we

must be careful wherever we are.must be careful wherever we are.► Users need support if we want to cut using marijuana, so Users need support if we want to cut using marijuana, so

after detoxification we must help them find a job and new after detoxification we must help them find a job and new friends who don’t use drugsfriends who don’t use drugs