76.8% OF UNH STUDENT CHOOSE NOT TO USE MARIJUANA
91.3% OF THE SAME UNH STUDENTS SURVEYED BELIEVE THAT MOST UNH STUDENTS SMOKED
Often
76.8% OF UNH STUDENT CHOOSE NOT TO USE MARIJUANA
91.3% OF THE SAME UNH STUDENTS SURVEYED BELIEVE THAT MOST UNH STUDENTS SMOKED
Often people misperceive how much a substance is being used, maybe because their friends use, or maybe just because it seems like everyone on campus is drinking and smoking, so it seems believable.
Other Common Names: marijuana, “pot”, “weed”, “grass”
- Marijuana is the dried shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant
- It is smoked, eaten or vaporized to release its active ingredient, a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC; it also contains another 400 chemicals, some of which are carcinogenic
- Pot is a mind altering drug (psychoactive). The THC triggers the brain cells to release dopamine which is what creates the “high”
- The drug is illegal in most states and is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States, though conversations for legalization for medical use or decriminalization occur throughout the country regularly and have resulted in medical use policy
Myth. Everyone smokes when in college.
Most never use marijuana and of those who do use, few smoke on a weekly basis.
Myth. Marijuana is not addictive.
Marijuana follows the same pathways of addition in the brain as other drugs. Signs of physical/psychological dependence include:
- A growing interest to smoke more often
- The use of marijuana, or thoughts of using, replaces other things that used to interest the person, including but not limited to hobbies, sports, working out, class work, clubs or organizations, friends (especially those who don’t smoke)
- Less interest in doing activities sober, or not high
- Increase in tolerance, needing more marijuana than before to feel the effects. Putting self in danger (legal or physical) or dangerous situations to smoke
Marijuana can cause euphoria, increased heart rate, impaired or reduced short- term memory and distorted perception. It can also cause the reaction time to slow, blood shot eyes, throat and mouth to become dry, a relaxed feeling, and can cause the user to become hungry and thirsty.
- Difficulty keeping track of time,
- Reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving a car
- Potential cardiac dangers for those with pre-existing heart disease
- Decreased social inhibitions
- Paranoia, hallucinations
- Impaired or reduced comprehension
- Altered motivation and cognition, making the acquisition of new information difficult
- Psychological dependence
- Impairments in learning, perception, and judgment
- difficulty speaking, listening effectively, thinking, retaining knowledge, problem solving, and forming concepts
- Intense anxiety or panic attacks
Long term use can cause cancer, lung and airway problems (including respiratory infections), impaired immune system, memory impairments, anxiety, panic