Medical Professionals FAST FACTS on Marijuana Risks The New Marijuana is a Powerful Drug that is Being Used in New Ways to Increase Potency In the 1970’s, THC potency was about 3%. Today, marijuana plants contain about 14% THC. Oil, extracted from the plant, contains about 60% THC.1 Users smoke marijuana or inhale concentrated THC using the oil in vaporizer-type pens. In Colorado, 45% of marijuana use is from edibles infused with the potent oil.2 Health Effects: 3 Heightened sensory perception; euphoria, followed by drowsiness/relaxation; impaired shortAcute term memory, attention, judgment, coordination, balance; increased heart rate and appetite. Addiction: About 9% of (all) users; about 1 in 6 (17%) of those who started using in their teens; 25 to 50 % of daily users. Mental disorders: may be a causal factor in schizophreniform Long-term disorders in those with a pre-existing vulnerability; is associated with depression and anxiety. Smoking related: chronic cough; bronchitis; lung cancer is undetermined. Combined Magnified tachychardia and effect on blood pressure; amplified impairment of cognitive, w/ alcohol psychomotor, and driving performance. Withdrawal Irritability, difficulty sleeping, strange nightmares, craving, and anxiety. Impact on Brain Structure Data suggests that marijuana use, even in young recreational users, is associated with nucleus accumbens and amygdala abnormalities.4 THC acts on specific molecular targets, called cannabinoid receptors that are part of the neural communication endocannabinoid system. THC over-activates the endocannabinoid system, causing the “high” and other effects. These effects include altered perceptions and mood, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory. 5 Permanent Damage to the Developing Brain When marijuana is used heavily by young people, the drug’s effects on thinking and memory may last a long time or even be permanent. 5 A large long-term study in New Zealand showed that people who began smoking marijuana heavily in their teens lost an average of 8 points in IQ between age 13 and age 38.6 Increased Emergency Department Treatment In Colorado, from 2011 to 2013, there was a 57% increase in emergency room visits related to marijuana. 7 American Academy of Pediatrics and American Medical Association Oppose Legalization The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes legalization of marijuana and “medical marijuana” outside the FDA regulatory process.8 The American Medical Association confirmed its position that "cannabis is a dangerous drug and as such is a public health concern." 9 Comment by Dr. Larry Wolk, Colorado Department of Public Health “After marijuana use was legalized in 2014, edible sales soared. So did emergency room visits by kids who ate edibles. It really affects the developing brain, and can cause psychotic symptoms to occur…It can mess with your memory, so there's a lot of even irreversible damage that marijuana can do to the developing brain.”8 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2009 Report http://www.denverpost.com/potanniversary/ci_27174833/pot-edibles-were-big-surprise-first-year-recreational http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs/health-effects#marijuana Gilman, J. M., Kuster, J. K., Lee, S., Lee, M. J., Kim, B. W., Makris, N., & Breiter, H. C. (2014).Cannabis use is quantitatively associated with nucleus accumbens and amygdala abnormalities in young adult recreational users. Journal of Neuroscience, 16, 5529-5538. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4745-13.2014. 5 National Institute of Health Institute on Drug Abuse http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana 6 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. Madeline Meier of Duke University, http://www.pnas.org/content/109/40/E2657.full 7 The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado Vol 2 August 2014 Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
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http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Reaffirms-Opposition-to-Legalizing-Marijuana-for-RecreationalOr-Medical-Use.aspx#sthash.R7yQKsxj.dpuf 9 https://ncadd.org/in-the-news/936-american-medical-association-reiterates-its-opposition-to-legalizing-marijuana 10 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pot-products-spur-new-legislation-in-colorado/