WELCOME TO THE

WORLD OF
MARIJUANA
ISABELA LUNA
PEDRO LUNA
 SLANG/STREET NAMES
Reefer, pot, herb, ganja, grass, old man,
Blanche, weed, sinsemilla, bhang, dagga,
smoke, hash, tar (hashi); hash oil, oil,
charas.
 Marijuana
The scientific name for marijuana is cannabis.
• Cannabis contains more than 400 chemicals (Atakan).
• The active ingredients are: Tetrahydrocannabinal
(THC), Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabinol (CBN) and
Tetrahydrocannabivarin .
• 2 major types:
– Cannabis Sativa: grow tall and thin under natural
conditions (lighter appearance).
– Cannabis Indica: grow short and bushy (darker
appearance).
 A HISTORY
“Origin in China (10,000 years ago). During those years, the
Chinese writings indicated that the plant was grown for fiber, but
they also recognized its intoxicating and medicinal properties”
(Kuhn, Swartzwelder, Wilson, Wilson, & Foster, 2014, p.169).
 In 1910, Mexican immigrants introduced marijuana in the United
States for it’s recreational purpose (Koehler, 2015).
 Interesting Timeline Facts:
• In 1840s, French artists and writers starting to recreational use
marijuana in order to enhance their art.
– “ The Hashish Eater’s Club” founded by Moreau. It was
conformed by Gautier, Dumas, Baudelaire (Lee, 2013, p.27-
28).
• “Approximately 950 BC.THC component has been found in the
internal organs of an Egyptian mummy” (Kuhn, et al., 2014).
• Many uses:
– Rope, cloth, paper, medicine, food, oil, animal feed.
 DRUG PREPARATION
 A mixture of dried, shredded flowers and
leaves that comes from the hemp plant.
 Hash oil is obtained from the Cannabis plant
by solvent extraction.
THC IN THE BODY
 Effects on the Brain
• THC binds cannabinoid receptors (anandamide
and 2-AG) parts of the brain that influence
pleasure, memory, thinking, etc. The receptors
activate neurons which causes great effects on
the brain structures.
 Effects on the Body
The Heart
• Speeds up heartbeat
• Increases blood pressure
• Poses great risk to those with
hypertension and heart disease.
The Reproductive System
- Females: egg damage, suppression
of ovulation, disrupt menstrual
cycles, and alteration of hormonal
levels.
- Males: can decrease and degenerate
sperm count, movement, and cause
lowered sex drive.
The Lungs
• Damage and destruction of the air sacs of
the lungs.
• Reduces the lungs ability to bring in oxygen
and remove carbon dioxide.
• Inflammation and infection.
• Increases the chance of lung cancer.
Subjective Effects
• Distortion of perception, thinking, and reality.
• Difficulty in forming concepts and thoughts.
• Mental confusion and poor concentration.
 Prevalence
Based on past surveys,“marijuana use in the
United States has risen rapidly over the past
decade, with about 3 in 10 people who use
marijuana meeting the criteria for addiction”
(National Institutes of Health, 2015).
 Dependence Tolerance Withdrawal
The person needs to use When a person needs Symptoms:
marijuana jus to feel more marijuana to get • Irritability/
normal. the same effect. restlessness
- “Body adaptation” in • Loss of appetite
order to functioning • Anxiety/
properly when the nervousness
marijuana is used. • Sleep difficulties
 Effects on memory

Acute effects Chronic effects

• Compromises the ability to
learn new memory.
• Studies are flawed
• Residual effects on cognitive
functions
• Differences in heavy and light
users .
 Effects of Marijuana
• Does Marijuana Promote Aggression?
• Marijuana effects of motor performance
 Medical Purposes
• There are medical properties
• Treatment for nausea
• Treatment for Glaucoma
• Seizure disorders
• Treatment for spasticity
 REFERENCES
• Abuse, N. I. (2017, January). How does marijuana produce its effects?
Retrieved March 26, 2017, from
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/how-
does-marijuana-produce-its-effects
• Atakan, Z. (2012). Cannabis, a complex plant: different compounds and
different effects on individuals. Therapeutic Advances in
Psychopharmacology, 2(6), 241-254. doi:10.1177/2045125312457586
• Koehler, T. (2015, March 30). History of Marijuana: How Did Pot Become
America's Most Popular Illegal Drug? Retrieved March 28, 2017, from
http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/marijuana-laws-
history/2015/03/30/id/635284/
• Kuhn, C., Swartzwelder, S., Wilson, W., Wilson, L. H., & Foster, J.
(2014). Buzzed: The straight facts about the most used and abused drugs from
alcohol to ecstasy (4th ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
• Lee, M. A. (2013). Smoke signals: A social history of marijuana-medical,
recreational and scientific. New York: Scribner.
• Prevalence of Marijuana Use Among U.S. Adults Doubles Over Past Decade.
(2015, October 21). Retrieved March 28, 2017, from https://www.nih.gov/news-
events/news-releases/prevalence-marijuana-use-among-us-adults-doubles-
over-past-decade