Drugs & Health Blog

10 Things You Can Learn About Marijuana on the Drugs & Health Blog

This blog post is archived and is no longer being updated. For the latest content, please visit the main Drugs & Health Blog page.
The NIDA Blog Team
February 19, 2015

Recently, the NIDA Blog Team brought the science of marijuana to life in a series of posts about the drug’s effects on your brain, perception, pets, driving, and more. Here are a few highlights!

1. Marijuana use interferes with attention, motivation, memory, and learning. When used heavily during the teen years, it can lower grades and your IQ. 

A young man looking dumbfounded.

Wait...What?

2.  Exposure to secondhand marijuana smoke rarely results in a contact high.

A man looking relieved.

Phew.

3. Serving sizes for marijuana edibles are confusing—it’s easy to eat much more than a person means to, with bad side effects. 

A women looking surprised as she is about to bite a piece of chocolate.

For real?

4. Marijuana doesn’t make you more creative—it just makes you think you are.

A dog with a beret, holding a painter's palette.

Dude, this is my masterpiece.

5. Marijuana can make dogs ill, causing serious medical issues such as injury, dehydration, anxiety, lethargy, impaired balance, vomiting, or diarrhea. A few dogs have even died from eating it.

A sad-looking puppy.

No bueno.

6. Drugged driving is dangerous, illegal, and happening more and more. The risk of being in an accident doubles after marijuana use.

A police officer writing a ticket.

Do you know why I pulled you over?

7. Over three-quarters of the students surveyed in the "Monitoring the Future" study (and four-fifths of 8th graders) said they disapproved of people using marijuana regularly.

A teen girl looking disappointed.

Do better.

8. Spice, also known as K2, is not fake marijuana. In fact, some effects of Spice are much more intense than those of marijuana and have even been linked to deaths.

A teen boy looking surprised.

Scary.

9. A small number of medications that contain THC are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. They are used for treating nausea and appetite problems caused by cancer chemotherapy and AIDS. Marijuana’s other chemical—cannabidiol or CBD—also is being studied for potential medical uses, including treatment for seizures.

A young girl dressed as a scientist.

Because…science.

10. Ancient healers used cannabis in religious ceremonies—not as a party drug.

Cannabis plant.

That’s old school.

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Comments posted to the Drugs & Health Blog are from the general public and may contain inaccurate information. They do not represent the views of NIDA or any other federal government entity.

Comments

Submitted by theodore little jr. on February 25, 2015
Yes maraunwa or weed is a mind blocker it makes you forget it destroys tissue in the brain.
Submitted by Nichole on August 23, 2016
You got it wrong...if you do your research you will see that is actually improves your brain function and has been proven to help Alzheimer patients gain brain function and activity
Submitted by Joe on October 12, 2016
You are right, but it can still do serious damage to your body. It can even kill you.
Submitted by Stfu Joe on November 08, 2016
You seriously need to get your facts right. You cannot die from it.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 21, 2017
You actually can...duh.
Submitted by bsquared2011 on July 03, 2017
So can water if you drink too much at one time and alcohol kills far more people than any other drug
Submitted by Yankeeboysaiewane on October 21, 2016
Smoking marijuana it can causes lot of diseases in your body such as kidney Lungs Heart Skin so on
Submitted by The Joker on October 31, 2016
false
Submitted by Jaylin on November 29, 2016
That's not how you spell mariijuana.
Submitted by Apple420 on December 31, 2016
Clearly ., you're unaware and haven't educated yourself about the benefjts of our Endocannabinoid StsytemWikipedia the ecs Or the endocannabinpid system deficiency syndrome.
Submitted by Arnold on March 07, 2017
YES! You seem to be the only reasonable person in this entire comment section.
Submitted by Kortney on April 07, 2017
that is true don't use it
Submitted by JC YOUNGER on March 13, 2015
You should talk about the loss of IQ points at an early age of using Marijuana.
Submitted by psychstudent on March 19, 2015
Would putting Marijuana make the effects of the drug any less? What part of the brain is affected by Marijuana that causes adolescents to lose IQ points?
Submitted by NIDAMinds on March 24, 2015

Hi psychstudent, assuming you meant "eating marijuana," the answer is no, it will not lessen the effects of the drug, but it will delay the effects—it could take as long as an hour to feel effects—and the effects last longer.

Many areas of the brain are affected by marijuana use, including the hippocampus (necessary for making new memories and for learning) and parts of the frontal cortex, which control how you make decisions.

Submitted by Andrew Nicholas on September 17, 2015
Wooooow and you didnt even name the actual receptor. Typical propagandist.
Submitted by common sense on January 16, 2016
Eating marijuana has been proven to be five times more powerful in its effects, yet not ONE single death has ever been recorded whether eating it or smoking. This aRticle is biased in its view of all things negative except for the part where you prove it to be an amazing drug that can cure many illnesses. MariJUana will be legalized throughout the U.S because it should be.hands down Write articles on alcohol or cigarettes. Things that actually kill and do nothing but negative
Submitted by Ace on March 26, 2015
I'm worried that there are some students who don't disapprove of marijuana use. I just hope that that small one quarter of students don't end up using drugs or alcohol.
Submitted by james on October 12, 2016
yess
Submitted by James Jr. on March 26, 2015
Marijuana does not make you creative it is a placebo effect.
Submitted by Anonymous on May 17, 2015
That would be a matter of opinion not a fact.
Submitted by Arnold on March 07, 2017
Cannabis affects people diffrently. For some people it can make them creative, energetic, productive etc. For some people it makes them lazy, stupid, goofy, and so on. Not to mention the sub species (Indica, Sativa, ruderalis) and many strains that have diffrent ratios of cannabinoids and terpenes that have wildly diffrent effects on us. Some of those terpenes and cannibinoids have mind stimulating and thought provoking qualites.
Submitted by Simone on March 27, 2015
Some people say that second hand smoke is a thing when around marijuana, but it shows here that this is not the case. It is also very interesting that people smoked marijuana for religious purposes, but it is banned in most places in the United States.
Submitted by Aaron on April 15, 2015
Your lies will go down in history as genocide.
Submitted by TrapDaddy on August 26, 2015
Preach
Submitted by Anonymous on April 17, 2015
Please watch culture high on Netflix.
Submitted by billy on April 20, 2015
pot is amazing
Submitted by bob on April 20, 2015
marijuana is amazing
Submitted by Kilala on May 12, 2015
Pot is good
Submitted by debbie on May 12, 2015
marijiouna rules
Submitted by Peter Michael on January 15, 2016
Marijuana should be treated like alcohol.
Submitted by Anonymous on December 29, 2016
How
Submitted by Krist on January 17, 2016
The first statement in this list is invalid; they don't define 'heavy use' here. All studies show that heavy use (being three times a day or more) which is rare for most people in general. Light to Moderate use generally has no affect on teens and can increase IQ.
Submitted by Krist on January 17, 2016
Contact high is real http://bit.ly/1PPAncF At least, the third statement is true. Unregulated edibles can have varying amounts of pot butter which can contain different amounts of THC depending upon the strand of marijuana it is made from and process used to make the butter. Pot can make you more creative by reducing your inhibitions and allowing for more fluid thought. Pot can have adverse effects on many pets, because dogs, cats, and most household pets do not have a cannabinoid system.
Submitted by Cherryl on April 23, 2016
Use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, such as Multiple Sclerosis and Seizures has been recognized, by the American Board of Neurology, in 2014 as one of the most effective treatments, in treating this disease (s) and symptoms. My seizures were uncontrollable, on prescrition medications, which also caused me numerous side effects. Since starting the use of Cannabis/marijuana, for my seizures I am now seizure free and have eliminated those toxic pills/medications, for seizures, that weren't working anyways !!! Also helps my Multiple Sclerosis so much more, than most of those toxic Disease Modifying Drugs. That's a Fact !!!!
Submitted by Nichole on August 23, 2016
If this "drug" is so dangerous how come the government has it patent??? Look it up the patent number is 6630507...Do your research before writing propaganda.
Submitted by NIDAMinds on September 13, 2016

There are many misconceptions about the patent you reference, which is not about medical marijuana or the whole plant itself. HHS holds a patent issued in 2003 for the use of cannabinoids (not cannabis) as antioxidants and neuroprotectants (http://1.usa.gov/dtbcVO). The patent describes the therapeutic potential for cannabinoid chemical compounds that are structurally similar to THC, but without its psychoactive properties, thereby treating specific conditions without the adverse side effects associated with smoked marijuana (such as cognitive deficits and addiction). The patent allows companies to license specific cannabinoids for research purposes. There is a significant amount of research underway to determine the both the potential medical benefits and possible risks of these compounds. You can learn more about these studies at https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/marijuana/nida-research-therapeuti....

Submitted by Yankeeboysaiewane on October 21, 2016
Smoking marijuana is danger. to our health.because it causes a lot. Aof diseases into your body infect Brain cancer, kidney cancer skin diseases. lungs cancer and make your brain dull.
Submitted by Vienna on December 15, 2017
I agree because it is very bad for you. I don't think teens should be smoking it. It has very bad effects that can take your life
Submitted by Hugo from redwood on November 15, 2016
if you ain't mob, it aint for ya
Submitted by Ann on March 26, 2017
Guys... guys... slooowww down and look at BOTH sides of the argument before committing yourself to all this.
Submitted by Nick. on February 22, 2018
Or don't do drugs.
Submitted by Ms Tina on April 26, 2017
Moderate marijuana use can inhibit brain development in people under 25. Studies have shown that Adolescents with marijuana use disorder often suffer with psychiatric disorders as well.
Submitted by bsquared2011 on July 03, 2017
The arguments against alcohol use are far more compelling; it is classed by the WHO as the most dangerous drug known to man and causes far more deaths, mental disorders and wrecked lives than any other drug (probably more than from all the other drugs combined). In spite of this, it is not illegal and people are left to make their own decisions on whether or not to use it. Marijuana should be treated the same.
Submitted by Anonymous on October 03, 2017
Your giving out all the wrong answers to people so stop it and shame one you for doing so.
Submitted by Raider 2- Anna on December 15, 2017
I didn’t know that there were different types of marijuana I thought that was kind of interesting. Also it was interesting to think that you actually are lowering your IQ level by smoking marijuana because some people think it helps but it really doesn’t.
Submitted by Raider 2 prathan on December 15, 2017
I never knew dogs can get ill and can cause medical issues just from eating Marijuana
Submitted by Raider 2- jack w on December 15, 2017
This article was very informational and can teach people a lot about marijuana.
Submitted by anthony on December 15, 2017
marijuana is bad for you and if you ever do k2 ypu could possibly die because it’s deadly.
Submitted by Raider 2- Zena ... on December 15, 2017
I think that Marijuana is a very dangerous thing to use. It can lower your grades, make your dog ill, and do many more other terrible side effects. This is classified as the most dangerous drug known to man and if you try it, you can probably never let go of it. I think that the artical post is very helpful and teaches you about Marijuana.

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