Drug Abuse Treatment | Marijuana Effects

Some people think marijuana drug abuse treatment programs are a waste of time because you can't get addicted to marijuana. Well, that's not true. A recent study from the National Institute on Drug Addiction states that of the twenty-six million people abusing drugs in the US, four million of them identify as having an addiction to marijuana. Drug abuse treatment programs are designed to help those with this sort of addiction as well as alcohol and other drug addictions.

When Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive drug in a marijuana plant, binds with cannabinoid (CB) receptors, which are widely distributed throughout the nervous system, the areas of effected are the ones that deal with pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory perceptions, appetite, pain and coordination.

Here are just some of the effects:

• Impaired short-term memory -- making it hard to learn and retain information, particularly complex tasks.
• Slowed reaction time and impaired motor coordination -- decreasing an athletic performance, impairing driving skills, and increasing the risk of injuries.
• Altered judgment, and decision making -- possible high-risk sexual behaviors that could lead to the spread of HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Increased heart rate by 20-100% -- may increase the risk of heart attack, especially in otherwise vulnerable individuals Altered mood--euphoria, calmness, or in high doses, anxiety, paranoia