Cannabis

Cannabis: Get to Know the Facts

Recreational cannabis was legalized in New Jersey on February 22, 2021. Under the current law, there are no penalties for young people who possess marijuana or alcohol.

GET TO KNOW THE FACTS and read on for more information

Marijuana is addictive.

Research suggests 30 percent of users may develop some form of problem use, which can lead to dependence and addiction.(1)
People who begin using marijuana before age 18 are 4 to 7 times more likely than adults to develop problem use.(1)

Marijuana has short and long term effects on the brain.

When marijuana is smoked, the mind-altering chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) passes from the lungs to the bloodstream.(1)
Blood then carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body.(1)
User generally feels the effects after 30 to 60 minutes, including changes in mood, impaired body movement, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and impaired memory.(1)
When marijuana users begin using as teenagers, long-term effects can include reductions in thinking, memory, and learning functions.(1)

Marijuana use can have a wide range of physical and mental effects.

Physical effects include breathing problems, increased heart rate, and problems with child development during and after pregnancy.(1)
Long-term use has been linked to mental illness in some users, such as temporary hallucinations, temporary paranoia, and worsening symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.(1)

Marijuana is unsafe if you are behind the wheel.

Marijuana is the most common illegal drug involved in auto fatalities.(2)
Marijuana is found in the blood of approximately 14 percent of drivers who die in car crashes, often in combination with alcohol or other drugs.(2)
Marijuana affects skills required for safe driving: - alertness - concentration - coordination - reaction time.(2)

Marijuana is linked to school failure.

Marijuana’s negative effects on attention, memory, and learning can last for days and sometimes weeks.(2)
Students who smoke marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school, compared with their peers who don’t use.(2)
Research shows IQ can be lowered if marijuana is smoked regularly during the teen years.(2)

The THC content in marijuana has been increasing since the 1980s.

In the early 1990s, average THC content in confiscated samples was roughly 3.7 percent for marijuana; in 2016, it was 13.18 percent.(3)
Smoking or eating THC rich hash oil extracted from the marijuana plant may deliver high levels of THC to the user.(4)
Average marijuana extract contains over 50 percent THC; some samples exceed 80 percent.(4)

Exposure to higher THC levels means a greater chance of a harmful reaction.

Higher THC levels may explain the rise in emergency room visits involving marijuana use.(1)
Users can mix marijuana in food (i.e., edibles), such as brownies, cookies, or candy, or brew it as a tea. Edibles take longer to digest and produce a high, so people may consume more to feel the effects faster, leading to dangerous results.(1)
Higher THC levels may mean a greater risk for addiction if users are regularly exposing themselves to high doses.(1)

More information (click on the title):

(1) NIDA (2016). Marijuana. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana. National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
(2) NIDA (2015). Marijuana: Facts for Teens. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-factsteens. National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
(3) University of Mississippi, Potency Monitoring Program, Quarterly Report 135.
(4) NIDA (2017). Marijuana. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana. National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.