marijuana use among individuals with fetal alcohol syndrome

Short-term effects of using marijuana include:
Sleepiness
Difficulties, the time, impaired or reduced short-term memory
Reduces the ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination such as driving a car
Increased heart rate
Potential cardiac dangers for people with preexisting heart disease
Bloodshot eyes
Dry mouth and throat
Decreased social inhibitions
Paranoia, hallucinations
Impaired or reduced short-term memory
Impaired or reduced understanding
Altered motivation and cognition, the acquisition of new information difficult
Paranoia
Psychological dependence
Impairments in learning, memory, perception, and judgment - difficulty speaking, listening effectively, thinking, to keep knowledge, problem solving and concepts that
Intense anxiety or panic attacks
Long-term effects of using marijuana include:
Increased cancer risk
Decrease in testosterone levels and low sperm count in men
Increase in testosterone levels in women and an increased risk of infertility
Diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure
Psychological dependence, the more of the drug to the same effectWhat is THC?
THC is the chemical in marijuana that you feel "high" (which means that with a change in mood and feeling of seeing things, or otherwise). Certain parts of the plant contain higher THC content. The flowers or buds more THC than the stems and leaves.
The effect of THC
When marijuana is smoked, THC goes:
quickly into the bloodstream through the lungs
to the brain (this is in the "high" is felt and can be within a few minutes and can take up to five hours)THC is absorbed more slowly into the blood when marijuana is eaten as it is through the stomach and intestine and can take up to one hour to the "high" effects of up to 12 hours.
THC is absorbed quickly into body fat and is then very slowly back into the blood. This process can take up to a month for a single dose of THC to leave the body.
Effects of marijuana
The effects of marijuana is different from person to person depending on:
How much
How strong (potent) the marijuana
How the marijuana is (joint, bong, food)
Size, weight, health
Mood
Individual experiences with marijuana
If marijuana with other drugs
Whether alone or with other people, at home or at a party.Beginning 0-10 minutes5-10 minutes Coming UpPlateau 15-30 minutesComing Down 45-60 minutesAfter Effects 30-60 minutes
Because marijuana users often inhale the unfiltered smoke deeply and then hold it in their lungs as long as possible, marijuana is harmful to the lungs and pulmonary system. Marijuana smoke contains some of the same carcinogens and toxic particles such as tobacco, sometimes in higher concentrations. Long-term users of cannabis may develop psychological dependence and more of the drug to the same effect. The drug can be the center of their lives.
The effects of marijuana on men:
Marijuana is the most common drug, which young people in the U.S. today. Marijuana on the parts of the brain, the sex and growth hormones. In men, marijuana may be the testosterone level. Occasional cases of enlarged breasts in male marijuana users are determined by the chemical effect on the endocrine system. Regular use of marijuana can also lead to a decrease in sperm counts and increases in abnormal and immature sperm. Marijuana is a factor in the growing problem of infertility in men. Young men should know the impact and possible effects of marijuana use on sex and growing process before they decide to smoke marijuana.
The effects of marijuana on the participation of women:
Like men, women effects of marijuana in that part of the brain, the hormones that determines the order in which the menstrual cycle. Its been said that women who smoked marijuana or used on a regular basis had irregular menstrual cycles, the female hormones were depressed, and the testosterone level was. Although this effect is reversible, it may take several months before the marijuana menstrual cycles are normal again.
Mothers who smoke marijuana on a regular basis have been reported of having babies with a weak central nervous system. These babies show abnormal reactions to light and sound, exhibit tremors and startles, and have the high-pitched cry associated with drug withdrawal. Occurring at five times the rate of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fetal Marijuana Syndrome is a growing concern of many doctors. Furthermore, doctors worry that children born to "pot-head" mothers will have learning disabilities, attention deficits and hormonal irregularities as they grow older, even if there are no apparent signs of damage at birth. Pregnant or nursing mothers who smoke marijuana should talk to their doctors immediately.
Effects of Marijuana on the Brain:
Researchers have found that THC changes the way in which sensory information gets into and is acted on by the hippocampus. This is a component of the brain's limbic system that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integration of sensory experiences with emotions and motivations. Investigations have shown that neurons in the information processing system of the hippocampus and the activity of the nerve fibers are suppressed by THC. In addition, researchers have discovered that learned behaviors, which depend on the hippocampus, also deteriorate.
Recent research findings also indicate that long-term use of marijuana produces changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term use of other major drugs of abuse.
Effects of marijuana on the Lungs:
Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems that tobacco smokers have. These individuals may have daily cough and phlegm, symptoms of chronic bronchitis, and more frequent chest colds. Continuing to smoke marijuana can lead to abnormal functioning of lung tissue injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke.
Regardless of the THC content, the amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide absorbed are three to five times greater than among tobacco smokers. This may be due to the marijuana users inhaling more deeply and holding the smoke in the lungs.
Effects of Marijuana on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure:
Recent findings indicate that smoking marijuana while shooting up cocaine has the potential to cause severe increases in heart rate and blood pressure. In one study, experienced marijuana and cocaine users were given marijuana alone, cocaine alone, and then a combination of both. Each drug alone produced cardiovascular effects; when they were combined, the effects were greater and lasted longer. The heart rate of the subjects in the study increased 29 beats per minute with marijuana alone and 32 beats per minute with cocaine alone. When the drugs were given together, the heart rate increased by 49 beats per minute, and the increased rate persisted for a longer time. The drugs were given with the subjects sitting quietly. In normal circumstances, an individual may smoke marijuana and inject cocaine and then do something physically stressful that may significantly increase risks of overload on the cardiovascular system.
Effects of Heavy Marijuana Use on Learning and Social Behavior:
A study of college students has shown that critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning are impaired among people who use marijuana heavily, even after discontinuing its use for at least 24 hours. Researchers compared 65 "heavy users," who had smoked marijuana a median of 29 of the past 30 days, and 64 "light users," who had smoked a median of 1 of the past 30 days. After a closely monitored 19- to 24-hour period of abstinence from marijuana and other illicit drugs and alcohol, the undergraduates were given several standard tests measuring aspects of attention, memory, and learning. Compared to the light users, heavy marijuana users made more errors and had more difficulty sustaining attention, shifting attention to meet the demands of changes in the environment, and in registering, processing, and using information. The findings suggest that the greater impairment among heavy users is likely due to an alteration of brain activity produced by marijuana.
Longitudinal research on marijuana use among young people below college age indicates those who used have lower achievement than the non-users, more acceptance of deviant behavior, more delinquent behavior and aggression, greater rebelliousness, poorer relationships with parents, and more associations with delinquent and drug-using friends.
Effects of Marijuana on Pregnancy:
Any drug of abuse can affect a mother's health during pregnancy, and this is a time when she should take special care of herself. Drugs of abuse may interfere with proper nutrition and rest, which can affect good functioning of the immune system. Some studies have found that babies born to mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy were smaller than those born to mothers who did not use the drug. In general, smaller babies are more likely to develop health problems.
A nursing mother who uses marijuana passes some of the THC to the baby in her breast milk. Research indicates that the use of marijuana by a mother during the first month of breast-feeding can impair the infant's motor development (control of muscle movement). Research also shows more anger and more regressive behavior (thumb sucking, temper tantrums) in toddlers whose parents use marijuana than among the toddlers of non-using parents.