Marijuana’s Effects on Health and Well-Being

Short Term Physical Effects | In the Long Term

» Dry Mouth : Most marijuana users experience intense thirst when they have been smoking pot – “cotton mouth.”

» Nausea :Marijuana makes many smokers feel sick to their stomachs.

» Headache : Many marijuana users have headaches after smoking.

» Dizziness and Vision Problems : Marijuana users often feel dizzy when they have been smoking. This can cause people to fall down or run into things. It is also common for marijuana smokers to have altered depth perception, which means that things may seem closer or farther away than they really are. Obviously, this effect means that marijuana users are at great risk of hurting themselves or others if they drive cars or do other physically dangerous tasks.

» Shaking : Marijuana can make users have the shakes.

» Poor Coordination : Marijuana smokers are uncoordinated. They are equally likely to have all kinds of accidents as drunk people are.

» Weakened Muscles : People who have been smoking marijuana experience muscle weakness.

» Sluggishness : Marijuana reduces blood flow to the brain. Low blood flow causes sluggishness and lightheadedness.

» Huge Appetite : Most people experience “the munchies” when they smoke marijuana, which means their appetite increases dramatically.

» Increased Heart Rate : Smoking pot can lead to elevated heart rate. In some users, the heart rate is dramatically higher – up to double the normal rate!

» Poor Judgment : Marijuana’s most noticeable mental effect is bad judgment. Users simply cannot make sensible judgments and choices. You can tell that marijuana users have lost their judgment ability when you hear some of the dumb things they think are funny. They will laugh at almost anything. More dangerously, marijuana users may choose to drive a car when they are under the influence – That’s terrible judgment!

» Confusion : Marijuana smokers are often quite confused about what is happening around them. When a person is under the influence of marijuana, he or she cannot effectively read, work, listen, or study.

» Anxiety, Panic, and Paranoia : Many marijuana users experience anxiety (nervousness). This feeling can range from mild upset to total panic. It is very common for people who are high on marijuana to be paranoid, which means that they believe that others are watching them or pursuing them.

» Aggressiveness : Some marijuana users become aggressive when they have been smoking. This effect is probably tied to the confusion and poor judgment that users feel, and those effects certainly make aggression worse and more dangerous. After all, if someone is aggressive and has poor judgment, he or she is likely to start fights with others for no good reason. Others may merely be extra competitive.

» Sleepiness : Marijuana makes many users exceptionally sleepy. They may smoke the drug hoping to have fun and then simply fall asleep.

» Lower Sex Drive : People who have been smoking marijuana often have less interest in sex than they normally have. Male marijuana smokers may not be able to have sex, even if they still want to.However, it is probably a good thing that marijuana smokers lose interest in sex. After all, marijuana limits users’ ability to make safe, healthy choices. Users are more likely to get involved in all kinds of risky behavior, sexual and otherwise. Marijuana greatly reduces their inhibitions (their instincts to control and protect themselves).

» Poor Sense of Time : Marijuana makes it difficult for users to tell how much time is passing. A short period of time may seem to take forever, or hours may seem to fly by in no time at all.

» Impaired “Executive Functions” of the Brain : “Executive functions” include attention, short-term memory, learning, and planning activities.
People who have been smoking marijuana may forget what they are talking about before the conversation is over. Because marijuana limits users’ memory skills, they have a hard time reading, learning simple tasks, or memorizing short lists of words. These effects last up to 24 hours after the most recent use of marijuana. In addition, the more marijuana the person normally smokes, the more impairment of executive functions he or she experiences.

» Feelings of Unreality : Many people who are high on marijuana have the sensation that their surroundings are not real. They may also feel as if they themselves no longer exist.

» Hallucinations : Smoking pot can sometimes cause users to see, hear, or feel things that do not exist.