Dear Dr. Argo,
How exactly is marijuana dangerous to one’s body?
Stone confused
Dear Stone confused,
Many students believe that marijuana is a safe drug but this is far from the truth. Marijuana can affect physical and psychological health in a variety of ways.
The short term effects of marijuana for infrequent users include decreased short term memory, difficulties learning, poor concentration, slowed cognitive processing, decreased inhibitions, increased heart rate, and poor decision making.
The effects on memory and learning can impact academics whereas increased heart rate can affect a person if they have a pre-existing health condition such as high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.
The long term effects of heavy marijuana use include lung disease, weakened immune system, amotivational syndrome, dependency, career, educational, social, mental health and reproductive problems. Marijuana contains 50-70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than cigarette smoke.
Heavy marijuana smoking over a long period can lead to a lack of motivation for future goals that is common among the long term marijuana user.
You may have experienced a “pothead” friend who just wants to sit around and play video games or watch cartoons all day. Their motivation for school is probably waning and career goals go down the drain. Chronic marijuana users have increased absences, tardiness, accidents, worker’s comp claims, and job turnover.
Research shows that heavy marijuana abusers tend to have lower paying jobs, problems with physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, and social life. Men can experience reduced testosterone levels, diminished sperm counts and abnormal sperm. And don’t even think that marijuana is safe during pregnancy.
Children born to a mother who smoked marijuana during her pregnancy are more likely to have lower birth weight, behavioral problems, poor decision making, memory and attention problems.
Please remember that Counseling & Wellness Services (474-2420) has counselors available for support. Questions for Dr. Argo can be submitted in his mailbox across from the Nautilus Market, in the University Commons, or by e-mailing DrArgo@uwf.edu.
4 comments
http://www.solanotempest.net/opinion/a-little-marijuana-won-t-hurt-anyone-1.1268080Do some real research, Dr. (puppet) Argo
I highly disagree with this uneducated opinion about the effects of marijuana. While some of these general statements may have anecdotal evidence, there is no definitive, unbiased scientific evidence for making any claims that you have stated in this article. Dr. Argo, please refrain from posting untruths in the Voyager. Yes, many of us student believe that marijauana is safe; and this is for a reason. In order for a human to consume enough marijuana to be fatal, they would have to consume nearly 40,000 times the amount of THC required to intoxicate them. In contrast, it only requires about 5 to 10 times the amount of alcohol required to intoxicate, to be fatal. For example, if it requires 3 beers to intoxicate you, it only requires 15 to 30 beers to kill you. However, if it takes you 3 'hits' of marijuana to intoxicate you, it would require 120,000 hits to kill you. Thus, it is virtually impossible to die of a marijuana overdose.Here's my evidence, perhaps you should read it before you form an "educated" answer.
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewresource.asp?resourceID=000884