Cannabis (Marijuana) Research Report Notes

Cannabis (Marijuana) Research Report

  • Explores the latest research on marijuana, including:
    • Scope of use in the U.S.
    • Health consequences
    • Effects on daily activities
    • Available treatments

Letter From the Director

  • Changes in marijuana policies across states indicate increasing social acceptance.
  • Highlights the importance of understanding both adverse health effects and potential therapeutic benefits.
  • Marijuana impairs:
    • Short-term memory
    • Judgment
    • Perception
  • This can impair performance in school or at work and make driving dangerous.
  • Regular use by teens may have negative and long-lasting effects on cognitive development.
  • Marijuana can be addictive, and its use during adolescence may increase the likelihood of other forms of problem use or addiction.
  • The question of whether marijuana's therapeutic benefits outweigh its health risks is still open.
  • The FDA has not approved "medical marijuana," but safe medicines based on cannabinoid chemicals are available and being developed.

What is Marijuana?

  • Marijuana is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa.
  • Slang terms include weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, and Mary Jane.
  • Methods of use:
    • Smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes (joints)
    • Pipes
    • Water pipes (bongs)
    • Blunts (marijuana rolled in cigar wraps)
    • Brewed as tea
    • Mixed into foods (edibles) like brownies, cookies, or candies
    • Vaporizers are also increasingly used
  • Stronger forms include sinsemilla and concentrated resins like hash oil, budder, and shatter.
  • The main psychoactive chemical is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
  • THC is found in resin produced by leaves and buds of the female cannabis plant.
  • The plant contains over 500 other chemicals, including over 100 cannabinoids.

Scope of Cannabis Use in the United States

  • Data refers to the United States population.
  • How many people use cannabis?
    • In 2020, 17.9% of people aged 12 or older (about 49.6 million people) reported using cannabis in the past 12 months.
    • Source: 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
  • How many young students use cannabis?
    • In 2021, estimated cannabis/hashish use in the past 12 months:
      • 7.1% of 8th graders
      • 17.3% of 10th graders
      • 30.5% of 12th graders
    • Source: 2021 Monitoring the Future Survey
  • How many people have a cannabis use disorder?
    • In 2020, an estimated 5.1% of people aged 12 or older (about 14.2 million people) had a cannabis use disorder in the past 12 months.
    • Source: 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

What are Marijuana's Effects?

  • When marijuana is smoked, THC and other chemicals pass from the lungs into the bloodstream and to the brain.
  • Effects are almost immediate.
  • Many people experience:
    • Pleasant euphoria
    • Sense of relaxation
  • Other common effects (vary among people):
    • Heightened sensory perception (e.g., brighter colors)
    • Laughter
    • Altered perception of time
    • Increased appetite
  • If consumed in foods/beverages, effects are delayed (30 minutes to 1 hour).
  • Eating/drinking delivers less THC into the bloodstream than smoking.
  • Delayed effects may cause people to consume more THC than intended.
  • Unpleasant experiences can include:
    • Anxiety
    • Fear
    • Distrust
    • Panic
  • These effects are more common with:
    • Taking too much
    • High potency marijuana
    • Inexperience
  • Large doses may cause acute psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, loss of personal identity).
  • These reactions are temporary and distinct from longer-lasting psychotic disorders.
  • Noticeable effects of smoked marijuana last 1-3 hours, while effects from food/drink may last many hours.

How Does Marijuana Produce Its Effects?

  • THC's chemical structure is similar to anandamide, a brain chemical.
  • Endogenous cannabinoids (like anandamide) function as neurotransmitters, sending chemical messages between neurons.
  • They affect brain areas influencing:
    • Pleasure
    • Memory
    • Thinking
    • Concentration
    • Movement
    • Coordination
    • Sensory and time perception
  • THC attaches to cannabinoid receptors on neurons, disrupting mental and physical functions.
  • The endocannabinoid system plays a critical role in nervous system functioning.
  • THC alters the function of the hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex, impairing thinking and ability to learn and perform tasks.
  • THC disrupts the cerebellum and basal ganglia, affecting balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time.
  • This impairs driving safety and physical activities.
  • THC activates the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine at higher levels than natural stimuli.
  • This