According to the 2005 Northwestern Ontario Student Drug Use Survey, youth in Northwestern Ontario use marijuana more than youth in other parts of the province. 32% of students in our area use marijuana, as compared to 26.5% for the rest of the province.

Many people think marijuana is somewhat harmless. But smoking pot can lead to social and health problems. In order to help our youth make informed decisions about marijuana use, it's important to know the facts. 

The Facts About Marijuana:

• Marijuana comes from the cannabis plant that also produces hashish and hash oil
• Marijuana is a green, brown or grey tobacco-like substance that is made from drying the leaves, stems and flowers of the cannabis plant.
• Marijuana is also known on the street as pot, herb, weed or grass
• People that smoke marijuana can become dependent on it, leading to a variety of social and health problems.

The Short-term Effects of Using Marijuana:

Smoking marijuana will affect each user differently but there are some common effects that users frequently report experiencing. These include:

• Feelings of being calm and relaxed

• Red, bloodshot, eyes that sometimes feel irritated or dry

• Changes in the way taste, touch, smell, sound, colour and time are perceived

• Not being able to concentrate, or remember as well 

• Increased blood pressure and heart rate

• Increased appetite and sense of hunger ("munchies")

Some long-term effects of using marijuana include:

• Lack of energy and ambition (sometimes called amotivational syndrome). This is often seen in youth that are regular, frequent smokers.
  
• Impaired judgment
  
• Damage to the respiratory system from inhaling tar and smoke
  
• Increased tolerance, meaning having to use more to to get "high"

Pregnancy - Using marijuana when you are pregnant can affect how your baby grows, and result in lower birthweights.

Driving - For up to 24 hours after using marijuana, a person's ability to drive a vehicle safely can be seriously impaired. Drivers that are high may not be as alert, not be able to concentrate as well, have poor coordination and slower reaction times.

It's the Law!

Marijuana has been in the news quite a bit as Canada considers changing laws that govern using this drug. However nothing has changed yet and it is still illegal to possess, traffic or grow for the purpose of trafficking (selling).

Fines can range from $1000 and six months imprisonment to life imprisonment. The exception to this law is the use of marijuana for medical purposes, by people who have received legal authorization through Health Canada's Marihuana Medical Access Regulations.