Short Term Effects of Marijuana

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the cannabis plant, native to central and south Asia. This plant contains THC (or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), a mind-altering chemical compound that gives users a “high”. There are host of dangerous long and short term effects of Marijuana. Although the drug can be consumed through food, such as brownies and cookies, inhalation is the most common form of use. People smoke marijuana for recreation in hand-rolled cigarettes, pipes or water pipes, blunts (i.e., rolling cannabis into a cigar wrap), and by using vaporizers that pull THC from the marijuana.

Though marijuana can be used for medical reasons and can have therapeutic benefits, it doesn’t mean that the drug is entirely safe to use. Unfortunately, many people are under the false impression that it is. It’s important to know that using marijuana can have negative short-term and long-term health effects. Read on to find out what some short and long term effects of marijuana are.

Short-Term Effects of Marijuana

Short-term effects of marijuana use may include:

• Euphoria: Many users experience feelings of relaxation, happiness, pleasure, and a sense of elevated well-being.
• Altered perception: Marijuana can distort the perception of time and space, leading to changes in sensory perception. This, in turn, negatively impacts one’s judgment, which can increase the risk of unsafe sexual behaviors that facilitate the transmission of STDs.
• Increased appetite: Often referred to as "the munchies," marijuana use can increase craving for food, particularly high-sugar and high-fat snacks.
• Dry mouth and red eyes: Marijuana users commonly experience dry mouth (cottonmouth) and red, bloodshot eyes.
• Impaired coordination and motor skills: Marijuana impairs motor coordination and reaction time, which can affect activities like driving and sports.
• Memory and cognitive effects: Short-term memory, attention span, and the ability to concentrate and make decisions may be impaired while under the influence of marijuana.
• Anxiety and paranoia: Some people may experience anxiety, paranoia, and panic attacks, especially those prone to anxiety or those who take higher doses.
• Increased heart rate: Marijuana can temporarily increase heart rate (known as tachycardia), which can be very dangerous for individuals with heart conditions. This increased heart rate can last for several hours.
• Chest pain: Many users experience chest pain after smoking weed.

Long-Term Effects of Marijuana

Long-term effects of weed use may include:

• Respiratory issues: Although marijuana smoking is much less risky than tobacco smoking (though this is partially because it is smoked less often than tobacco), smoking marijuana can still lead to chronic bronchitis, cough, mucus production, and other respiratory problems.
• Lung problems: Marijuana can damage lung tissues and cause scarring to small blood vessels.
• Heart problems: Marijuana makes the heart beat faster, which, as a result, raises blood pressure. This can lead to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Cognitive effects: Marijuana poses a particular cognitive risk to teens since it affects parts of the brain that are still developing through young adulthood. Marijuana is a mind-altering substance, and long-term or heavy use during adolescence can be strongly linked to impaired brain development and function.  Research found that [1] steady marijuana use during teen years caused a loss of an average of 6 or up to 8 IQ points in mid-adulthood. Quitting marijuana use in adulthood won’t recover lost IQ points.
• Decreased academic and occupational performance: The cognitive effects described before can affect performance at school, worsening educational outcomes and lowering career achievement.
• Mental health issues: Marijuana use, particularly in high doses or in individuals with a history, can be linked to an increased risk of mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. More extreme possibilities are temporary psychosis, schizophrenia, and suicidal ideation.
• Lower motivation: Some users report a loss of motivation and drive over time, often referred to as "amotivation syndrome." The increased dopamine levels in the brain can also reduce the desire to pursue activities that don’t provide immediate pleasure.
• Lower testosterone levels: Marijuana has been shown to lead to hormonal imbalance and lower sperm concentrations that can negatively affect men’s fertility.
• Increased risk of accidents: Long-term marijuana use can affect psychomotor performance, increasing the risk of falls, workplace accidents, and car accidents. Driving under the influence of marijuana can slow peoples’ reaction time to traffic lights and stop signs, cause them to weave in between lanes, and make it difficult for them to notice and respond to what is going on around them on the road.

The exact long-term effects that a user will face will depend on the age when a person began using the drug, how much of it they use, how often they use, and the way in which they use (i.e. smoking, snorting, injecting etc.). In addition, the drug affects different people differently, and not everyone will experience the same effects.

Possibility of Marijuana Addiction

Over the past few decades, the amount of THC in marijuana has steadily climbed; with today’s marijuana having three times the concentration of THC compared to 25 years ago. The higher the THC amount, the stronger the effects on the brain, and the higher the rates of marijuana dependency and addiction. Individuals might find themselves addicted when they try to stop using the drug but experience difficult withdrawal symptoms, which, in a vicious cycle, cause them to relapse to the drug in an attempt to remove the withdrawal symptoms.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition recognizes cannabis withdrawal syndrome (CWS) as an actual condition with mood and behavioral symptoms that include irritability, nausea, sleeping difficulties, dysphoria, stomach pain, craving, and anxiety.

Marijuana Effects FAQ’s

Does weed cause cancer?

Smoking marijuana may be associated with an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Although Marijuana may not contain exactly the same chemicals as tobacco smoke, marijuana is definitely not chemical-free. It contains a mixture of compounds and chemicals including tar, ammonia, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, cyanide, benzene and many others. Some of these chemicals and compounds have been linked to various types of lung cancer. It's important to note that not all marijuana or tobacco users will develop lung cancer though, as many factors, such as genetics and other lifestyle habits, influence a person's risk.

Does marijuana lower testosterone?

There is much research being done about his topic. Although there is no conclusive answer as of yet, many studies point towards the idea that marijuana does lower testosterone levels.

Is it bad to smoke weed every day?

This is also a topic of much debate, but studies do show that smoking weed everyday can increase one's risks of developing coronary artery disease by a third, compared to people who never smoke weed. Additionally, smoking weed daily can lead to increased tolerance and withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop smoking weed.

Does smoking weed cause weight gain?

Smoking marijuana is known to increase one’s appetite – a sensation known colloquially as “the munchies.” Because of this common side effect, Marijuana use can cause weight gain.

What are some weed edibles side effects?

Don't Suffer Long or Short Term Effects of Marijuana

If you or a loved one are experiencing marijuana addiction, don’t hesitate to contact Avenues Recovery, where we will talk you through the different marijuana addiction treatment options available. Just because a person has become addicted, that doesn’t have to determine their fate. Our most amazing team of highly specialized addiction counselors are ready to lead you on the path to sobriety. Take your first step on the journey of recovery by contacting our experienced professionals today, and see how easy turning your life around can be with our dedicated and caring staff.

Sources

[1] nida.nih.gov