Marijuana as a Sedative Drug - Illicit psychoactive sedative drug from the cannabis plant - Marijuana – dried and crushed leaves - Typically smoked - Most widely used illicit drug in the U.S - Medical use is controversial Source of Marijuana - Cannabis sativa – source of marijuana and hashish - Hardly plant - Contains lest than 400 chemicals, 60 of which are cannabinoids - Main psychoactive chemical is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol - THC differs from plant to plant - Hashish – dried resin from the hemp plant, more potent than marijuana - Hemp plants used for fiber and food Current Drug Laws in the U.S - Schedule III – synthetic THC-based medicines including dronabinol and Nabilone - Schedule I – plant-based cannabis in any form - State laws differ from federal laws - Federal law trumps state law - This inconsistency is unresolved Prevalence - United States - Most widely used illicit drug - 2010 – 6.9% of U.S population 12 years report use in the past years - Males uses more than females - 15.7% of marijuana users use the drug daily or almost daily - 365 of high school seniors reported past year use (2011) Medical Uses for Marijuana - Multiple sclerosis - Helps with muscle spasms - Chronic pain - Muscle spasticity - Glaucoma - Reduces intraocular pressure Acute Effects of Marijuana - Objective effects - Sedative effects - Impairs cognitive and behavioral functions - Decreased attention - Increased errors on psychomotor tasks - Driving skill impaired - Memory impairments - Aggression reduced - Increased appetite - Subjective effects - Effects are variable - Sometimes feel nothing at all - Feel high - Euphoria - Mellow, drowsy, relaxed, carefree - Laughter and talkativeness - Perception of time is altered Chronic Effects of Marijuana Use - Not that much research - Cognitive deficits - Memory problems - Associated with mental health problems - Difficult to establish causal effects although risk for psychosis has been highlighted - Lung problems due to smoking - Negative effects on reproductive function/fertility - Negative effects on pregnancy outcomes - Amotivational syndrome