DON'T UNDERESTIMATE DANGERS OF MARIJUANA

Marijuana And Your Kid:

1.) A study based on data from the National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse found that teenagers 12 to 17 who smoke marijuana weekly are
three times more likely to have thoughts of committing suicide. The
same study linked increased anxiety and panic attacks to past year
marijuana use.

2.) Heavy users of marijuana at age 18 increased their risk of
schizophrenia later in life by six times. Further reports have found
marijuana use increased the risk of developing schizophrenia among
people with no prior history of a disorder and that early use of
marijuana (age 15 vs. age 18) increased the risk even more. In
addition, youth with a personal or family history of schizophrenia are
at an even greater risk of marijuana-induced psychosis.

3.) Eight percent of depressed teens abused or became dependent on
marijuana during the year they experienced depression compared with
only three percent of non-depressed teens. Teen girls are especially
at risk. More girls than boys felt depressed in the course of a year
and substance abuse can compound the problem. Daily use of marijuana
among girls is associated with a fivefold increase in the odds of
developing depression and anxiety.

Marijuana and your heart: From this data, the researchers conclude
that the relative risk of a heart attack jumped 4.8 times within the
first hour after smoking, then dropped to 1.7 times in the second hour.

All of the above are direct quotes from Internet sources. There's much
more online. The modern plant is quite strong. Thus, while the change
in penalty for small amounts of the drug may have been necessary to
unclog a packed legal system, let's not kid anyone, it really isn't a
feel good moment, unless maybe you're stoned.

Chris Kneopfle

Springfield