Drug Profile: MARIJUANA
DRUG:
THC OR DELTA-9-TETRA-HYDROCANNABINOL (pot, dope, grass, weed, ganja, doobie, reefer, mary jane and sinsemilla are a few street names) is derived from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa.  Marijuana tends to be the first illegal drug teens use. Marijuana is a botanical, which can be easily grown and harvested in numerous settings. The Marijuana plant generally has an odd number of leaflets per stem. The leaves and the buds are harvested, prepared Marijuana is dried, greenish-brown, chopped and resembles ground oregano. Marijuana is usually smoked in a hand- rolled cigarette or "joint." It can also be smoked in pipes or ingested in foods such as brownies. Known as a hallucinogen, the potency of the Marijuana lies in the Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of the plant. The buds of the plant will contain the highest concentration of THC.
OTHER FORMS:
Hashish, is the dark-brown resin from the top of the hemp plant, has higher levels of THC, and is usually compressed into a variety of forms such as "cakes" or pills.
Hashish oil, a dark brown liquid extracted from Marijuana, and contains as much as 20% thc. The oil is put on commercial cigarettes and then smoked.
EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA:
 Euphoric feeling; sense of well being; lack of motivation; talkativeness; mouth and throat feel dry; appetite increases ("munchies"); increased heart rate; and concentration, co-ordination and memory become impaired. Dangers range from schoolwork deterioration, "burn out", impaired sexual development, and damage to lungs. Long term use of the drug results in psychological dependence for the user. Marijuana is considered the "gateway drug," as casual users (of Marijuana) sometimes become abusers of harder drugs such as cocaine, LSD and other hallucinogens
Continued use results in the user having to smoke more to get the desired effect or "high." Regular user who stop using abruptly often experience insomnia, anxiety, irritability and depression.
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