Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. Has street names such as: Pot, ganja, weed, grass, and many others. Short-term effects include memory and learning problems, distorted perception, and difficulty thinking and solving problems. Its a dry, shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, it usually is smoked as a cigarette joint, nail, or in a pipe bong. It also is smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana, often in combination with another drug. Use also might include “mixing marijuana in food or brewing it as a tea” (Rosenthal, 2003). As a more concentrated, resinous form it is called hashish and, as a sticky black liquid, hashes oil. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually sweet and sour odor.
There are countless street terms for marijuana including pot, herb, weed, grass, widow, ganja, and hash, as well as terms derived from trademarked varieties of cannabis, such as, Northern Lights, Fruity Juice, Afghani #1, and a number of Skunk varieties. The main active chemical in marijuana is THC delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. The membranes of certain nerve cells in the brain contain protein receptors that bind to THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana.
The presenting problems include legal, school performance, mood/behavior changes, and relationships with family and peers. Nine times out of ten, the adolescent is coming at the recommendation of one or more adults in their life (i.e. parent, teacher, etc.). Rare is the teen that may refer him or her for treatment...................
