The main active ingredient in marijuana, called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, interferes with the normal functioning of the brain, according to Neuroscience For Kids, a website of the University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials in Seattle. THC activates cannabinoid receptors on brain neurons involved in memory, concentration, perception and movement. This is responsible for pot's pleasurable effects as well as its negative effects.
Anxiety and Paranoia
Marijuana provides a feeling of relaxation and episodes of giggling or silliness. Anxiety and paranoia can set in, according to the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) at the University of Maryland. Pot also creates an altered sense of time and space. There is often difficulty remembering events that recently happened and disinterest in other activities. Disruption in attention occurs along with reduced coordination. Lowered blood pressure and sleepiness may result. High doses of marijuana can cause impaired memory, disorientation, hallucinations and delusions, Neuroscience For Kids states.
Depression and Suicidal Thoughts
Chronic marijuana use may increase the risk for anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). It is not known if marijuana is the cause of mental illness, exacerbates mental problems or is used as self-medication for disorders, NIDA notes. Marijuana may also contribute to schizophrenia in some people by setting it off or causing relapses of the disorder.
Heart Problems
Smoking marijuana can increase the heart rate by 20 to 100 percent, NIDA says. Pot smokers increase their risk of heart attack by more than four times the first hour after smoking, according to a 2001 study by Harvard Medical School researchers, reported in Circulation, a publication of the American Heart Association. The risk may be greater for older smokers who have other heart risks, NIDA points out.
Lung Problems
Marijuana smoking may produce the same after-effects as tobacco smoking, such as daily coughing, phlegm production and frequent respiratory problems, according to NIDA. Pot smokers usually inhale more deeply and hold down the carcinogenic smoke longer, exposing them to possible lung disorders. A link between marijuana and lung cancer remains unproven, NIDA says.
Disrupted Body Functions
Memory functions, the ability to store or retrieve information, and math and verbal skills may be damaged following long-term abuse of marijuana, according to CESAR. Sexual dysfunction and reproductive problems may occur, including lower sperm count for men and menstrual disruption in women. Long-term pot use may result in increased blood pressure and the risk of heart attack. Disruption in career, social and family functioning occurs because of a loss of interest in daily activities.
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