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How Long Does
Marijuana Stay in the User's Body?
Does Marijuana Affect School, Sports, or Other Activities?
Does Marijuana Lead
to the Use of Other Drugs?
How Can I
Tell If My Child Has Been Using Marijuana?
Q:
How Long Does
Marijuana Stay in the User's Body?
A: THC in marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various
organs. Generally, traces (metabolites) of THC can be detected by standard
urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. However, in
heavy chronic users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they
have stopped using marijuana
Q:
Does Marijuana Affect School?
A: It can. Marijuana affects memory, judgment and perception. The drug can
make you mess up in school, in sports or clubs, or with your friends. If
you're high on marijuana, you are more likely to make stupid mistakes that
could embarrass or even hurt you. If you use marijuana a lot, you could
start to lose interest in how you look and how you're getting along at
school or work.
Athletes could find their performance is off; timing, movements, and
coordination are all affected by THC. Also, since marijuana use can affect
thinking and judgment, users can forget to have safe sex and possibly expose
themselves to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
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Q:
Does Marijuana Lead
to the Use of Other Drugs?
A: It could. Long-term studies of
high school students and their patterns of drug use show that very few young
people use other illegal drugs without first trying marijuana.
For example, the risk of using cocaine is 104 times greater for those who
have tried marijuana than for those who have never tried it. Using marijuana
puts children and teens in contact with people who are users and sellers of
other drugs. So there is more of a risk that a marijuana user will be
exposed to and urged to try more drugs.
To better determine this risk, scientists are examining the possibility that
long-term marijuana use may create changes in the brain that make a person
more at risk of becoming addicted to other drugs, such as alcohol or
cocaine. While not all young people who use marijuana go on to use other
drugs, further research is needed to predict who will be at greatest risk
Q:
How Can I Tell
If My Child Has Been Using Marijuana?
A: There are some signs you might be able to see. If someone is high on
marijuana, he or she might:
-
Seem dizzy and have trouble walking;
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Seem silly and giggly for no reason;
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Have very red, bloodshot eyes; and
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Have a hard time remembering things that just happened.
·
When the early effects fade, over a few hours, the user
can become very sleepy.
Parents should be aware of changes in their child's behaviour, although this
may be difficult with teenagers. Parents should look for withdrawal,
depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and
deteriorating relationships with family members and friends.
In addition, changes in academic performance, increased absenteeism or
truancy, lost interest in sports or other favourite activities, and changes
in eating or sleeping habits could be related to drug use. However, these
signs may also indicate problems other than use of drugs.
In addition, parents should be aware of:
·
Signs of drugs and drug paraphernalia, including pipes
and rolling papers.
·
Odour on clothes and in the bedroom
·
Use of incense and other deodorizers
·
Use of eye drops
Clothing, posters, jewellery, etc., promoting drug use
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