Marijuana and Health

Long-Term Effects of Marijuana Use

Respiratory System Damage

• Daily cough.
• Chronic bronchitis.
• More frequent chest colds.
• Injured lung structures.
• Pneumonia.
• Increased risk of lung or oral cancer – Marijuana deposits in the lungs roughly five times as much tar as tobacco and contains nearly 50% more of the cancer-causing chemical benzopyrene than the average tobacco cigarette.

Immune System Damage

• Causes damage to the cells and tissues that protect the body from disease.
• Users are more likely to become ill.

Reproductive System Damage

• Decreased sperm count.
• Abnormal sperm cells.
• Decreased production of estrogen.
• Menstrual or ovulatory irregularities.

Danger During Pregnancy

• May affect good functioning of the mother’s immune system.
• Increased miscarriage rate.
• Possible brain damage in the fetus.
• Lower birth weight, which is associated with more health problems.
• THC can be passed to a baby in breast milk, which can impair the infant's motor development (control of muscle movement).

Emotional Damage

• Amotivational syndrome is the most common side effect of long-term marijuana use. Marijuana users:

• Lose interest in setting and achieving goals.
• Stop caring about things that used to be important to them.
• Neglect school, work, chores, personal health, and their relationships.
• It can take up to 2 years of abstinence to regain a normal motivation level.

• More delinquent behavior and aggression

Intellectual Damage

• Permanent damage to thinking and reasoning ability.
• Difficulty sustaining attention.

Psychological Addiction

• Increasing tolerance -- Users need increasing amounts of marijuana to feel its effects.
• Many users develop compulsive drug craving and drug seeking.
• Abusers continue to use marijuana despite negative consequences in their lives.