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Positive Effects of Marijuana's Impact on Health: Benefits

• Categories: Alternative Medicine Marijuana Medical Marijuana

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Words: 1587 |

Published: Feb 12, 2019

Words: 1587 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, positive effects of marijuana on our health, negative effects of marijuanas on our health.

• Marijuana can be smoked .and it’s been prepared with a white plain square paper and the marijuana leaf is been put inside the paper and you use the paper wrap the leaf and tie on one and the other end will be acting like filter in cigarette.
• While some people put the marijuana leaf and mix marijuana in food (edibles), such as brownies, cookies, or candy, or brew it as a tea. A newly popular method of use is smoking or eating different forms of THC-rich resins in most cases it’s been put inside milk or juice.
• Marijuana can also be chewed like meat and some other solid materials that requires chewing. positive effect of marijuana to our health Marijuana have effect on two different occasions. We have the long and short term.in everything we do, we always have merit of that thing and demerit of that same thing.
• Decline in IQ (up to 8 points if prolonged use started in adolescent age)
• Poor school performance and higher chance of dropping out
• Impaired thinking and ability to learn and perform complex tasks
• Lower life satisfaction
• Addiction (about 9% of adults and 17% of people who started smoking as teens)
• Potential development of opiate abuse
• Relationship problems, intimate partner violence
• Antisocial behavior including stealing money or lying
• Financial difficulties
• Increased welfare dependence
• Greater chances of being unemployed or not getting good jobs.
• sexual problems for males
• increases risk of strokes
• slow in reaction
• Loss of sense of personal identity
• increase heart attacks
• short term memory problems.

Short Term Positive Effect of Marijuana in our Health

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Long Term Positive Effect of Marijuana in our Health

How does marijuana affect the brain.

• altered senses (for example, seeing brighter colors)
• altered sense of time
• changes in mood
• impaired body movement difficulty with thinking and problem-solving
• impaired memory
• hallucinations (when taken in high doses)
• delusions (when taken in high doses)
• psychosis (when taken in high doses).

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Works Cited

• Belendiuk, K. A., Baldini, L. L., Bonn-Miller, M. O. (2015). Narrative review of the safety and efficacy of marijuana for the treatment of commonly state-approved medical and psychiatric disorders. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 10(1), 10.
• Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Cannabidiol as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders. Neurotherapeutics, 12(4), 825-836.
• Davis, M. P. (2016). Cannabinoids for symptom management and cancer therapy: the evidence. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 14(7), 915-922.
• Huestis, M. A. (2007). Human cannabinoid pharmacokinetics. Chemistry & biodiversity, 4(8), 1770-1804.
• Juknat, A., & Mechoulam, R. (2012). Cannabinoids and inflammatory bowel diseases. Inflammatory bowel diseases, 18(10), 2064-2068.
• Loflin, M., Earleywine, M., & De Leo, J. (2014). Enjoyment and use of marijuana in different ways: Smoking, eating, and vaporizing. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 46(3), 221-227.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Marijuana. https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/marijuana
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: the current state of evidence and recommendations for research. National Academies Press.
• Pazos, M. R., Mohammed, N., Lafuente, H., Santos, M., Martínez-Pinilla, E., & Moreno, E. (2013). Mechanisms of cannabidiol neuroprotection in hypoxic-ischemic newborn pigs: role of 5HT(1A) and CB2 receptors. Neuropharmacology, 71, 282-291.
• Volkow, N. D., Baler, R. D., Compton, W. M., & Weiss, S. R. B. (2014). Adverse health effects of marijuana use. New England Journal of Medicine, 370(23), 2219-2227.

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How does smoking marijuana affect academic performance? Two researchers explain how it can alter more than just moods

Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington

Research Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington

Disclosure statement

Jason R. Kilmer, Ph.D. receives (and/or has received) funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and Washington State's Health Care Authority, Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery.

Christine Lee receives (and/or received) funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Washington State's Health Care Authority, Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery.

University of Washington provides funding as a member of The Conversation US.

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In a trend that coincided with the pandemic, marijuana use among college students in 2020 reached levels not seen since the 1980s . That’s according to the latest research from Monitoring the Future – an annual survey that looks at drug and alcohol use among the nation’s young people. Below, Jason R. Kilmer and Christine M. Lee – both University of Washington School of Medicine researchers who study marijuana use among college students – explain some of the reasons behind the trend, and some of its consequences.

Why is marijuana so popular among college students as of late?

Research has consistently shown that people report using marijuana in order to feel the high, experience enhanced feelings, increase social connections or cope with certain feelings and moods.

Among young adults early in the pandemic , there were modest reductions in motivations for using marijuana for celebratory reasons and slight increases toward using marijuana because of boredom, possibly due to initial physical distancing mandates and stay-at-home orders. However, among the main reasons for using, both before the pandemic and during as well, are feelings of enjoyment or the high associated with marijuana use.

We do not yet know the impact of these shifting motivations for using marijuana or whether patterns seen during the pandemic will continue after.

How many college students are actually using cannabis?

With 18 states legalizing cannabis for non-medical or “recreational” purposes – the first of which did so in 2012 – access to marijuana has increased, especially for college students over 21 years of age. While the past three reports from Monitoring the Future – a national drug use survey conducted annually by the University of Michigan – have shown that between 43% and 44% of college students report any cannabis use in the past year, over half of college students do not report use. This is important to note because research has shown that when people think “everyone” is doing something, they are more likely to start doing it themselves or do it more .

Different from any use in the past year, researchers often look at past month use as an indicator of current use. Given that about 25% of college students report use in the past month , this suggests that three-quarters of students do not report past month use, and not using marijuana is actually the most common behavior.

How does smoking weed affect academic performance?

As researchers who work with college students, we hear students say things like marijuana is “safe,” “natural” or that it’s “just weed,” but research tells a very different story about potential risks. This is particularly true with the high potency cannabis that dominates markets in legal and medical states .

Published research consistently shows that the more frequently a college student uses cannabis, the lower their GPA tends to be, the more they report skipping class and the longer it takes them to graduate .

Probably the most direct impact to academic performance is a relationship between marijuana use and impaired attention and memory. This relationship has been documented for years, including with college students .

The good news is that studies that follow people as they abstain show that when marijuana use stops, cognitive performance improves , though it can take 28 days of abstinence. So much of this depends on how often someone uses and the type or potency of marijuana they are using. But whatever the case, it certainly seems that the more frequently people use, the more likely they are to experience challenges with attention, memory and other cognitive abilities.

In an August 2021 article about recommended guidelines for lower-risk cannabis use , the authors concluded that people who use cannabis and experience impaired cognitive performance should think about taking a break or significantly reducing how much they use, or the potency of what they use.

Are there any academic or educational benefits?

In our conversations with college students, we hear some students who typically use marijuana say that when they don’t use, they can’t sit still, or they feel restless and anxious. These students might assume that marijuana use is “helping” them.

Unfortunately, the anxiety and restlessness they experience when not using marijuana can be symptoms of withdrawal. Those things could also be indicative of addiction to cannabis, or what is called a cannabis use disorder . This might mean when students continue to use marijuana, they might feel a sense of less anxiety or restlessness, but are actually making withdrawal symptoms stop by resuming use.

We are not aware of any studies that point to academic or educational benefits of using marijuana.

Are we forgetting anything?

Science has to play catch-up on the cannabis products being sold today. Among the many cannabinoids in cannabis, THC, the psychoactive component typically associated with the “high” from marijuana, is arguably the most well studied. In the U.S., THC concentrations in the 1970s on average were under 2% , reached 3% in the 1980s , were 4% by the mid-1990s and steadily climbed to almost 15% by 2018 .

Today, especially in legal markets, we are seeing even higher concentrations. For example, in Washington state, flower products – that is, marijuana that is smoked – commonly exceed 20% THC . Concentrates, which include dabs, hash oil and other products, routinely exceed 60% THC .

“High potency” cannabis is considered to be anything over 10% THC . Use of high potency cannabis is associated with a number of outcomes, including greater risk of cannabis use disorder and adverse mental health outcomes.

[ You’re smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation’s authors and editors. You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter .]

Young people seem to be particularly vulnerable . Although we sometimes hear from people that marijuana use doesn’t seem that risky, recent studies make clear that cannabis use may increase harms and risks for those who use . For college students, these issues range from having trouble concentrating and paying attention to feeling antisocial or paranoid .

• US higher education
• College students
• marijuana effects
• Marijuana laws
• Cannabis use
• Higher ed attainment
• Cannabis use in teens

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• v.6(3); Jul-Sep 2018

The adverse health effects and harms related to marijuana use: an overview review

Associated data.

With impending marijuana legislation in Canada, a broad understanding of the harms associated with marijuana use is needed to inform the clinical community and public, and to support evidence-informed public policy development. The purpose of the review was to synthesize the evidence on adverse health effects and harms of marijuana use.

We searched MEDLINE, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, PsycINFO, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Health Technology Assessment Database from the inception of each database to May 2018. Given that systematic reviews evaluating one or other specific harm have been published, this is an overview review with the primary objective of assessing a health effect or harm. Data on author, country and year of publication, search strategy and results, and outcomes were extracted. Quality was assessed using the AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) checklist.

The final analysis included 68 reviews. Evidence of harm was reported in 62 reviews for several mental health disorders, brain changes, cognitive outcomes, pregnancy outcomes and testicular cancer. Inconclusive evidence was found for 20 outcomes (some mental health outcomes, other types of cancers and all-cause mortality). No evidence of harm was reported for 6 outcomes.

Interpretation

Harm was associated with most outcomes assessed. These results should be viewed with concern by physicians and policy-makers given the prevalence of use, the persistent reporting of a lack of recognition of marijuana as a possibly harmful substance and the emerging context of legalization for recreational use.

“Marijuana” refers to the dried leaves of the Cannabis sativa plant. 1 Internationally, it is the most widely used illicit substance. 2 About 2.5% of the world’s population uses marijuana, and it accounts for half of all drug seizures worldwide. 2 , 3 In Canada, the rate of past-month marijuana use is about 10.5%. 2 Users report feelings of excitement, euphoria, sensory distortion, sedation or drowsiness from using marijuana, 4 which impel usage for similar reasons as alcohol, tobacco and other illicit substances. However, there are negative health effects associated with marijuana use.

Currently, marijuana is legal in 8 US states, Washington and Uruguay, with several other jurisdictions nationally and internationally actively developing legislation. Canada has legalization currently under consideration at the House of Commons, with legalization having already being considered once by the Senate; legalization is likely to occur by fall 2018. A broad understanding of the harms associated with marijuana use is needed to inform the clinical community and public, and to support evidence-informed public policy development. The individual health risks associated with marijuana use are widely reported in several focused systematic reviews. 5 – 7 Syntheses have reported adverse events associated with medical use, the risks associated with use during pregnancy and the association of recreational use with impaired driving. 8 – 11 A recent synthesis from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine included a variety of health effects associated with marijuana, but owing to the heterogeneity of the literature, and time constraints, the report’s breadth was limited to priorities. 12 To date, there has been no complete picture of harms and risks published in the peer-reviewed literature.

The objective of this work was to synthesize comprehensively the evidence of the health effects and harms (e.g., mortality, mental health outcomes, respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular diseases) of nonmedical marijuana use within a general population, providing clinicians with a broad and comprehensive overview of possible health impacts. Owing to the broad nature of this review, we build on the robust existing synthesis literature; thus, we included systematic reviews. Any systematic review that reported on nonmedical use of cannabis within a population, included any study designs, and assessed any health effect or harm except a therapeutic outcome was included. This review is intentionally broad on the outcomes included to ensure that we captured the breadth of knowledge available.

Data sources

We conducted an overview review. Given that systematic reviews evaluating one or other specific harm have been published, this is an overview review with the primary objective of assessing a health effect or harm. Six databases were searched from inception until May 2018: MEDLINE (1947–May 3, 2018), The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2005–May 3, 2018), Embase (1970–May 3, 2018), PsycINFO (1967–May 3, 2018), the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (1937–May 3, 2018), and the Health Technology Assessment Database (1996–May 3, 2018). The search strategy was developed by 2 research associates (K.A.M. and L.E.D.) with expertise in search strategy design, and reviewed by a library and information specialist. Key terms focused on marijuana and negative health outcomes. Terms for marijuana, such as “cannabis,” “marihuana,” “pot” or “weed” were combined with terms for adverse health effects, such as “adverse event,” “harm,” “reaction,” “change” and “impairment,” and specific outcomes such as “cancer,” “depression” and “mortality.” The search was limited to English or French, systematic reviews or other reviews, and meta-analyses. No search of the grey literature was completed. The MEDLINE search is included in Appendix 1 (available at www.cmajopen.ca/content/6/3/E339/suppl/DC1 ); the full search strategy for all databases is available from the authors on request.

Study selection

All abstracts were screened by 2 independent reviewers (K.A.M. and L.E.D.). Inclusion criteria were systematic review design, publication in English or French, focus on human or animal populations, report on nonmedical marijuana usage, and report an adverse health effect or harm. Abstracts were excluded if they failed to meet any of the inclusion criteria above. To ensure all relevant literature was captured, abstracts included by either reviewer proceeded to full-text review. All full texts were reviewed in duplicate by 2 independent reviewers (K.A.M. and L.E.D.). Any discrepancies between reviewers were resolved through discussion and consensus. All identified full texts were hand searched for other articles that met the inclusion criteria.

Data extraction and quality assessment

Data extracted from all studies included author, year and country of publication, search strategy, number of papers included, patient characteristics and key outcomes (data extraction and quality assessment were performed by K.A.M. and L.E.D.). When available, odds ratios, risk ratios and percentages were extracted. Quality was assessed using the AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) checklist. Items covered by AMSTAR include presence of an a priori design, duplicate selection and data extraction, listing of included and excluded studies, whether the status of publication was used as inclusion criteria, quality of included studies, likelihood of publication bias and appropriate mode of combining the studies. 13 All studies were given a final quality score out of 11, with a score of 0–4 indicating low quality and a score of 9–11 indicating high quality.

Data synthesis and analysis

Studies were categorized by clinical area, and outcomes extracted included structural, functional or chemical brain changes, cognitive changes, cancer, changes in mental health, effects of prenatal exposure, death and other health effects.

Ethics approval

All data were from published studies so ethics approval was not required.

Description of included reviews

We identified 731 unique abstracts, of which 195 proceeded to full-text review. Sixty-eight systematic reviews were included in the final data set. The most common reason for exclusion was a lack of reporting of a health effect or harm ( Figure 1 ). All were published between 1997 and 2017, and the most recent review was conducted in 2015. The most commonly searched databases were MEDLINE (53 reviews), Embase (39 reviews), PsycINFO (33 reviews) and PubMed (30 reviews) (Appendix 2, available at www.cmajopen.ca/content/6/3/E339/suppl/DC1 ). Twenty-two reviews examined mental health outcomes, 15 reported on functional and structural brain changes, 10 examined neurocognitive effects, 4 reported on cancer, 5 reported on prenatal exposure and 12 examined overall health effects ( Table 1 , Box 1 ).

Flow diagram of inclusions and exclusions. CINAHL = Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature.

Summary of findings from 68 systematic reviews on adverse health effects and harms of marijuana use

Note: COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, GABA = γ-aminobutyric acid, NICU = neonatal intensive care unit.

An overview of the health effects and harms associated with marijuana use

• Overall health effects: arteritis
• Cancer: lung, head and neck cancers
• Overall health effects: all-cause mortality, atrial fibrilation and bone loss
• Mental health: psychosis in high-risk individuals, worsening psychotic symptoms, suicide, depression and anxiety
• Cancer: bladder, prostate, penile, cervical and childhood cancers
• Brain changes: white matter and blood flow changes
• Overall health effects: driving, stroke, pulmonary function, cross-interaction with drugs and vision
• Mental health: psychosis, mania, neurologic soft signs, relapse in patients with psychosis or schizophrenia, and dependence on cannabis
• Cancer: testicular cancer
• Social effects: impaired driving
• Brain changes: decreased glutamate, changes in dopamine, decreased hippocampal volume and poorer global functioning
• Neurocognitive changes: reduced memory, anhedonia and decreased efficiency
• Harms associated with use during pregnancy: low birth weight, birth complications and long-term effects

Quality of included reviews

Twenty-eight reviews were of low quality, 29 were of moderate quality and 11 were of high quality. The lowest overall quality was in overall health effects and the highest was in cancer. Brain changes, prenatal exposure and overall health effects had no high-quality reviews (score of 9–11/11). There were 2 reviews with a quality score of 1/11, 14 , 15 one in brain changes and another in mental health effects. Many reviews reported multiple outcomes, and, as such, some reviews concluded both harm and no harm for different outcomes. Overall, 62 of the assessed outcomes were associated with harm, for 20 outcomes there was insufficient evidence and for 6 outcomes there was no evidence of harm ( Figure 2 ). In reviews that concluded harm, 20 were low quality 6 , 14 – 32 and 9 were high quality. 7 , 33 – 40 In those that concluded no evidence of harm, 5 were low quality 21 , 23 , 31 , 41 , 42 and 4 were high quality. 5 , 34 , 37 , 43 In those that reported inconsistent evidence, 5 were low quality 20 , 44 – 47 and 1 was high quality. 40 Five reviews identified randomized trials. 20 , 48 – 51

Summary of evidence. Each dot represents a systematic review. Each third represents the conclusion about harm: the bottom third is no evidence of harm, the middle third is inconsistent evidence and the top third is evidence of harm. Reviews are organized within each third based on quality such that higher quality are near the top of the respective third and lower quality reviews are near the bottom. Some reviews reported on multiple outcomes and are represented accordingly.

Effect of interventions

Brain changes.

Of the 15 included reviews, 5 assessed structural changes, 3 examined functional changes, 4 assessed both structural and functional changes and 3 examined chemical changes. All papers reported either harm or insufficient evidence. Most ( n = 13) examined neuroimaging primary studies, including structural, functional and volumetric magnetic resonance imaging; 18 , 44 , 48 , 49 , 52 – 54 diffusion tensor imaging; 41 , 48 , 52 , 54 , 55 positron emission tomography; 49 single photon emission tomography; 49 magnetic resonance spectroscopy; 14 pneumoencephalography; 18 and computed tomography. 18

In otherwise healthy users, changes were observed in amygdala, 44 , 48 , 52 hippocampal, 44 , 48 , 52 and white and grey matter volume 44 , 48 , 56 and blood flow, 48 , 49 , 54 , 56 but there were no changes to whole brain volume, 41 , 52 intracranial volume 52 or the corpus callosum. 41 Changes in learning, 49 attention, 48 , 54 memory 48 , 49 , 54 and overall activity 18 were observed. Many of the structural changes can help explain the functional changes. In users with schizophrenia or psychosis, white matter deficits 55 and decreased global activity 57 were observed. Disruptions in glutamate, 53 dopamine, 50 N-acetylaspartate, 14 myo-inositol, 14 choline, 14 and γ-aminobutyric acid 14 were observed in cannabis users.

Mental health

Twenty-one reviews examined marijuana and mental health. Reviews assessed the association between marijuana use and psychosis or schizophrenia ( n = 15), anxiety ( n = 2), suicide or depression ( n = 2), mania ( n = 1), neurologic soft signs ( n = 1) and marijuana dependence ( n = 1). Quality was variable, with 8 high-quality, 7 medium-quality and 7 low-quality reviews, with quality scores ranging from 1/11 to 10/11. None of the reviews included randomized trials. Most reviews compared marijuana users to nonusers, the general population or those at high risk of psychosis. Some reviews 33 , 40 compared users to nonusers among people with schizophrenia. One review compared users with first-episode psychosis with users with long-term chronic psychosis. 58

Psychosis and schizophrenia

There was an increased risk of schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms related to heavy (odds ratio [OR] 3.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.84–5.34), average (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.68–2.31), 59 ever (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.20–1.65), 60 more frequent (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.54–2.84) 60 and early use (OR 2.90, 95% CI 2.40–3.60) 61 compared with never use. Compared with no use, cannabis use was associated with an earlier onset of psychosis 38 , 43 , 47 (6.3, standardized mean difference [SMD] 1.56, 95% CI 1.40–1.72, yr). 58 Cannabis use or abuse was also associated with transition to psychosis in those at “ultra-high risk” for psychosis (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.135–2.710) 37 relative to never users. Lastly, cannabis use in those with psychosis was related to increased relapse, readmission to hospital and decreased treatment adherence. 33 , 40 Cannabis use was higher in those with first-episode psychosis. 47 Any cannabis use was not associated with onset of psychosis in those at high risk or symptom severity compared with no use. 37 There was no association with neurologic soft signs, or the neurologic abnormalities in sensory and motor performance that have been associated with schizophrenia during neurodevelopment. 62

Mood, anxiety and suicide

Cannabis use, compared with no use, was associated with death by suicide (chronic users: OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.25–5.27), 63 suicidal ideation (any use: OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.13–1.83; heavy use: OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.00–6.39), 63 suicide attempt (any use: OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.24–4.00; heavy use: OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.72–5.94) 63 and depression (any use: OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.05–1.30; heavy use: OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.21–2.16). 39 Increased severity and duration of manic phases (OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.80–4.90) 7 and higher levels of anxiety were observed. 21 Those with anxiety were more likely to use cannabis (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.06–1.45) 36 and develop cannabis use disorder (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.23–2.31). 36

About 10% of users experienced marijuana dependency; dependency increased with frequency of use. 15 This review, however, was limited to self-reported surveys rather than formal diagnoses of dependency. 15

Cognitive effects

Ten reviews assessed cognitive effects: 5 examined learning and memory, 5 examined executive function, 5 examined motor functioning, 3 examined reaction time, 4 examined attention, 2 examined forgetting/retrieval, 1 examined anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure) and 1 examined sleep. There was evidence of changes to functional and structural integrity, 34 memory and learning, 20 , 34 and increased anhedonia. 22 There was inconsistent evidence regarding learning, 23 , 64 attention, 20 , 23 , 34 , 64 forgetting/retrieval, 23 , 64 executive function, 20 , 23 , 34 , 64 , 65 motor and perceptual motor function, 20 , 23 , 34 , 64 , 65 and sleep. 46 There was no evidence of changes in reaction time, 23 , 64 , 66 verbal/language skills 23 , 64 or visual spatial function. 34 In people with psychosis, cannabis use was not associated with a significant additional decline in general cognitive ability or intelligence, 26 attention, 26 executive abilities, 26 working and learning memory, 26 , 28 retrieval and cognition, 26 language 26 or visuospatial performance. 26 , 28

Prenatal exposure

Five reviews examined marijuana use during pregnancy. Harms were reported for both the mother and the child. Pregnant women who used cannabis were more likely to experience anemia during pregnancy (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.10–1.69). 35 Both reductions and increases in birth weight were reported (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.04–3.01, OR adjusted for tobacco use, other drug use, and socioeconomic and demographic factors 1.16, 95% CI 0.98–1.37). 35 , 67 Compared with no use, there was a 48 g reduction in birth weight for those with any use (95% CI 14–83 g), 6 131 g reduction for those who used at least 4 times per week (95% CI 52–209 g), 6 and a 62 g increase for babies whose mothers used less than once a week (95% CI 8 g reduction to 132 g increase). 6 However, women who smoked marijuana only were not at increased risk for preterm delivery compared with those who smoked both tobacco and marijuana (7.1% v. 5.7%; relative risk 1.25, 95% CI 0.63–2.50). Infants of users were more likely to be placed in the neonatal intensive care unit than those of nonusers (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.27–3.21). 35

Children prenatally exposed to cannabis were more likely to experience inattention and impulsivity at 10 years. They also had lower IQ scores, increased errors of omission, academic underachievement (especially in spelling and reading), and increased rate of adolescent cannabis and cigarette use. 31 , 32 There was no known association with congenital anomalies. 31

Overall health effects and harms

Twelve reviews examined overall health effects assessing several different outcomes. Five examined cardiovascular outcomes. There was an association with stroke, 68 atrial fibrillation, 69 bronchodilation, 70 respiratory complications 70 , 71 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 71 Some cases of increased lung bullae were identified. 71 There was no association with arteritis. 42 Cannabis interacts with tricyclic antidepressants, protease inhibitors and warfarin therapy, and the most commonly reported adverse effects of these interactions related to cardiac functioning. 25 There were some residual effects on vision. 29 Cannabis use was associated with an increased risk of fatal motor vehicle collisions 11 (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.35–2.73). 16

Five reviews examined cancer. Compared with never users, there was an increased risk of testicular cancer in current (OR 1.62 [95% CI 1.13–2.31]), 72 weekly (OR 1.92 [95% CI 1.35–2.72]), 72 and chronic users (OR 1.50 [95% CI 1.08–2.09]), 72 , 73 but no increased risk of head and neck (OR 1.02 [95% CI 0.91–1.14]) 5 cancers. There was mixed evidence on lung cancer, with one review reporting a 2.1–4.1-fold increased risk in some marijuana users 71 and another reporting no increased risk. 74 One review noted increased pathologic lung changes in non–tobacco-smoking marijuana smokers compared with nonsmokers, but did not compare marijuana smokers and tobacco smokers. 74 There was insufficient evidence regarding bladder, prostate, penile, cervical and childhood cancers to draw conclusions about the association between these outcomes and marijuana use. 73

The 68 identified reviews reported harm for 62 outcomes, insufficient evidence of harm for 20 outcomes and no evidence of harm for 6 outcomes. Most reviews were of low to moderate quality; however, this is not a comment on the quality of the primary studies included within these reviews but an assessment of how well the systematic reviews reported methods and results. Harm is reported for multiple mental health outcomes, including psychosis, mania and suicide. There is evidence of structural, functional and chemical brain changes that may underlie some of the associated risk for mental illness. There is also evidence for impaired driving, and changes to memory, learning and hedonic value.

This review provides important information regarding the need to consider adverse health effects of recreational or medical marijuana use. This information should be of use to policymakers and health care systems as jurisdictions prepare to address the health effects of increased accessibility of marijuana. Data regarding harms associated with marijuana, including those related to mental health and brain changes should be considered when evaluating the potential impacts of legalizing marijuana, particularly related to the potential for increases in health care costs. As Canada prepares to legalize marijuana, there must be consideration of the impact on psychiatric and primary care practitioners, who are likely to encounter this within their practices. Although overall use is not expected to increase, as Canadians become more aware of the risks with marijuana, the health care system may observe an increase in patients presenting with the outcomes described.

Particular consideration should be given to special populations, namely pregnant women, adolescents, and those with risk for or established mental illness. Several reviews suggest that effects are worse in adolescent users compared with adult users. 24 , 44 , 51 , 55 , 61 All reviews examining prenatal exposure and several reviews examining those with several mental illnesses suggested poorer outcomes for those who use marijuana compared with the general population. Public health campaigns or initiatives to inform these populations about the potential risks of use are required. Policy-makers may consider regulating marijuana from a public health perspective to reduce the harms among the most vulnerable groups. Physicians should also note this differential effect and advise youth, pregnant women and those with mental illnesses against use.

However, none of the above evidence is causal; only associative evidence is available. The study designs available within humans are limited to observational cohorts as sufficiently powered randomized controlled trials would not be feasible or ethical. It is possible that the observed positive associations are due to systematic differences between marijuana users and nonusers in underlying risks, social exposures or environmental factors. Nonetheless, clinicians should be aware that there is a variety of health harms associated with marijuana use and consider additional preventive measures for their patients, such as additional behavioural counselling and more assertive diagnostic approaches if symptoms arise.

Only 1 review examined dependency and was limited to examining only self-reported surveys; however, this review provides important information for physicians. 15 This review reported that 10% of users meet criteria for marijuana dependency. 15 There were moderate effects of genetics on dependency, and those who also smoked cigarettes, began smoking before the age of 17 and were weekly users were more likely to be dependent. 15 Other reviews noted that those who were dependent on marijuana were more likely to develop psychosis, especially in those already at high risk, 37 and users with anxiety were more likely to develop marijuana dependency. 38 It is important for physicians to provide education to their patients that marijuana is not a harmless, recreational substance, particularly in groups at risk owing to personal or family history.

Our intention was to compile a comprehensive picture of the possible harms associated with marijuana use. With this goal, building on the existing literature, we completed an overview of reviews. Thus, we did not analyze at the level of individual studies. Our analysis is at the level of systematic review. It is possible that systematic reviews included the same individual primary studies. Indeed, it would be expected that systematics reviews would include overlapping literature. However, when multiple systematic reviews draw the same conclusions, this indicates the robustness of the conclusions and the replication of findings. In this work, multiple systematic reviews do report findings of harm in 20 of the outcomes assessed, most of which are mental health and poor pregnancy outcomes. Thus, with this evidence base, there should be particular attention paid to promoting responsible marijuana use, or abstinence, for those at high risk of mental illness and those who are pregnant.

Limitations

This review is limited in the range of potential harms that could be examined, as only topics previously systematically reviewed were included. Some adverse effects may therefore have been missed in this review. One such topic is the toxicity of marijuana compared with other licit and illicit substances. Compared with alcohol and tobacco, 2 legal and often-used substances, marijuana is less toxic at the population-level. 75 Further, because of the nature of marijuana function on the brain, death due to overdose is not possible 76 and marijuana has therefore been classified as a relatively safe drug, which it is in the short term. The safety profile of marijuana in the short term may have overshadowed some of the longer term health risks that appear to be associated with even moderate use. This review was limited to English and French reviews, which may have excluded some important reviews. Additionally, this review protocol was not registered in PROSPERO.

Though there is inconsistent evidence of variable quality, the general conclusion is that marijuana is associated with negative effects on several aspects of mental and physical health. With legalization impending in Canada, it is important to understand the likely impact of increased accessibility on health and health services, particularly in youth, pregnant woman and people living with mental illness. Better understanding of both the short- and long-term health effects of marijuana use is essential to inform public and clinical policy, as well as to adapt clinical services to anticipate changing clinical need.

Supplementary Material

Competing interests: Eldon Spackman reports grants from Alberta Health Technology Decision Process. Tom Noseworthy reports a grant from the University of Calgary. No other competing interests were declared.

This article has been peer reviewed.

Contributors: K. Ally Memedovich, Laura Dowsett and Fiona Clement designed the study; K. Ally Memedovich and Laura Dowsett collected and managed the data; K. Ally Memedovich, Laura Dowsett and Fiona Clement analyzed the data; and all of the authors interpreted the data. K. Ally Memedovich, Laura Dowsett and Fiona Clement drafted the manuscript, which all of the authors reviewed. All of the authors gave final approval of the version to be published and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Supplemental information: For reviewer comments and the original submission of this manuscript, please see www.cmajopen.ca/content/6/3/E339/suppl/DC1 .

Usage and Effects of Marijuana Essay

Introduction, reasons for discussion, origins and history, effects and properties, production, use, legalization.

Cannabis, or marijuana, has been a subject of discussions for decades. Emerging from earliest societies, the drug has had considerable presence in all kinds of industries and applications – ranging from medical to spiritual uses. In the modern world, more and more countries are recognizing the role of cannabis in bringing benefits to the population. As a result, discussions of legalization and decriminalization emerge with increased force. However, the actual relationship between society and marijuana is complex. The substance can have both positive and negative effects on the population. For some, it is a source of relief, for others it is a difficult habit that affects their daily functioning. For the purposes of better understanding the drug and navigating the modern realities, it is necessary to discuss marijuana in more detail.

As mentioned previously, marijuana plays an increasingly large role in society. Efforts or legalizing the drug bring forth challenges connected with the best way to regulate its distribution, usage and production. In cases of decriminalization, governments also struggle to choose the correct way to implement their policies. The process is hampered by the need to navigate the needs of diverse populations. In order to build a structure upon which the distribution and production of marijuana can be built, legislators must consider the wishes of companies and the populace alike.

At the same time, the population itself reaches a new level of understanding cannabis use. After a considerable period of being considered taboo and misunderstood, marijuana is entering the mainstream thought. Researchers, scholars and enthusiasts alike are searching for more ways of applying the plant, while also discussing its effects on the population.

Cannabis has a storied history. First appearing in Asia, the plant was popularized by Chinese emperors. From China, it quickly spread to surrounding countries, such as India, where it became a prominent part of culture and myth. Earliest uses of the substance are connected with medical remedies and rituals to appease gods. Europeans got into contact with marijuana much later, closer to the 19 th century, when explorers, seafarers and travelers started interacting with China. Much like the Asian continent, Europeans and Americans used marijuana for its medicinal purposes. However, it was slowly pushed out of the market by taxation and regulation.

Cannabidiol is one of the two primary active part of cannabis, one that is responsible for affecting individual’s nervous and cardio systems. Instead of stimulating receptors, like it was assumed, the substance works as an antagonist, potentially affecting the effectiveness of HTC, another active ingredient in cannabis.

The effectiveness of consuming cannabis or its extracts depends on how they entered the body – inhaling or smoking works quicker than eating products containing marijuana.

There are a number of potential effects that a person will feel after consuming cannabis. Depending on the individual, cannabis can produce different effects. Altered sense of smell, sense or perception is common, as well as an inability to properly understand time. The individual usually feels relaxed, or experiences quick mood changes. In addition, speech impairment, trouble moving and hallucinations can be common symptoms.

Each country chooses how to handle the process of legalizing/decriminalizing cannabis differently. Depending on the president/ruling party, the process can be restrictive or overarching. In some countries, focus is made on managing marijuana use, while in others possession itself is the target.

• Cannabis is difficult to discuss or ascribe morally.
• The drug affects a person’s mental and physical condition.
• Antagonizing one’s brain receptors, cannabis has relaxing properties.
• Efforts of decriminalization and legalization help populations that need cannabis.
• Certain populations are endangered by marijuana decriminalization.

Barton, Allen W., et al. “Trajectory classes of cannabis use and heavy drinking among rural African American adolescents: multi-level predictors of class membership.” Addiction , vol. 113, no. 8, 2018, pp. 1439-1449.

Carliner, Hannah, et al. “Cannabis use, attitudes, and legal status in the U.S.: A review.” Preventive Medicine , vol. 104, 2017, pp. 13-23.

Goode, Erich. “ Pot and the Myth of Shen Nung .” The New York Review of Books , Web.

Halperin, Alex. “ Cannabis Capitalism: Who is Making Money in the Marijuana Industry? ” The Guardian , Web.

Kicman, Aleksandra, and Marek Toczek. “The Effects of Cannabidiol, a Non-Intoxicating Compound of Cannabis, on the Cardiovascular System in Health and Disease.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences , vol. 21, no. 18, 2020, p. 6740.

Knaappila, Noora, et al. “Changes in cannabis use according to socioeconomic status among Finnish adolescents from 2000 to 2015.” Journal of Cannabis Research , vol. 2, no. 1, 2020.

“Legality of cannabis by country.” Map. Wikimedia Commons , Van De Voorde, Nick T., et al. “Denver’s Green Mile: Marijuana gentrification as a process of urban change.” Journal of Urban Affairs , 2021, pp. 1-19.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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1. IvyPanda . "Usage and Effects of Marijuana." December 14, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/usage-and-effects-of-marijuana/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Usage and Effects of Marijuana." December 14, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/usage-and-effects-of-marijuana/.

• Decriminalization of Marijuana
• The Decriminalization of Marijuana
• The Arguments For and Against Marijuana Decriminalization
• Declaiming Drugs Decriminalization
• Decriminalization of Drugs: Affirmative Side
• The Decriminalization of Sex Work
• Marijuana Legalization: Controversial Issue in Canada
• Drugs Decriminalization and Legalization Issues
• The Marijuana Usage Legislation
• Cannabis or Marijuana for Medical Use
• Health Policy: Identification and Definition
• Health and Fitness: Developing a Healthy Community
• Promoting Healthy Lifestyles in a Community
• Health Care Spending Over Time
• Substance (Heroin) Use as Community Problem

Health Effects of Marijuana

Marijuana: How Can It Affect Your Health?

Marijuana—which can also be called cannabis, weed, pot, or dope—refers to the dried flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds of the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant contains more than 100 compounds (or cannabinoids). These compounds include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is impairing or mind-altering, as well as other active compounds, such as cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is not impairing, meaning it does not cause a “high”. 1

Marijuana is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States, with an estimated 48.2 million people using it in 2019. 2 Marijuana use may have a wide range of health effects on the body and brain. Click on the sections below to learn more about how marijuana use can affect your health.

Heart Health

Mental health, risk of using other drugs, brain health, lung health, second-hand marijuana smoking.

• Rosenberg EC, Tsien RW, Whalley BJ, Devinsky O. Cannabinoids and epilepsy. Neurotherapeutics . 2015;12(4):747-768.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP20-07-01-001, NSDUH Series H-55). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/ external icon

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Cannabis (Marijuana) Research Report How does marijuana use affect school, work, and social life?

Research has shown that marijuana’s negative effects on attention, memory, and learning can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off, depending on the person’s history with the drug. 52 Consequently, someone who smokes marijuana daily may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level most or all of the time. Considerable evidence suggests that students who smoke marijuana have poorer educational outcomes than their nonsmoking peers. For example, a review of 48 relevant studies found marijuana use to be associated with reduced educational attainment (i.e., reduced chances of graduating). 53 A recent analysis using data from three large studies in Australia and New Zealand found that adolescents who used marijuana regularly were significantly less likely than their non-using peers to finish high school or obtain a degree. They also had a much higher chance of developing dependence, using other drugs, and attempting suicide. 54 Several studies have also linked heavy marijuana use to lower income, greater welfare dependence, unemployment, criminal behavior, and lower life satisfaction. 55,56

To what degree marijuana use is directly causal in these associations remains an open question requiring further research. It is possible that other factors independently predispose people to both marijuana use and various negative life outcomes such as school dropout. 57 That said, people report a perceived influence of their marijuana use on poor outcomes on a variety of life satisfaction and achievement measures. One study, for example, compared people involved with current and former long-term, heavy use of marijuana with a control group who reported smoking marijuana at least once in their lives but not more than 50 times. 58 All participants had similar education and income backgrounds, but significant differences were found in their educational attainment: Fewer of those who engaged in heavy cannabis use completed college, and more had yearly household incomes of less than $30,000. When asked how marijuana affected their cognitive abilities, career achievements, social lives, and physical and mental health, the majority of those who used heavily reported that marijuana had negative effects in all these areas of their lives.

Studies have also suggested specific links between marijuana use and adverse consequences in the workplace, such as increased risk for injury or accidents. 59 One study among postal workers found that employees who tested positive for marijuana on a pre-employment urine drug test had 55% more industrial accidents, 85% more injuries, and 75% greater absenteeism compared with those who tested negative for marijuana use. 60

THREE ESSAYS ON THE EFFECT OF LEGALIZING MARIJUANA ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND SOCIAL SECURITY

The legalization of marijuana has emerged as a critical public policy issue, with far-reaching implications for health, education, and government programs at both the state and federal levels. The three essays of this dissertation show that medical marijuana legalization (MML) has a negative effect in each of these areas. The first essay shows, that the enactment of MMLs can exacerbate the crisis of overdose deaths in the United States. The study analyzes three key areas: the rate of overdose deaths caused by both legal and illegal drugs, the impact of MML on social norms regarding the perceived harm of marijuana, and an investigation into the gateway theory by examining the use of other addictive drugs. I find that MMLs increase deaths attributed to overdose by 21.5% population. MMLs s also indicate increase the number of deaths due to prescribed opioids by 44.6%, and deaths from all opioids (heroin and cocaine in addition to prescribed opioids) by 37.2 % Results suggest an overall increase in the use of marijuana, primarily due to lower perceived risk among adolescents. Additionally, results show an increase in hospital admissions due to substance abuse. The analysis suggests that legalizing medical marijuana may exaggerate the current problem of drug overdose in the United States. The second essay examines the impact of improved access to medical marijuana, measured by the proximity of schools to the nearest dispensary, on the academic performance of high school students in California. Students in schools farther from a marijuana dispensary have higher academic performance as measured through AP, ACT, SAT scores, and average GPA, and lower number of suspensions due to violence and illicit drug use. To show this, I construct the first geocoded dataset on marijuana dispensary and high school locations, use newly developed difference-in-differences estimators that rule out any bias due to heterogeneous treatment effects over time, and explore dynamic responses. This essay reveals the importance of ensuring a largest possible distance between schools and dispensaries to protect adolescents from the potential harm caused by medical marijuana. Finally, the third essay shows that in the long term, MMLs increase the number of disabled workers who receive Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) because of mental health issues. SSDI is a major social insurance program that provides benefits to workers who become disabled, and understanding how policy changes in other areas may impact this program is important. In this study, there were important differences between the results of a two-way fixed effects model and a new model by Callaway and Santa’Anna. MMLs, in theory, could either increase or decrease the number of SSDI recipients, and traditional fixed effects models suggest both could be at play; however, only the negative effect is robust to correction for heterogeneous effects. This highlights the need for future research to understand the true impact of medical marijuana legalization

Contributors

Degree grantor, degree level, submission id, usage metrics.

• Health economics
• Welfare economics
• Epidemiology
• Health policy
• Public policy
• Medical and health law

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Know the Risks of Marijuana

Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal substance in the U.S. and its use is growing. Marijuana use among all adult age groups, both sexes, and pregnant women is going up. At the same time, the perception of how harmful marijuana use can be is declining. Increasingly, young people today do not consider marijuana use a risky behavior.

But there are real risks for people who use marijuana, especially youth and young adults, and women who are pregnant or nursing. Today’s marijuana is stronger than ever before. People can and do become addicted to marijuana.

Approximately 1 in 10 people who use marijuana will become addicted. When they start before age 18, the rate of addiction rises to 1 in 6.

Marijuana Risks

Marijuana use can have negative and long-term effects:

Marijuana and Pregnancy

Marijuana use during pregnancy can be harmful to a baby’s health and cause many serious problems.

What is Your Marijuana IQ?

How much do you really want to know about the risks of marijuana? You might be surprised.

Marijuana Addiction

Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is addictive. Research shows that:

• 1-in-6 people who start using the drug before the age of 18 can become addicted.
• 1-in-10 adults who use the drug can become addicted.

Over the past few decades, the amount of THC in marijuana has steadily climbed; today's marijuana has three times the concentration of THC compared to 25 years ago. The higher the THC amount, the stronger the effects on the brain—likely contributing to increased rates of marijuana-related emergency room visits. While there is no research yet on how higher potency affects the long-term risks of marijuana use, more THC is likely to lead to higher rates of dependency and addiction.

About Marijuana

Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug that contains close to 500 chemicals, including THC, a mind-altering compound that causes harmful health effects.

People smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes, in pipes or water pipes, in blunts, and by using vaporizers that pull THC from the marijuana. Marijuana can also be mixed in food (edibles), such as brownies, cookies, and candy, or brewed as a tea. People also smoke or eat different forms of marijuana extracts, which deliver a large amount of THC and can be potentially more dangerous.

Rise of Marijuana Use

Today, marijuana use is on the rise among all adult age groups, both sexes, and pregnant women. People ages 18-25 have the highest rate of use.

Marijuana and THC remain illegal at the federal level, even though many states have legalized its use. In states where legal, marijuana is a fast-growing industry with sales to individuals over 21 in retail stores, wineries, breweries, coffee shops, dispensaries, online, as well as grown at home.

Get the Files

» View and share the following marijuana videos and resources

Video: Marijuana Use while Pregnant or Breastfeeding

Video: Virtual Assistant

7 Ways Marijuana Can Affect Your Brain Health (PDF | 901 KB)

Video: Build a Brain

If you, or someone you know, need help to stop using substances – whether the problem is methamphetamine, alcohol or another drug – call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 , or text your zip code to  435748 (HELP4U), or use the SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to get help.

References and Relevant Resources

• Find Treatment
• Technology Transfer Centers (TTC) Program marijuana resources
• Tips for Teens: Marijuana
• Changes in Cannabis Potency over the Last Two Decades (1995-2014) - Analysis of Current Data in the United States: National Center for Biotechnology Information
• Does Marijuana Use Affect Driving? | NIDA
• Drug Facts: Marijuana | NIDA
• Drug Facts: Marijuana | United States Drug Enforcement Administration
• Early-Onset, Regular Cannabis Use Is Linked to IQ Decline | NIDA
• Is Marijuana Addictive? | NIDA
• National Survey on Drug Use and Health | SAMHSA
• Marijuana and Public Health | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Marijuana: Facts for Teens | NIDA
• Marijuana: Is there a Link Between Marijuana Use and Psychiatric Disorders? | NIDA
• The Contribution of Cannabis Use to Variation in the Incidence of Psychotic Disorder Across Europe | The Lancet

Last Updated: 02/27/2023