Marijuana smoke can hurt your lungs and cause some of the same coughing and breathing problems faced by cigarette smokers. (Photo information)
Effects of Marijuana on Bodies and Brains
These are just some of the problems marijuana can cause:
Memory Problems
Marijuana makes it hard to remember things that just happened a few minutes ago. That makes it hard to learn in school or to pay attention to work.
Heart Problems
Using marijuana makes the heart beat fast and raises your risk of having a heart attack.
Coughing and Breathing Problems
Marijuana smokers can get some of the same coughing and breathing problems as cigarette smokers. Marijuana smoke can hurt your lungs.
Drugged Driving
Driving when you're high on marijuana is dangerous, just like driving drunk. Your reactions to traffic signs and sounds are slow. It's hard to pay attention to the road. And it's even worse when you're high on marijuana and alcohol at the same time.
You Stop Caring
Over time, marijuana users can get "burnt out." They don't think about much or do much. They can't concentrate. They don't seem to care about anything.
Addiction
Although some people don't know it, you can get addicted to marijuana after using it for a while. This is more likely to happen to people who use marijuana every day, or who started using it when they were teenagers.