Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
There are many, many ways of referring to marijuana. The technical term for
marijuana is cannabis. Some terms like pot, hemp, herb, reefer, ganja, and weed
refer to the substance itself. A higher potency form of marijuana is often
called hashish or hash. Other words like joints, blunts, backwoods, buds, or
bongs refer to the way that marijuana is smoked. Marijuana is also often smoked
in pipes or baked in food, like brownies.
What is the history and different types of marijuana?
The history of marijuana goes back for thousands of years. It was only made
illegal in many countries during the 20th century. In the past 20 years
in the United States, the legalization pros and cons of medical marijuana have
been intensely debated as it has become legal to use it in 15 states and the
District of Columbia. In those jurisdictions, people for whom medical marijuana
has been specifically recommended by a physician must carry a (medical)
marijuana card that indicates their use of the substance for a clear medical
purpose. Individuals who do not carry such a card risk prosecution for marijuana
possession. Different states that allow for legal use of marijuana have
different guidelines for the legality of possessing and using medical marijuana.
For example, at least one bans home cultivation, and there are regulations
concerning the operations of dispensaries in some states.
Federal laws continue to deem marijuana possession, as well as its
distribution, as illegal, whether it is used for medicinal purposes or not.
While the prosecution rates of individuals who carry small amounts of the
substance along with a medical marijuana card tend to be low, dispensaries in
states that have legalized medical marijuana remain criminalized and are
therefore often raided by law-enforcement agencies.
Attempts to completely legalize the use of marijuana, whether for medicinal
purposes or not, remain strongly contested in most jurisdictions. For example,
in 2010, Proposition 19, a measure that would have completely legalized
possession and growing marijuana then taxed and regulated its use was defeated
in the state of California. However, California already reduced legal sanctions
for possessing small amounts of marijuana to the level comparable to the penalty
for speeding on a freeway.
There are a variety of marijuana types, also called strains. Strains tend to
be based on leaf color as indicated in pictures, as well as the strains' potency
and medical purpose. Medical strains of marijuana are specifically grown for a
particular health benefit, like pain management or reduction of nausea. Some
states place restrictions on the strains of marijuana that may be legally used
and sold. Marijuana dispensaries often sell hydroponic marijuana seeds through
mail order, which can be grown in nutrient solution, with or without soil.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary
artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical
instability of the heart.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Schizophrenia is a disabling brain disorder that may cause hallucinations and delusions and affect a person's ability to communicate and pay attention. Symptoms of psychosis appear in men in their late teens and early 20s and in women in their mid-20s to early 30s. With treatment involving the use of antipsychotic medications and psychosocial treatment, schizophrenia patients can lead rewarding and meaningful lives.
Suicide is the process of intentionally ending one's own life. Approximately 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, and 10 million to 20 million attempt suicide annually.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Alcohol is the most frequently used drug by American teenagers. Teens that drink are more likely to drive under the influence, have unprotected sex, and use other drugs, like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Symptoms of alcohol abuse in teens include lying, breaking curfew, becoming verbally or physically abusive toward others, making excuses, smelling like alcohol, having mood swings, and stealing.
Psychotic disorders are a group of serious illnesses that affect the mind. Different types of psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, shared psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, substance-induced psychotic disorder, paraphrenia, and psychotic disorders due to medical conditions.
Drugs commonly abused by teens include tobacco products, marijuana, cold medications, inhalants, depressants, stimulants, narcotics, hallucinogens, PCP, ketamine, Ecstasy, and anabolic steroids. Some of the symptoms and warning signs of teen drug abuse include reddened whites of eyes, paranoia, sleepiness, excessive happiness, seizures, memory loss, increased appetite, discolored fingertips, lips or teeth, and irritability. Treatment of drug addiction may involve a combination of medication, individual, and familial interventions.
Depression in teenagers may be caused by many factors. Symptoms of teen depression include apathy, irresponsible behavior, sadness, sudden drop in grades, withdrawal from friends, and alcohol and drug use. Treatment of depression in adolescents may involve psychotherapy and medications.
Teenagers recognize that they are developmentally between child and adult. Teen health prevention includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, preventing injuries and screening annually for potential health conditions that could adversely affect teenage health.
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