Beech Tree News Network

What is Marijuana? Marijuana is a dry, shredded green and brown mix of leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis. Marijuana is one of the most common illicit drug used in the United States.

How is Marijuana abused? Marijuana is usually smoked in hand rolled cigarettes called joints or in pipes or water pipes called bongs. Marijuana smoke has a very distinctive smell like sweet or sour odor.

How does Marijuana affect the brain? The main harmful chemical in marijuana is called THC. So when you use marijuana the THC passes from your lungs into the bloodstream very quickly, which carries this chemical to the brain and other organs.

In a recent study of marijuana users who began using when they were younger revealed a big deficit in connections between brain areas responsible for learning and memory. The study also showed there was a loss of 8 points in IQ between age 13 and age 38