Hidden Dangers of Marijuana
With all the pro-medical marijuana publicity and the clamoring for the decriminalization of this drug, it can be hard to remember that marijuana is indeed damaging and addictive and causes harmful effects. It’s quite possible we are doing a terrible disservice to our children when we are permissive about the dangers of marijuana. Though they are not usually headline news, there are serious and harmful effects associated with abusing marijuana.
Marijuana use and addiction are most pronounced in America’s young people. Of those going to rehabilitation for addiction to weed, 45 percent are under 21 years of age. When those 24 and younger are included, the percentage rises to 55. Thus it is important to let our youth know the risks, rather than letting them accept the decriminalization campaigns without rebuttal.
Narconon drug recovery centers around the world are helping people recover from their addictions to marijuana by enabling them to repair the damage that has been done. It is a process that takes eight to ten weeks on average and involves thorough detoxification, restoration of life and problem-solving skills and much more.
Specific Damages Associated with Marijuana Use
Dangers in the immediate effects of marijuana include distortions of time and space perceptions and impaired coordination, all of which may be contributing to the increased risk of traffic accidents recently discovered.
Particularly important for students to know about is the creation of difficulty thinking or problem-solving and impairment of memory and learning. These difficulties can last for as long as four weeks after drug use.
Chronic marijuana use and higher dosages are found to correlate with a greater incidence of psychosis and schizophrenia. This point is particularly significant due to the increases in drug potency over the last two decades. While the average potency has risen from 3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol—the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana) a couple of decades ago to 9% now, there are some samples of weed that measure as high as 25%. These premium strains are normally grown hydroponically, are often smuggled in from Canada and demand a higher price than commercial-grade marijuana from Mexico.
Heavy abusers of marijuana were found to suffer damage to social life, work or career status and cognitive ability. Schoolwork and the achievement of goals were also found to suffer.
But proponents of legalization, decriminalization or medicalization of marijuana do not make this clear to America’s young people so they can make informed choices. By ranking marijuana in with medical treatments, the clear implication is that the drug is harmless.
Narconon’s Process of Recovery from Addiction
It takes time to rebuild a drug-free life from the ashes of one that was ruined by drugs. For most people, the Narconon drug and alcohol recovery program takes eight to ten weeks. The process starts with a well-supported withdrawal step that alleviates some of the worst of the irritability, anxiety, and depression that normally results for those who were addicted to marijuana.
THC is a fat-soluble substance, therefore it’s residues tend to store in the fat cells of the body, and therefore is hard to eliminate. A thorough detoxification utilizing a low-heat sauna, moderate daily exercise and a strict regimen of nutritional supplements is the next action in one’s recovery from addiction, to detoxify these remnants. These residues have been shown to be involved in the triggering of cravings, even years after drug use stops. When these residues are flushed out of fatty tissues where they are stored, cravings ordinary drop remarkably—some people even say they are gone.
In the next phase of the program, students learn skills they can use to help them comfortably face life and resolve problems through communication.
Then a Person is Ready to Build New Drug-Free Life Skills
Staying drug free after these improvements means that each person must learn how to choose associates who will not lead to more drug use, how to take responsibility for past misdeeds and be able to leave the past behind and move forward into a more positive and productive future. In the life skills component of the Narconon drug rehab program, these skills are learned and then are practiced.
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