Side effects of Consuming Marijuana

Typical Marijuana Side Effects:

* Enhanced cancer risk

* Decrease in testosterone levels and lower sperm counts for men

* Increase in testosterone levels for women and increased risk of infertility

* Diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure

* Psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect

* Sleepiness

* Difficulty keeping track of time, impaired or reduced short-term memory

* Reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination,

such as driving a car

* Increased heart rate

* Potential cardiac dangers for those with preexisting heart disease

* Bloodshot eyes

* Dry mouth and throat

* Decreased social inhibitions

* Paranoia, hallucinations

* Impaired or reduced short-term memory

* Impaired or reduced comprehension

* Altered motivation and cognition, making the acquisition of new information difficult

* Paranoia

* Psychological dependence

* Impairments in learning and memory, perception, and judgment - difficulty

speaking, listening effectively, thinking, retaining knowledge, problem solving,

and forming concepts

* Intense anxiety or panic attacks

If you are pregnant, you need to know that marijuana crosses the placenta and can affect your baby.

Marijuana use during pregnancy has been linked to low birth weight in the baby and withdrawal-like symptoms including excessive crying, tremors, hyperemesis (severe and chronic vomiting). Some studies, though not all, show that women who use marijuana even as infrequently as once a month throughout pregnancy are more likely to gain inadequate weight, to have dangerously rapid labor, prolonged or arrested labor, or a cesarean section. They are also more likely to have a baby that needs resuscitation after delivery.

Maternal marijuana use may also damage genes, possibly resulting in birth defects or cancer and lead to increased risk of attention disorders and learning problems later in life. Marijuana has also been shown to adversely affect placental function and the fetal endocrine system, potentially interfering with the successful completion of pregnancy.