There are kids in my school who smoke pot and they seem okay. What is the big deal?
Marijuana, like most other drugs, affects the parts of the brain that allow us to make plans, solve problems, and make decisions. So although these kids might seem ok, they are altering their brain chemistry in ways that can have both short term and long term effects In the short term–they run the risk of doing something dangerous when they are high–like driving and getting into an accident, or not studying and having their grades drop, or seeing their athletic performance decline, and getting kicked off a team. But in the longer term they also risk becoming addicted. Repeated drug use changes the brain (and the body) and could one day lead to addiction and other serious medical consequences. Interestingly, one of our researchers surveyed people that had used marijuana regularly for many years. The marijuana users reported diminished life satisfaction and more physical and mental health problems, which they attributed to the marijuana. They also had poorer academic and job outcomes a
