Marijuana is a term used to describe the flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds of the Cannabis stevia plant. It is made up of sixty cannabinoids and around four hundred other chemicals. One specific cannabinoid is THC, which is the primary psychoactive or mood altering ingredient found in marijuana. Marijuana is usually smoked but can also be mixed with food or brewed in tea. The resin of the plant can also be formed into hash, a more potent form of the drug.

How Does Marijuana Affect the User?

One of the most unpredictable parts of using marijuana is the amount of THC in the drug, which can vary greatly depending on where or who it comes from. When smoked, marijuana is inhaled into the lungs, then passed through your blood stream to your brain and body, with nearly immediate effects. Eating or drinking marijuana results in the absorption of the drug through the stomach and into your bloodstream, then passed to the brain and body. Its effects are felt within 30 minutes to an hour after ingesting.

Five primary areas of your brain affected by THC include:

• The area responsible for coordination;
• The area responsible for memory: short-term memory is impaired and heavy marijuana use can speed up the aging process of your memory functioning;
• The area responsible for higher thought processes including reasoning and problem-solving;
• The area responsible for the expression of emotions and fear responses; and
• The area responsible for motor control, sleep, and arousal.

How Much is Too Much?

As of January 2019, the recreational use of marijuana is still illegal in the state of Indiana. Any student found using or with marijuana in their possession is in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and may be subject to repercussions as a result. Any Student Code of Conduct issues are managed by the Dean of Students office with support from Counseling Services.

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