PICADA
(Prevention-Intervention Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse)

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in America today. Marijuana grown is the U.S. is now highly potent due to advancements in plant selection and cultivation. Potency depends on the source and selection of plant materials used.

Their effects are felt within minutes, reaching their peak in 10 to 30 minutes and may linger for two to four hours. The effects experienced often depend not only on the drug itself, but also upon the expectations of the individual user.

Low doses induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation, which may be accompanied by intensified senses of sight, smell, taste, and hearing. the user may also experience alterations in thought formation and expression.

Stronger doses intensify reactions. Shifting sensory imagery, rapidly fluctuating emotions, fragmentary thoughts with disturbed associations, an altered sense of self-identity, impaired memory, and a dulling of attention. High doses can result in a loss of personal identity and hallucinations.


What we know

1. Marijuana is a complex drug. It causes a range of reactions, both pleasure and panic.
2. That pot poses potentially-serious risks to children, pregnant women, and those with underlying emotional problems.
3. That marijuana of today is approx. 10 to 14 times more potent than marijuana of the 1960 and 1970's.