Drugs

            There are many different types of drugs in this world today from things you smoke to popping pills. But on the " contrary to popular belief, most teenagers do not use marijuana. Among students that were surveyed in a yearly national survey, only about one in five tenth graders report they are current marijuana users (that is, still using marijuana almost on a daily basis). Fewer than one in four high school seniors are current marijuana users" (National Institute on Drug Abuse).
             There are many reasons why some children and young teens start smoking marijuana. Many young people smoke marijuana because they see their family members or friends using it. Others may think it is cool to use marijuana because they hear songs about it and see it on movies like Blow and Half Baked. Some teens may feel they need marijuana to help them escape from problems at home, school, or with friends but most teens fail to realize the effects that it causes them at home, school, with friends, and even on themselves. .
             Some people feel nothing at all when they smoke marijuana. Others may feel relaxed or high. Sometimes marijuana makes users feel thirsty or hungry an effect called "the munchies." Some other users get bad effects from using marijuana such as sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. The effects vary depending on what type of marijuana is used.
             The short-term effects of marijuana include: problems with memory, learning, judgment and complex motor skills, distorted perception (sight, sound, time, touch), difficulty speaking, listening, thinking, and problem solving, dry mouth and throat, bloodshot eyes, anxiety or panic attacks, paranoia in some users, and increased heart rate. These short-term affects are the ones that cause you to have problems with your friends, family, and schoolwork. If you are high on marijuana, you are more likely to make stupid mistakes that could embarrass or even hurt yourself.