Eight Startling Effects of Marijuana Use You Need to Know

Marijuana

There is a popular misconception that marijuana use is just a harmless recreational activity, but recent studies have shed light on the serious risks associated with it.

Here are eight startling effects of marijuana use that you need to know.

1. Decreased Birthweight and Impaired Brain Development: A study published in the journal Frontiers In Pediatrics revealed that marijuana use during pregnancy can reduce a newborn’s birthweight by approximately one-third of a pound. Lower birthweight is linked to health problems and developmental delays as children grow. Additionally, the study found that babies exposed to marijuana in the womb may have smaller head circumferences, indicating inadequate brain development during pregnancy.

2. Increased Risk of Infant Mortality and Preterm Birth: Research from California highlighted that infants born to heavy marijuana-using mothers were 35% more likely to die within the first year of birth. Infants also faced a higher risk of being born prematurely, having low birth weight, and being small for their gestational age.

3. Impaired Cognitive Function and Memory: Marijuana use can negatively impact cognitive function, memory, and attention, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Studies have shown that regular use of marijuana can lead to impaired cognitive abilities, hindering academic and professional performance.

4. Coordination and Motor Skills Impairment: Marijuana use may affect coordination and motor skills, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries. Impaired motor skills can impact daily activities and compromise safety, especially when operating vehicles or engaging in tasks requiring precise movements.

5. Association with Heart Diseases: The American Heart Association warns that marijuana use is scientifically linked to heart diseases. A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that frequent marijuana users under the age of 45 were approximately twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack compared to non-users.

6. Lung Damage and Chronic Respiratory Issues: Smoking marijuana regularly has been associated with chronic cough and increased phlegm production. The American Lung Association unequivocally states that “Smoking marijuana clearly damages the human lung,” underscoring the harm it does to respiratory health.

7. Increased Risk of Schizophrenia and Psychotic Episodes: Heavy marijuana use has been linked to an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. A study published in The Lancet highlighted that using marijuana with high levels of THC was associated with an elevated risk of psychosis. Another study published in the same journal found that marijuana with THC levels exceeding 10% increased the odds of experiencing a psychotic episode.

8. Rise in Self-Harm Rates: In states where commercial marijuana sales were legalized, a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed a disturbing 46% increase in self-harm rates among men aged 21 to 39. This suggests a potential correlation between marijuana availability and self-destructive behavior.

Marijuana use isn’t just a “recreational” activity. From the risks to fetal development to cognitive impairment, heart diseases, and mental health issues, one thing is clear: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Delaware Lawmakers Advance Assisted-Suicide Legislation

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, ,

A measure permitting assisted-suicide is advancing in the Delaware legislature.

Last week, Delaware’s House Human Health and Development Committee passed H.B. 140 — a bad bill  that would let physicians and advance practice registered nurses (APRNs) in Delaware prescribe lethal drugs to terminally ill patients.

The measure does not require patients to undergo any type of mental health evaluation before receiving the lethal drugs. That is significant, because patients who seek assisted suicide typically are dealing with depression or mental anguish resulting from their illness. 

For example, since 1998, more than 90% of the terminally ill people who inquired about assisted suicide in Oregon said they were concerned about losing their autonomy, and nearly 75% expressed worries about losing their dignity. Most did not express concerns about controlling their pain.

Many of these patients are lonely and feel like they are losing control over their lives because of their illness. That means they need counseling and support — not a prescription for poisonous drugs.

Despite this fact, the vast majority of Oregon’s assisted-suicide patients never receive a mental health evaluation. The same is true in other states where assisted-suicide is legal.

Assisted suicide also makes it harder for patients to receive actual healthcare.

In 2019  a Canadian man with ALS made headlines when he chose to take his own life under the country’s assisted suicide and euthanasia laws after the government chose not to provide him with 24-hour home healthcare services due to cost.

In parts of the U.S. where physician-assisted suicide is permitted, insurance companies have refused to pay for patients’ medical care, but have offered to cover assisted-suicide drugs.

Being pro-life means believing human life is sacred from conception until natural death.

That’s part of the reason why in 2019 Family Council helped defeat a very bad legislative proposal to let doctors prescribe lethal drugs to patients in Arkansas. It was a deeply flawed piece of legislation that fundamentally disrespected the sanctity of innocent human life.

Just like abortion, euthanasia and assisted-suicide are murder, and they violate the sanctity of human life. Pro-lifers must stand strong against them.

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