Does the use of marijuana actually cause brain damage / kill nerve cells?
336795
I don't think it's ever been proven.  It certainly has some negative effects on the brain though.  I know a lot of potheads that can't remember what they did yesterday. I heard the sperm count thing is a fact.  I think it depends on if a person a light user or heavy user.  Who knows though.  One thing that is absolutely known is that marijuana takes a toll on a person's lungs just like cigarettes do.
860386
Yes it does because the marijuana is released into the blood stream when smoked. That's how you get high off this substance and any other substance. If you use daily the pot will stay in your system for up to 12 weeks in some cases.
867935
It kills them indirectly.\n\nThe smoking releases a rush of neurotransmitters (the chemicals neurons use to transmit signals to one another) at a much higher rate than normal. \n\nTo keep themselves from being overly stimulated, the neurons let the neurotransmitter receptors on their membranes die off.\n\nAs a person smokes more and more, more and mroe recepts are allowed to die.\n\nWhenever the person is not smoking, the neurotransmitter signals return to normal levels but are not received since the neurons let the receptors die off.\n\nWhen a neuron isn't used enough, the brain pretty much kills it to conserve energy/nutrients for the ones that are used.\n\nThe more you smoke, the more smoke is needed to achieve a high and the more brain cells die afterward.
212323
You cant really. The memory loss thing means nothing at all. The memory is only affected while youre high. You can remember things just fine as soon as youre grounded again. Honestly theres very few drugs that you can actually "fry your brain" with. Crack, Meth, Angel Dust, those will all destroy your brain. Pot, acid, shrooms, light coke use, those wont hurt your brain. There really is no way to tell without asking them. \n\nPeace
816529
Hi Tawnee S,\nSounds good to me (hamster & fish get high too) shouldn't have any effect except to be stoned-2 tokes for the road!! \nIgnore all the ones that say this is bad! Unless you smoke marijuana & know the difference.  If you are one of those few that believes everything the damn government says then you really don't have the clue.  And should read for your yourselves & get some knowledge while at it!  The effects of pot- on MS patients, glaucoma, Cancer patients, AIDS patients, radiation patients.  People that have other mind blowing sicknesses & medical problems will know the difference. Yes my doctor knows so for all those others GO READ & GET SOME KNOWLEGEMENT DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING THE GOVERNMENT SAYS!    Have a good day :0)
669796
cant help on the effects part..but here is a link about marijuana and cancer (may pad your report a lil ;-)\n\nhttp://www.sierratimes.com/03/11/07/article_kubby.htm
847147
Alcochol and cigarettes are both pretty bad, I've had family & friends die from both of those.....but no "marijuana" related deaths....go figure....the legal ones kill.....
384116
The active ingredient of marijuana (terahydrocannabinol-THC) is a fat-soluble molecule whose metabolites may remain in the body for s long as a month after a single exposure. THC metabolites are stored in the brain, testes, ovaries, and other fatty tissues. With even so-called "mild use" of marijuana smoking once or twice a week, THC will be continually present in the body and slowly released, affecting overall functioning to some degree. This is true whether or not the individual experiences being "high." Despite statements to the contrary, marijuana users, especially with more frequent use, do develop physiological tolerance to the drug which necessitates higher "doses" to achieve the same subjective experience of intoxication. So over time, without necessarily a concurrent increase in intensity or frequency of the sensation of intoxication, increasing levels of active substance will be stored in the body and trying to get a quicker release of the stored substance in your body is of no avail except don't smoke it (especially if your job or schooling prohibits it). Any statements that refer to 'passing the test' got lucky, as all test have a % chance of a false reading...    You will just be taking a chance Good Luck
734082
Yup. The active ingredient, I think the abbreviation is THC, sticks around in the body for years. It also can damage sperm cells (knocks their tails off).\n\nAs the saying goes, "Pot smokers can't remember the brains they've lost."
436256
*Shaking my shaggy skull* Noperz, smoking pot makes you no smarter or dumber than you started out to be in the first place.\n\nBut that said I must add a few things...\n\nContrary to the popular myth that smoking marijuana kills brain cells there is mounting evidence that is not only false, but the effects of THC could have the opposite effect.\n\nCannabinoids promote embryonic and adult hippocampus neurogenesis and produce anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects. http://66.218.69.11/search/cache?p=neurogenesis+and+marijuana&ei=UTF-8&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&fr=moz3&u=www.jci.org/cgi/reprint/115/11/3104.pdf&w=neurogenesis+marijuana&d=GGiVrm1aMbo9&icp=1&.intl=us\n\nPrevious research had suggested that neurogenesis happens only in select locations in the brain, such as the hippocampus, a region involved in learning and memory. Some studies have shown that this process is inhibited by most illicit drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. However, says Xia Zhang of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, marijuana's effect on neurogenesis has not been clear.\n\nHe and his colleagues started investigating this mystery by searching cell surfaces in live, cultured slices of rat hippocampus for receptors that respond to marijuana and a few other similar drugs, called cannabinoids. They reasoned that if marijuana affected neurogenesis in the hippocampus, then cells in that area must have a way to recognize the drug. Sure enough, 95 percent of hippocampus cells responsible for neurogenesis showed evidence of cannabinoid 1 ( CB1 ) receptors, one of two receptors that respond to cannabinoid drugs. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1624/a06.html\n\nThe current study focused on a particular formulation of synthetic cannabinoid known as HU210 -- a compound which Zhang described as the most powerful cannabinoid in the world.\n\nThe authors explored both the short-term and long-term effects of exposure to HU210 in rats.\n\nTo measure the drug's short-term response, they gave adult rats a single injection of HU210. To study the same drug's effect over the longer term, the researchers gave a separate group of adult rats twice-daily injections of the cannabinoid over a two-week period.\n\nAutopsies revealed that by the end of the 10-day HU210 treatment regimen, new neurons had been generated and integrated into the circuitry of the hippocampus region of the rat's brains. This process, known as neurogenesis, was still in evidence a full month after treatment had been initiated.\n\nNeurogenesis was not triggered in response to brain cells being killed through cannabinoid exposure, the researchers add. In fact, HU210 injections did not appear to prompt any loss of neurons in the hippocampus. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=54893\n\nMind you, the study is using a super-concentrated drug form and the verdict is still out on smoking it, but they do suggest THC is the only known drug that actually can reverse the loss of brain cells.\n\nFinally though once again, pot does not change your intelligence and different people react to different drugs differently. But it is possible THC will be a cure in time for certain brain affictions...
581293
Yeah, weed dissintegrates your brain cells, leaving the person with fewer and fewer of them every time it is used.  And the person gets dumber and dumber, and more air-headed and just turns out to be a burned out pothead.  It also sloooowwwws down your thinking process by far after so long of using it and takes a person much longer to think about anything or even comprehend.
188925
lol if it had high THC in it then it will... Only pot plants can get you high...\n\nBut getting high isnt a good thing.. It kills your brian cells and makes you a mess after a long use time frame of it..
392186
Short-term effects of using marijuana include:\n\n• Sleepiness \n• Difficulty keeping track of time, impaired or reduced short-term memory \n• Reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving a car \n• Increased heart rate \n• Potential cardiac dangers for those with preexisting heart disease \n• Bloodshot eyes \n• Dry mouth and throat \n• Decreased social inhibitions \n• Paranoia, hallucinations \n• Impaired or reduced short-term memory \n• Impaired or reduced comprehension \n• Altered motivation and cognition, making the acquisition of new information difficult \n• Paranoia \n• Psychological dependence \n• Impairments in learning, memory, perception, and judgment - difficulty speaking, listening effectively, thinking, retaining knowledge, problem solving, and forming concepts \n• Intense anxiety or panic attacks\n\n Long-term effects of using marijuana include:\n• Enhanced cancer risk \n• Decrease in testosterone levels and lower sperm counts for men \n• Increase in testosterone levels for women and increased risk of infertility \n• Diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure \n• Psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect
235446
Are there short-term dangers of smoking marijuana?\nDiscomforts associated with smoking marijuana include dry mouth, dry eyes, increased heart rate and visible signs of intoxication such as bloodshot eyes and puffy eyelids. Other problems include:\n\nImpaired memory and ability to learn\nDifficulty thinking and problem solving\nAnxiety attacks or feelings of paranoia\nImpaired muscle coordination and judgment\nIncreased susceptibility to infections\nDangerous impairment of driving skills. Studies show that it impairs braking time, attention to traffic signals and other driving behaviors.\nCardiac problems for people with heart disease or high blood pressure, because marijuana increases the heart rate\nIt is virtually impossible to overdose from marijuana, which sets it apart from most drugs.\n\nAre there long-term consequences to smoking marijuana?\nRespiratory problems\nSomeone who smokes marijuana regularly can have many of the same respiratory problems as cigarette smokers. Persistent coughing, symptoms of bronchitis and more frequent chest colds are possible symptoms. There are over 400 chemicals that have been found in marijuana smoke. Benzyprene, a known human carcinogen, is present in marijuana smoke. Regardless of the THC content, the amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide are 3 to 5 times higher than in cigarette smoke. This is most likely due to inhaling marijuana more deeply, holding the smoke in the lungs and because marijuana smoke is unfiltered.\n\nMemory and learning\nRecent research shows that regular marijuana use compromises the ability to learn and to remember information by impairing the ability to focus, sustain, and shift attention. One study also found that long-term use reduces the ability to organize and integrate complex information.\n\nIn addition, marijuana impairs short-term memory and decreases motivation to accomplish tasks, even after the high is over. In one study, even small doses impaired the ability to recall words from a list seen 20 minutes earlier.
508631
no my dear,marijuana,makes no one manic nor aggressive,bipolar disordered thinking is a debilitating disorder that may interfere with activities of daily lioving due to sever alteration in thought processes and perceptions of reality, gettiung stoned makes you euphoric,can cause paranoia, and makes u hungry,and is a depressant, when bipolar patients are in the depressed phase ,it is much more severe than being stoned and it lasts longer than a high, marijuana is actually a neuroprotectant it does not kill brain cells , it is the only drug that kills gliomas ,a serious fatal form of brain cancer ,that traditional medication and surgery do not help,it protects the brain from suffering the damaging effects of a stroke ,and causes nuerogenensis,nerve cells to reproduce, only stem cells can do that ,besides canniboids, and it is not in one of the largest lobbying powers the pharmaceutical companies ,(which have an obscene amount of influence ,which they exert at the expense at consumers), to have marijuana become a legal drug and make a few money makers obsolete, and they are in bed with our government, \ndo not believe anything I say my dear, you can trust me further than you can throw me, but you cannot argue with the facts or change reality, go to calpirg.org,I am a member of this consumer group ,which seeks to limit the damage pharmaceutical companies wage on consumers, via dirty tactics and legislation ,also check out heads magazine  it cites all valid ,credible research ,by valid credible researchers ,and go look at the q and a of mmexykat, one of her answers cites a study, from heads magazine with all details, it is a medical marijuana magazine,unlike hi times which is a stoner magazine
207845
The way marijuana gets you high is relatively simple. When you smoke or eat the plant, it releases a chemical called THC (TetraHydraCannabinol) which travels to your brain. Once in your brain it goes and attaches itself to special cells called Cannabinoid Receptors. The THC tickles these receptors, which releases endorphins and other natural chemicals in your brain, making you high. Contrary to popular belief, no part of your brain is damaged or destroyed during all this.\n\n\nAlcohol, also contrary to popular belief, doesnt kill brain cells either. Rather, it impairs the way brain cells communicate by damaging dendrites (branched ends of nerve cells that bring messages into the cell). That damage is often reversible though, and the dendrites do grow back. Hope thats what you were looking for.\n\n\nPeace
7190
The short answer to this is, no.  \n\nAnything which interacts with the chemicals (from caffine to THC and on) affects the reactions in the brain.  It isn't that you couldn't have had those thoughts without the substance, but for whatever reason you may add extra significance to them.