Marijuana: Is it holding you back?

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug.

Marijuana causes many problems; adverse physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral changes, and - contrary to popular belief - it can be addictive, according to newly released data by the U.S. government.   Heavy users often suffer debilitating side effects; like cigarette smoke, it can be harmful to the lungs and possibly increase a user's likelihood of developing cancer. A report released by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will help make readers aware of the current knowledge of marijuana abuse and its harmful effects.

Marijuana is the Nation’s most commonly used illicit drug. More than 94 million Americans (40%) age 12 and older have tried marijuana at least once, according to a report by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Marijuana use is widespread among adolescents and young adults.

In the 1970s, the baby boom generation was coming of age, and its drug of choice was marijuana. By 1979, more than 60 percent of 12th-graders had tried marijuana at least once in their lives. From this peak, the percentage of 12th-graders who had ever used marijuana decreased for more than a decade, dropping to a low of 33 percent in 1992. However, in 1993, first-time marijuana use by 12th-graders was on the upswing, reaching 50 percent by 1997. The percentage of 12th-graders who have tried marijuana has not increased since then. In 2002, an estimated 2.6 million Americans used marijuana for the first time. Roughly two-thirds of them were under age 18.

Fact sheets on the health effects of marijuana, other drugs of abuse, and other drug abuse topics are available on the Web site of the National Institute of Drug Abuse and can be ordered free of charge in English and Spanish from National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.