The effects of marijuana can vary widely, depending on the potency of the drug, the location of where it is used (e.g., how safe the individual feels in that environment), and other factors about how the individual is feeling at the time. The drug tends to cause an increase in heart rate, reddening of the eyes, and dryness in the mouth.

Typically, marijuana produces an initial relaxing and stimulating feeling followed by drowsiness. People frequently report that their senses are enhanced, including an increase in appetite. In some cases, users report experiencing anxiety or paranoia. For some people sensitive to the chemical agents sprayed on the plants, marijuana use may cause painful migraine headaches. In larger quantities, stronger strains, or when eaten, marijuana may produce mild hallucinations.

There are several potential factors to consider regarding marijuana’s harms—overdose, accidents, its effect on lungs, its impact on memory, and the question of dependency. On one hand, it is impossible to overdose on marijuana. On the other hand, it impairs judgment and complex coordination as well as slows reaction time. Automobile accidents and stupid mistakes are the biggest short-term risks associated with marijuana (Kuhn et al, 1998, p 123).

The effects of marijuana can be so subtle that it can be tricky for an individual to identify the extent to which marijuana has become a problem in his or her life. E-Toke offers is an on-line questionnaire that provides Cornell students with immediate feedback regarding their marijuana use in a non-judgmental, educational format. E-Toke takes about 10-15 minutes to complete, is self-guided, and requires no face-to-face contact time with a counselor or administrator.

Yes. The most up-to-date classification system, as set forth by the American Psychiatric Association, diagnoses marijuana dependency when an individual experiences at least three of the following over a 12-month period:

• Increased tolerance (experiencing less effect with same amount or needing more to become high)
• Withdrawal (e.g., irritability, restlessness, headaches, and insomnia when use is discontinued)
• Using more or for longer periods than intended
• Persistent desire to or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use
• Considerable time spent in obtaining or using the substance or recovering from its effects
• Important social, work, or recreational activities given up or reduced because of use
• Continued use despite knowledge of problems caused by or aggravated by use

Dependency is a complex diagnosis. If you are concerned about your marijuana use or that of a loved one, consider talking about with someone you trust—family member, friend, or professor.  Also, you may want to look into the range of services available at Gannett and the Ithaca community. 

Kuhn, Swartzwelder, and Wilson (1998) break down the topic on marijuana’s effect on the lungs into two questions: 

1. Does chronic marijuana smoking impair the function of the lungs?
2. And, does chronic marijuana smoking promote lung cancer? 

In answer to the first question, yes. Some studies have found that the lungs of chronic, heavy users produce less airflow than non-users. 

The lung cancer question is more difficult to answer. In this case, the THC (the psychoactive element in marijuana) isn’t as much the problem as much as it is the smoke itself. While marijuana users inhale a fraction of the smoke compared to a tobacco smoker, they hold the smoke longer and deeper, and almost all of the carcinogens found in tobacco smoke are also in marijuana smoke (Kuhn et al, 1998, p 134).

Some people are concerned that marijuana use may cause long-lasting damage to their memory.  Research suggests that marijuana impairs memory and other cognitive functions for up to 48 hours after using, but there is little solid evidence to suggest longer-term harm to memory and cognitive functions. 

In research with college students, every day users were compared on a battery of cognitive tests with those who used only one time per month (Pope et al, 2001). After 24 hours of abstinence, daily marijuana users (versus those who used only one time per month) were more likely to repeat the same mistakes, had a hard time generating new solutions to problems, and had more problems with some types of memory tests. But, among those students who used once per month, those who had used daily in the past showed no difference in test scores from those who had never used heavily. 

Despite these findings, it is still possible that marijuana use can cause subtle damage to hippocampus circuits, which are central to memory formation. Also, as with any drug, chronic exposure as a child or adolescent could result in changes in the brain since the brain is developing during these years.

Ecstasy produces a mild, euphoric state within 20 to 40 minutes after ingesting a tablet, with the peak effect occurring 60-90 minutes after. You may also feel a little rush of exhilaration accompanied by nausea. Users report the “high” as feeling intensely empathetic, with a sensation of understanding and accepting others. This is also accompanied by feelings of increased physical sensitivity and a desire to touch. Its stimulant effects can increase your energy and decrease appetite.

Potential short-term negative effects may include anxiety, confusion, depression, sleep problems, and paranoia. Also, people may experience muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and increased body temperature. Some deaths have been associated with ecstasy, usually as a result of heat stroke. 

If you decide to use ecstasy, it is important to stay cool and hydrated. Ecstasy can also be dangerous for people with heart problems.      

Ecstasy became very popular in the late 1990s because it was considered to be a drug with an easily-controlled, pleasant high, and no harmful side effects. There is growing evidence that Ecstasy might not be so harmless—with both short-term effects for occasional users and those who experiment with the drug and long-term damage that can come with frequent use or a single high dose. 

Some users report “Tuesday blues,” such as feeling depressed, anxious, irritable and having difficulty concentrating for several days after use.Evidence suggests that long-term use or a single high dose of Ecstasy can cause a long-term loss of serotonin, an important chemical in the brain that regulates mood. This sort of damage could cause subtle but significant impairment to cognitive abilities, memory, arithmetic calculation, complex attention, and increased impulsiveness. 

Gannett's Counseling and Psychological Services can help you with problems such as depression or anxiety that might be due to Ecstasy use.

If you are considering using Ecstasy, we encourage you to find out more about its effect on the brain and the role it might play in depression.  This editorial, written by Dr. Ron Harris-Warrick, (Cornell professor of neurobiology and behavior), appeared in the The Cornell Daily Sun .

Ritalin, Adderall, and other prescription stimulants are central nervous stimulants commonly prescribed for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These stimulants help those diagnosed with ADHD to focus and concentrate.

Some students who do not have a prescription for these medications take these drugs in order to help them pull “all nighters,” either to study or party. Most people swallow the pills, but some crush the pills and snort the powder or cook the powder and inject it. If you choose to use Adderall, Ritalin, or a related drug as a study aid or party drug, it is safer to swallow the pills rather than snorting or injecting them.   

For people not diagnosed with ADHD, taking a single dose of these medications will increase mental alertness and decrease fatigue. Depending on the dosage, you may find yourself to be more energized, talkative and sociable and then slightly depressed and irritable after the peak effect of the drug. Other side effects include dehydration, hot flashes, appetite suppression, stomach pains, nausea, heavy sweating, headaches and even involuntary movements.

Adderall and Ritalin are prescription stimulants that are used to treat ADD and ADHD. They are not available (legally) without a prescription, and people who are on them need to be monitored by a health care professions. They are not prescribed as a study aid, or to help someone stay awake. And there are significant risks associated with taking them:

• They are habit-forming, meaning that people who use them excessively or improperly can become physically and psychologically dependent on them. And when the drugs stop, many individuals to crash and experience withdrawal. The potential to overdose is also a concern. 
• They can be "gateway" drugs for further substance abuse. Chemical cousins of cocaine, they can be similarly addictive, leading to riskier use of even more risky substances. 
• They can have many serious side effects, including insomnia, digestive problems, vomiting, irregular heartbeat (cardiac arrhythmia), extremely high blood pressure, allergic reaction, loss of appetite, sexual dysfunction, abnormal behavior, confusion, nervousness, psychotic episodes, and seizures. 
• They affect different people in different ways. Because they appear to have been "safe" for one person to take does not mean they will have the same affect on someone else.
• They can interact negatively with many other substances. 
• It's illegal to take these and other prescription stimulants without a doctor's prescription.

Recently, there have been numerous articles published in the popular press describing frequent use of Ritalin and Adderall among college students. Research at Cornell suggests otherwise.

In the fall of 2003, staff at Gannett administered the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey to a random sample of undergraduate students (n = 1595, response rate = 40%) and asked a question designed to assess the prevalence of prescription stimulant abuse. We found the findings surprising:

• Ninety-two percent of Cornell undergraduates report never using a prescription stimulant like Ritalin, Adderall, or Dexedrine, to enhance academic performance (e.g., stay awake for long hours) without a doctor’s prescription. 
• Three percent of students had used them but not in the past year. 
• Another 3% had used them in the past year, but not in the past 30 days. 
• Only 2% of Cornell students report using these medications without a prescription in the past 30 days.