Marijuana is harmful.  THC gets in the body and bonds itself to fat cells. For this reason, it can be detected in the body for up to 30 days and sometimes longer for heavy, regular users.  This is also the reason withdrawal is not as notable; due to the drug very slowly and gradually leaving the body.

 

Fat cells are also located in the brain, which slows down the electrical impulses that your brain uses to send signals across brain cells. This slows down comprehension, coordination, response time, etc. even when the ‘high’ feeling has worn off. It also affects a person’s motivation to do much of anything other than use marijuana.  This is referred to as A-Motivational Syndrome. 

 

Short-term memory can be affected as well, which when combined with lack of motivation, can make it difficult for a person to achieve their goals. At the same time it is ‘depressing’ your brain activity, it is ‘stimulating’ or speeding up your cardiovascular system. Many marijuana smokers report a heart rate almost double that of a normal person.

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Not only is marijuana harmful, but unlike what some may think, it is also addictive.  Many marijuana users develop a tolerance to THC requiring them to use more in order to reach a ‘high.’  Users also experience some mild withdrawals when they stop using such as agitations, depression, and difficulty focusing. These are signs of physical addiction, and many users experience a need or desire to smoke to deal with stress or other emotions which are a result of psychological addiction. 

 

If those side-effects are not enough, it is also an illegal drug according to the federal law, and here in South Carolina according to our state laws.