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Weed, gas, dope, spice, grass, green, hash, ganja, etcetera. There’s plenty of nicknames for it, and most names denote potency, purity, and properties. But no matter what you call it, the facts stay the same: marijuana is a mind-altering drug responsible for an array of physical health issues, mental health problems, cognitive impairments, violent incidents, and deaths.

“But it’s a plant. It’s natural.” Wrong! According to studies and statements from the NIH, the DEA, and major dispensaries, essentially 100% of marijuana on the market today has undergone some degree of alteration. This includes the products sold by certified suppliers and those sold illegally. Most of these alterations are intended to increase the concentration of THC, the compound responsible for the “high” associated with marijuana. Some of these alterations, especially in “street drugs,” involve incorporating other illicit substances – like cocaine, heroin, LSD, and fentanyl – during processing. 

It’s important to consider that there are very little safety inspections performed on the marijuana sold in Alabama since it is mostly sold and used illegally. Manufacturers are not concerned with user safety. Think of it this way: as long as they are making money, drug dealers don’t particularly care if the bag of spice they just sold a 15 year old is laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl. 

The Alabama Department of Public Health says that a significant amount of marijuana purchased illegally from dealers in person and online is laced with other substances.  Marijuana itself is addictive (with nearly 20% of teens who use marijuana developing an addiction to the substance). So, when you lace marijuana with other highly addictive substances (meth, heroin, etc.), you increase the chances of developing a substance use disorder. Addiction makes drug dealers very rich and allows them and their products to continuously and unapologetically devastate communities. 

Marijuana and other drug use can permanently alter the brain, especially if someone began experimenting with weed and other drugs in their teens. Even related substances, including Delta 8 (derived from hemp rather than marijuana), are addictive and dangerous to the brain. It doesn’t matter if you’re 15 or 75, cannabis-use damages the ability to remember, process, and use information. This drug is especially damaging to developing brains, which is why it is so crucial for parents and other adults to educate teens on why they shouldn’t consume marijuana and other drugs.

“But I just use it for stress-relief. It’s basically harmless.”  It is not harmless and is, in fact, harmful. As for marijuana’s stress-relieving properties – it’s true. Smoking a blunt or eating an edible can temporarily reduce stress. This is largely due to the way THC dulls your senses during a high. Sounds great on the surface, right? However, chronic cannabis-use is associated with an INCREASE IN STRESS! Smoking weed lowers your ability to deal with stress naturally and sustainably, which then in turn makes you more susceptible to stress. When people cannot deal with stress in a healthy manner, they’re more likely to develop a mental illness like depression or anxiety. Young men who use cannabis have an increased risk of schizophrenia. Cannabis-users are also more likely to develop a sense of suicidality.

Additionally, the presence of marijuana in communities is associated with increased rates of gang violence, property crime, and violent crime. 

The benefits of using marijuana are far outweighed by the costs.

You can act today to keep yourself, your community, and your children safe. Parents and adults who spend time around kids and teens should make sure to express their beliefs and disapproval regarding the dangers of drug use. If you or someone you know is currently using drugs like marijuana, have some grace and seek help. Drug use doesn’t have to be a death sentence. South Central Alabama Mental Health Center is available and eager to provide you and your community with substance use resources.

— Meleah Treadaway is a Prevention Associate for the South Central Alabama Mental Health Center.