The National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse
Marihuana - A Signal of Misunderstanding.
Chapter II
marihuana use and its effects
EFFECTS RELATED TO PATTERN USE
Set out below is a brief summary of effects of marihuana, related to frequency and
duration of use. The remainder of the Chapter discusses the effects of immediate,
short-term, long-term and very long-term use of the drug.
Experimenters and
intermittent users ------ Little or no psychological dependence.
Influence on behavior related largely to
conditioning to drug use and its social
value to the user.
No organ injury demonstrable.
Moderate users ------------ Moderate psychological dependence in-
creasing with duration of use.
Behavioral effects minimal in stable per-
sonalities, greater in those with emo-
tional instability.
Probably little if any organ injury.
Duration of use increases probability of
escalation of all effects including shift
from moderate to heavy use.
Heavy users -------------- American "pot head."
Strong psychological dependence.
Detectable behavior changes.
Possible organ injury (chronic diminution of pulmonary function).
Effects more easily demonstrable with long-term use.
Very heavy users ---------- Users in countries where the use of cannabis
has been indigenous for centuries.
Very strong psychological dependence to point of compulsive drug seeking
and use.
Clear-cut behavioral changes.
Greater incidence of associated organ injury.
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