THE GAY OLD DAYS

"Oh, I don't know. Jeans just didn't seem right."

Stonewall Features Syndicate, 1982

ACTION CLINIC

MARIJUANA (also called pot, grass, wood and reefer) is a mixture of dried parts of the Indian hemp plant CANNABIS SATIVA. All parts of the plant, except for the roots and main stem are used in the making of marijuana cigarettes or joint as they are commonly called. The flower of the plant can also be processed and yields a particularly potent hallucinogan known as hashish. This plant grows wild throughout the world and it can be cultivated in any area that hes a hot season.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the mind altering ingredient in marijuana. Often the amount of THC in a plant may vary, depending on the climate, soil, as well as other factors.

Though the effects of the drug may vary according to the users personality and amount of the dose, the most consistent effect of marijuana is a change in mood, usually a sense of well-being or euphoria, a heightened self esteon, and the feeling of relaxation. These changes of nced are accompanied by some changes in sensory perception. Often distances may appear greater and time intervals een longer than they really are, and simple sounds or objects seen more interesting and pleasing. In high enough doses THC can produce feelings of panic, agitation and other psychotic symptoms.

Karijuana has become the most commonly used illegal drug in America. About one third of all Americans have smoked sono marijuana at one time or another, while 22 million are considered current users of the drug. Marijuana use among young people has dropped dramatically lately as the harmful effects of the drug have been discovered and their peers tend to disapprove of drug use.

In previous years many well respected people had some reservations as to the treatment of marijuana users as conson criminals. In the ENCYCLOPEDIA AMERICANA, Jerone H. Jaffe, M.D., University of Chicago wrote, "No doubt, the penalties for posession of marijuana in the United States are far too severe for the social danger its use presents," but he hastened to add, "too little is known about marijuana to provide a rational basis for its legal distribution." With the increased use of marijuana many nou studies have been made since then, and

DRUGS

MANY neu facts have been uncovered in recent years.

The previously hold notion that mariJuana is non addictive is now being dispelled by over increasing reports of people having problems in rouging tho amount of marijuans they are noking and even greater problems when trying to stop altogether.

The unfounded rumora that the smoking of marijuana was less harmful to the human body than cigarette smoking has been proven wrong, as marijuana smoke has more cancer causing agents than tabacco smoko. When tars from hamp smoke were put on animal skins tumors greu. Similar experiments with human lungs have shown that abnormal growth develops there, also. An added danger is that marijuana smoke is inhaled as deeply as possible and is held in the lungs for long periods, also a full month of not smoking is necessary to completely rid the body of marijuana.

Recent scientific studies have shown that THC has adverse effects on other body organs. Among others, it is sure to cause spern danago in males, while irregular menstrual cycles are noted in fonales. The human heart boats up to 50% faster than a normal heartbeat under its influence and chest pains are commonly known to be more likely to be experienced by its users. When marijuana is smoked, THC penetrates a significant portion of the brain and brain damage may occur, although the extent of damage and hou permanent it may be has not yet been determined. The legal aspect of marijuana use is also an important consideration. The posession or sale of marijuana is nou illegal in the United Statos. Under federal law and under the law of most states the penalties for violation of marijuana laus are just as severe as the penalties for possession or sale of narcotics.

Many of its users point to the fact that the effects of narijuana are the sene as those of alcohol and tobacco. This fact has caused sono people to ask, "hy is marijuana vorse than alcohol?" The anavor, credited to the musician Mozz Mezzrou, is "It can put you in jail."

JULY 82/21

JULY 82/20