Workplace Issues and Health Effects of Marijuana smoking

Health Effects of Marijuana:

• One joint causes the heart to race and overwork. People with heart conditions are at risk.
• Marijuana is commonly contaminated with the fungus aspergillus, which can cause serious respiratory tract and sinus infections.
• Marijuana lowers the body's immune system response making users more susceptible to infection.
• Chronic Marijuana smoking causes changes in brain cells and brain waves. The brain does not work as efficiently or effectively. Long-term brain damage may occur.
• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 60 other chemicals in marijuana concentrate in the ovaries and testes.
• Chronic smoking of marijuana in males causes a decrease in testosterone and an increase in estrogen, the female hormone. Therefore, the sperm count is reduced, leading to temporary sterility.
• Chronic smoking of marijuana in females causes a decrease in fertility.
• A higher than normal incidence of stillborn births, early termination of pregnancy, and higher infant mortality rate during the first few days of life are common in pregnant marijuana smokers.
• Marijuana's THC causes birth defects including brain damage, spinal cord, forelimbs, liver, and water on the brain and spine in test animals.
• Prenatal exposure may cause underweight newborns.
• Fetal exposure may decrease visual functioning.

Marijuana User's mental function can display the following effects:

• delayed decision making
• diminished concentration
• impaired short-term memory
• impaired signal detection
• impaired tracking
• erratic cognitive function
• distortion of time estimation

Workplace Issues of Marijuana:

• Marijuana's THC is stored in body fat and slowly released.
• Marijuana smoking has long-term effects on performance.
• Increased THC potency in modern marijuana increases the impairment.
• Combining alcohol or other depressant drugs with marijuana increases impairment.