Marijuana use slows learning ability and judgment

Teenagers from Henry County have joined forces with other teens and scientists across the United States as part of ?National Drug Facts Week? (NDFW). The week-long health observance, organized by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, takes place Monday, Jan. 26 through Sunday, Feb. 1. As part of the NDFW celebration, Henry County students are striving to help shatter the myths about marijuana.

In an effort to better educate the public about marijuana, the Henry County Substance Abuse Coalition and local schools have partnered together to publish one drug fact per day during National Drug Facts Week in the Mt. Pleasant News.

The following drug fact presents information about marijuana use and issues related to judgment and learning:

Regular use of marijuana has been linked to problems with attention and memory loss. Use of the drug can make learning new and complex ideas difficult.

As with many abused substances, marijuana can also impair an individual?s judgment. This can lead to risky behaviors that can expose an individual user to sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS and HIV.

For more information about marijuana use or National Drug Facts Week, visit www.teens.drugabuse.gov.