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Overview
Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Cannabis is a term that refers to marijuana and other drugs made from the same plant. Other forms of cannabis include sinsemilla, hashish, and hash oil. All forms of cannabis are mind-altering (psychoactive) drugs.
The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Short-term effects of marijuana use include problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, loss of coordination, increased heart rate, and anxiety.
Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (called a joint) or in a pipe or bong. Marijuana has also appeared in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana, sometimes in combination with another drug, such as crack. It can also be mixed into foods or used to brew a tea.1
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Extent of Use
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug. According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 96.6 million Americans ages 12 and older reported trying marijuana at least once during their lifetimes, representing 40.6% of the population ages 12 and older. Approximately 25.2 million people (10.6%) reported past year marijuana use and 14.6 million people (6.2%) reported past month marijuana use.2
Additional 2003 NSDUH survey results indicate that 12.2% of past year marijuana users used the substance on 300 or more days in the past 12 months, meaning 3.1 million persons used marijuana on a daily or almost daily basis over a 12-month period. However, the number of youths aged 12 to 17 using marijuana daily or almost daily declined from 358,000 in 2002 to 282,000 in 2003.3
A 2002 SAMHSA report, Initiation of Marijuana Use: Trends, Patterns and Implications, concludes that the younger children are when they first use marijuana, the more likely they are to use cocaine and heroin and become dependent on drugs as adults. The report found that 62 percent of adults age 26 or older who initiated marijuana before they were 15 years old reported that they had used cocaine in their lifetime. More than 9 percent reported they had used heroin and 53.9 percent reported non-medical use of psychotherapeutics. This compares to a 0.6 percent rate of lifetime use of cocaine, a 0.1 percent rate of lifetime use of heroin and a 5.1 percent rate of lifetime non-medical use of psychotherapeutics for those who never used marijuana. Increases in the likelihood of cocaine and heroin use and drug dependence are also apparent for those who initiate use of marijuana at any later age.4
According to the 2003 Monitoring the Future Study, 17.5% of eighth graders, 36.4% of tenth graders, and 46.1% of twelfth graders had used marijuana in their lifetime. The 2003 study also found that 6% of 12th graders had used marijuana daily in the past 30 days before the survey.5
Percent of Students Reporting Marijuana/Hashish Use, 2003
The Monitoring the Future Study also tracks trends in perceived risk, disapproval, and availability of drugs to youth. Over half (54.9%) of seniors in 2003 believed it was harmful to smoke marijuana regularly and 78.7% disapproved of regular marijuana use. Since the study began in 1975 between 83% and 90% of every senior class have said they could obtain marijuana fairly easy or very easily.6
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 40.2% of high school students surveyed nationwide used marijuana during their lifetime.7
Percent of Students Reporting Lifetime Marijuana Use, 1999-2003
Additional results from the YRBSS indicate that 22.4% of high school students surveyed in 2003 reported current (past month) marijuana use.8
Percent of Students Reporting Current Marijuana Use, 1999-2003
During 2003, 50.7% of college students and 57.2% of young adults (ages 19-28) reported using marijuana at least once during their lifetimes. Approximately 33.7% of college students and 29.0% of young adults reported past year use of marijuana, and 19.3% of college students and 17.3% of young adults reported past month use of marijuana.9
According to data from the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) Program, a median of 44.1% of adult male arrestees and 31.6% of adult female arrestees tested positive for marijuana at the time of arrest in 2003. The adult male samples were compiled from 39 U.S. sites and the adult female samples were compiled from 25 sites.10
Marijuana Use by Arrestees, 2003
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Health Effects
Marijuana abuse is associated with many detrimental health effects. These effects can include frequent respiratory infections, impaired memory and learning, increased heart rate, anxiety, panic attacks and tolerance. Marijuana meets the criteria for an addictive drug and animal studies suggest marijuana causes physical dependence and some people report withdrawal symptoms.11
Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illnesses, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency toward obstructed airways. Cancer of the respiratory tract and lungs may also be promoted by marijuana smoke. Marijuana has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract because marijuana smoke contains 50 percent to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke.12
Marijuana's damage to short-term memory seems to occur because THC alters the way in which information is processed by the hippocampus, a brain area responsible for memory formation. In one study, researchers compared marijuana smoking and nonsmoking 12th-graders' scores on standardized tests of verbal and mathematical skills. Although all of the students had scored equally well in 4th grade, those who were heavy marijuana smokers, i.e., those who used marijuana seven or more times per week, scored significantly lower in 12th grade than nonsmokers. Another study of 129 college students found that among heavy users of marijuana critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning were significantly impaired, even after they had not used the drug for at least 24 hours.13
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Drug Episode: A drug-related
ED episode is an ED visit that
was induced by or related to the
use of drug(s).
Drug Mention: A drug mention
refers to a substance that was
recorded during an ED episode. Because up to 4 drugs can be reported for each drug abuse episode, there are more mentions than episodes.
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During 2002, marijuana was the second most frequently mentioned illicit drug reported to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (cocaine was the first) by emergency departments (ED) nationwide. There were 119,474 marijuana ED mentions during the year, up from 110,512 in 2001. While marijuana ED mentions were statistically unchanged from 2001 to 2002, they have risen 164% since 1995 when there were 45,259 mentions and 24% since 2000 when there were 96,426 mentions. Approximately 16% of the marijuana ED mentions in 2002 involved patients ages 6–17, 31% involved 18–25 year-olds, 21% involved 26–34 year-olds, and 32% involved individuals 35 years of age and older.14
DAWN also collects information on deaths involving drug abuse that were identified and submitted by 128 death investigation jurisdictions in 42 metropolitan areas across the United States. Cannabis ranked among the 10 most common drugs in 16 cities, including Detroit (74 deaths), Dallas (65), and Kansas City (63). Marijuana is very often reported in combination with other substances; in metropolitan areas that reported any marijuana in drug abuse deaths, an average of 79 percent of those deaths involved marijuana and at least one other substance.15
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Treatment
From 1992 to 2002, the number of admissions to treatment facilities in the U.S. in which marijuana was the primary substance of abuse increased from 92,414 in 1992 to 283,527 in 2002. The marijuana admissions accounted for 6% of the total drug/alcohol admissions during 1992 and 15.1% of the admissions during 2002. Those admitted to treatment for marijuana in 2002 were primarily male (75.6%), white (55.4%), and young (45.8% were under 20 years of age at admission). Among those admitted to treatment for primary abuse of marijuana in 2002, 25.8% had first used the drug by age 12, 56.3% had first used it by age 14, and 92.1% had first used it by age 18.16
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Arrests & Sentencing
There were a total of 1,538,813 state and local arrests for drug abuse violations in the United States during 2002. Of the drug arrests, 5.4% were for marijuana sale/manufacturing and 39.9% were for marijuana possession.17
In FY 2003, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made 5,679 arrests related to cannabis, accounting for 20.9% of all DEA arrests during the year. This is an increase from FY 2002, when 5,576 cannabis-related arrests were made by the DEA, accounting for 18.5% of all DEA arrests.18
According to a 1997 Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) survey of Federal and state prisoners approximately 19% of Federal and 13% of state drug offenders were incarcerated for a marijuana-related offense. The survey also measured prior drug use by prison inmates. Approximately 65% of Federal prisoners had tried marijuana/hashish, 47% had used it regularly, 30% used it in the month before their offense, and 11% used it at the time of their offense. In 1997 77% of State prisoners had tried marijuana/ hashish, 58% had used it regularly, 39% had used it in the month before their offense, and 15% had used it at the time of their offense.19
Marijuana was involved in 40.4% and 43.1% of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigations in FY 2001 and FY 2002, respectively, second only to cocaine. The proportion of OCDETF indictments in which marijuana was charged was 18.5% in FY 2001 and 16.3% in FY 2002, falling behind cocaine, crack, and methamphetamine.20
In FY 2002, the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC) reported that there were 7,401 Federal drug offenders sentenced in U.S. Courts for marijuana-related offenses. The majority (96.7%) of the marijuana-related cases involved offenders sentenced for committing a drug trafficking offense.21
The Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program collects drug use data from booked arrestees in over 30 sites nationwide. A recent report focussing on youthful adult arrestees (18-20 years old) surveyed in ADAM sites has shown an increase in marijuana use among this population. Starting around 1991, most ADAM locations experienced a rapid increase in recent use among youthful adult arrestees, from an average low of 25 percent in 1991 to 57 percent in 1996, as detected by urinalysis. The report concludes that marijuana appears to be the drug of choice for arrestees born since 1970.22
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Production & Trafficking
Marijuana produced in Mexico remains the most widely available in the United States. High-potency marijuana has also entered the U.S. drug market from Canada. Another source for marijuana in the U.S. is domestically grown marijuana, which includes both indoor and outdoor operations.23
Groups operating from Mexico employ a variety of transportation and concealment methods to smuggle marijuana into the United States. Most of the marijuana smuggled into the United States is concealed in vehicles—often in false compartments—or hidden in shipments of legitimate agricultural or industrial products. Marijuana also is smuggled across the border by rail, horse, raft, and backpack.24
Canada is becoming a source country for indoor-grown, high-potency (15 to 25 percent THC) marijuana destined for the United States. Such indoor-grow operations have become an enormous and lucrative illicit industry, producing a potent form of marijuana that has come to be known as "BC Bud."25 The amount of marijuana seized at ports of entry along the U.S.-Canada border increased from 0.35 metric ton in FY 1999 to 3.25 metric tons in FY 2000.26
According to Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program (DCE/SP) statistics, 3,651,106 cultivated marijuana plants were eradicated by state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States during 2003. The five leading states for plants seized at indoor operations were California, Washington, Florida, Oregon, and Texas. The top five states for plants seized at outdoor operations were California, Tennessee, Kentucky, Hawaii, and New York.27
U.S. Federal agencies seized more than 2.7 million pounds of marijuana in FY 2003. This is up from approximately 2.4 million pounds in FY 2002.28
The Pulse Check: Trends in Drug Abuse report presents findings on drug use patterns and drug markets as reported by ethnographers, epidemiologists, treatment providers, and law enforcement officials in 20 U.S. metropolitan areas. The majority of Pulse Check respondents report that marijuana is widely available in their communities.29
Pulse Check respondents report that marijuana potency ranges from 4-6 percent THC for Mexican commercial-grade marijuana to 15-22 percent THC for sinsemilla. Commercial-grade marijuana (Mexican or domestic) ounce prices are generally in the $100-$200 range. The highest reported prices are for hydroponic or sinsemilla marijuana, which sell for up to $1,200.30
Marijuana sellers are more likely to operate independently than as part of organized operations. However, organizations with varying degrees of structure do exist in several cities. Marijuana sales often involve acquaintance or referral networks, posing a challenge to law enforcement disruption efforts. Marijuana tends to be sold both indoors and outdoors and in all types of geographic areas-central city, suburban, and rural.31
According to 2003 NSDUH, most marijuana users (56.9%) got the drug for free or shared someone else's marijuana. Almost 40% of marijuana users bought it. Most marijuana users obtained the drug from a friend. More than half (54.3%) of users who bought their marijuana purchased it inside a home, apartment, or dorm. Almost 9% of youths who bought their marijuana obtained it inside a school building, and 4.6% bought it outside on school property.32
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Legislation
Marijuana in a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Schedule I drugs are classified as having a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.33
In the case of United States v. Oakland Cannabis Club the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that marijuana has no medical value as determined by Congress. The opinion of the court stated that: "In the case of the Controlled Substances Act, the statute reflects a determination that marijuana has no medical benefits worthy of an exception outside the confines of a government-approved research project."34 The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court after the federal government sought an injunction in 1998 against the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative and five other marijuana distributors in California.35
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a ruling on May 24, 2002, upholding DEA's determination that marijuana must remain a schedule I controlled substance. The Court of Appeals rejected an appeal that contended that marijuana does not meet the legal criteria for classification in schedule I, the most restrictive schedule under the Controlled Substances Act.36
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Street Terms
"Grass," "pot," and "weed" are common street terms for marijuana.37 Other terms include:
Marijuana Street Terms
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Other Links
Marijuana Fact Sheet
An overview of information on medical marijuana, marijuana trafficking, seizures, price and purity.
Marijuana Fact Sheet
This fact sheet provides information on marijuana use, health effects, availability, and related enforcement and treatment activities.
Marijuana-Info.Org
This page lists useful resources regarding marijuana use, its effects and treatment.
Marijuana Photos
This site provides photos of marijuana, hashish, and indoor growing operations.
Marijuana Prevention Initiative
To dispel myths and misconceptions about the drug, ONDCP has launched a comprehensive marijuana prevention initiative.
Marijuana Publications
A listing of publications related to marijuana from various sources.
Misinformation Clouds Medical Marijuana Issue
This Op-Ed by Dr. Andrea Barthwell, ONDCP Deputy Director of Demand Reduction, discusses the current issues surrounding the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
What Americans Need to Know About Marijuana
This document provides important facts about our nation�s most misunderstood illegal drug.
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Sources
1 National Institute on Drug Abuse, Marijuana Facts Parents Need to Know, November 1998, What is Marijuana, How is Marijuana Used?
2 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, September 2004
3 Ibid.
4 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, Initiation of Marijuana Use: Trends, Patterns and Implications, July 2002.
5 National Institute on Drug Abuse and University of Michigan, Monitoring the Future 2003 Data from In-School Surveys of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th- Grade Students, December 2003.
6 Ibid.
7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance -- United States, 2003, May 2004.
8 Ibid.
9 National Institute on Drug Abuse and University of Michigan, Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975–2003, Volume II: College Students & Adults Ages 19–45 (PDF), 2004
10 National Institute of Justice, Drug and Alcohol Use and Related Matters Among Arrestees, 2003 (PDF) , 2004.
11 National Institute on Drug Abuse, Marijuana Infofax, October 2001.
12 National Institute on Drug Abuse, Research Report Series - Marijuana Abuse, October 2001.
13 Ibid.
14 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Emergency Department Trends from the Drug Abuse Warning Network, Final Estimates 1995–2002, July 2003
15 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Mortality Data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2001 (PDF), January 2003.
16 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) Highlights—2002 (PDF), May 2004
17 Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States, 2002, October 2003
18 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics
19 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Substance Abuse and Treatment of State and Federal Prisoners, 1997, January 1999.
20National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment, 2004, April 2004
21U.S. Sentencing Commission, 2002 Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics, 2004
22 National Institute of Justice, The Rise of Marijuana as the Drug of Choice Among Youthful Adult Arrestees, June 2001.
23 Drug Enforcement Administration, Drug Trafficking in the United States, September 2001.
24 Ibid.
25 Ibid.
26 National Drug Intelligence Center, United States-Canada Border Drug Threat Assessment, December 2001.
27Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics
28 Ibid.
29 Office of National Drug Control Policy, Pulse Check: Trends in Drug Abuse, November 2002, 2002. Marijuana Section.
30 Ibid.
31 Ibid.
32 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, September 2004
33 Drug Enforcement Administration, Controlled Substances Act
34 Supreme Court of The United States, Syllabus: United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative Et Al. (PDF), May 2001.
35 Join Together Online, Supreme Court Rules against Medical Marijuana, May 15, 2001.
36 Drug Enforcement Administration, High Court Upholds Marijuana as Dangerous Drug, June 6, 2002.
37 Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse, Street Terms Drugs and the Drug Trade, February 2002, Marijuana Terms.
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Last Updated: September 23, 2004
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