Letter to the editor: Have you heard about Mary Jane?

She’s not exactly the new girl in town, but over the years, she certainly has managed to garner quite a name for herself.

Recently, it appears that new laws are making it sound like Mary Jane (which, by the way, is one of the numerous nicknames of the drug marijuana, in case you didn’t know), despite all the rumors, is really an OK type of gal to call your friend. But mark my words, while she may seem like the type of person everyone wants to be around, the truth is she has a dark side.

For example, did you know that she may influence you to drop out of college? It’s true! A recent University of Maryland study concluded that marijuana was linked with college drop-out rates.

In addition, according to Dr. Nora D. Volkow, the director of The National Institute on Drug Abuse, “THC, a key ingredient in marijuana, alters the connectivity of the hippocampus, a brain area related to learning and memory.”

So what does that mean? Simple: You smoke pot, your brain stops functioning. You’ll start to forget things, and your ability to learn will become impaired.

But marijuana’s dangers go beyond dumbing you down.  A recent Auckland University study concluded that marijuana use could double the risk of both heart attack and stroke in young adults, regardless of whether or not an individual has any current risk factors. Furthermore, it also could lead to a weakened immune system, damage to your lungs and airways, different types of cancer, and serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia (health.nsw.gov).

So does Mary Jane still sound like someone you want to hang out with? It is clear that she is indeed more dangerous than people make her out to be, especially if you’re trying to get through college.

After all– as the old saying goes –there’s a reason why she’s often referred to as being a “dope.”

Kiley Wright

AOD Peer Educator

Health & Wellness Hub