What is marijuana?

Marijuana, also called cannabis, is a drug that's made up of the leaves, flowers, and buds of the cannabis plant. People may use marijuana for medical or recreational reasons.

The two most active chemicals in marijuana are THC and CBD. THC affects how you think, act, and feel. It can make you feel very happy or "high." CBD can help you feel relaxed without the "high."

There are many types, or strains, of marijuana. Each strain has specific THC-to-CBD ratios. Because of this, some strains have different kinds of effects than others. For example, if a strain of marijuana has a higher ratio of THC to CBD, it's more likely to affect your judgment, coordination, and decision making.

Used during pregnancy, marijuana can harm the developing baby. It can pass from the mother's blood to the baby's blood. It can pass from breast milk to the baby during breastfeeding. Using marijuana may cause your baby to be smaller at birth. It may be linked to problems with brain development, learning, and behavior.

Long-term use of marijuana may make it harder to learn new things, remember, and concentrate. lt can cause lung problems if you smoke it. Marijuana can also increase the risk for cannabis use disorder and having mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and psychosis.

If you're going to use marijuana, limit how much you use. Don't smoke it. The smoke can damage your lungs. Don't use marijuana with alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs. And don't use it with blood thinners or with medicines that make you sleepy, control your mood, or lower your blood pressure.

There are many ways people can use marijuana. For instance, people can smoke it as a dried plant or inhale it as a vapor. They can brew it into tea, spray it under the tongue, or apply it to the skin. Or they can eat it in prepared or homemade foods (edibles).

Using marijuana before the age of 25 can affect a young person's brain development, as well as emotional and social development. Some young people who use marijuana may develop cannabis use disorder. They may find it hard to control their use. They may keep using marijuana even though it's having harmful effects on their lives.

Marijuana affects the parts of the brain that deal with judgment, decision making, and emotions. This can make it harder for young people to think, learn, reason, remember, solve problems, and make good choices. And they may be less able to control their emotions and actions. For example, they may engage in risky behaviors like driving when "high," having unsafe sex, binge drinking, or using other drugs.

Young people who use marijuana may be more likely to have anxiety and depression than others who don't. And they may have more problems in school, relationships, and work.