Drugs Are Bad, M'Kay?

As a class, we've officially reached every student's favorite section of Psychology: drugs. There were three kinds of drugs: a) depressants (i.e. alcohol, opiates, barbiturates) inhibit the sympathetic nervous system, b) stimulants (i.e. caffeine, nicotine, cocaine) excite the sympathetic nervous system, and c) hallucinogens (i.e. LSD, marijuana), which distort perception and conscious experience. The drug I want to specifically talk about is marijuana. You see, when we all read about these drugs, we also read about the disastrous side effects, which can help persuade any teenager to stay as far away as possible. But marijuana doesn't seem to have any MAJOR side effects. Sure, if smoked, you can cause some lung damage, but it's not addicting and it doesn't scar you for life (unlike LSD, which can bring back nightmares if one has a really bad trip). So what are the side effects to marijuana? I did some outside research of my own (*COUGH* Wikipedia *COUGH*) to answer this question that has been bothering the class. According to research, people who have addictive personalities actually CAN be addicted to marijuana. Not only that, but those who consume to much can have permanent damage to memories, intelligence, and normal brain functions. In fact, too much marijuana consumption can lead to mental disorders like schizophrenia, psychosis, and depression. So, to quote Mr. Mackey, a school official from the show "South Park," "Kids, drugs are bad, m'kay?" And marijuana is no exception. Sure, at first sight it may be harmless, but one night of fun may lead to many nights of fun. And everybody knows that marijuana has acted like a "gateway drug" in the past, leading users to want a stronger high by administering cocaine or heroin. Although I've never personally smoked marijuana, I feel that I can still tell you all to try to avoid it, because it won't do you any good, even if Mrs. Perl's TV documentary about drugs indicates otherwise.