According to the Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland, an estimated 3.1 million persons ages 12 or older—an average of approximately 8,4000 per day—used a drug other than alcohol for the first time in the past year, according to data from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. More than two-thirds (68%) of these new users reported that marijuana was the first drug they tried. Slightly more than one-fifth (22%) reported that prescription drugs used nonmedically were the first drug they tried, including 14% with pain relievers, 4% with tranquilizers, 3% with stimulants, and 1% with sedatives. Less than 10% reported that their first use of drugs involved inhalants and hallucinogens, and very few initiates started using with cocaine or heroin.

According to Gary Pearce, Executive Director for Talbot Partnership for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention, prevention efforts are focusing on marijuana and the nonmedical use of prescription drugs, as these are the drugs that are most often used first.

Mr. Pearce also points out that lost in the discussion about marijuana for medical purposes is that studies shows that the potential chemical -THC, present in marijuana adversely affect human brain and mental health. Regular use of marijuana or synthetic marijuana shows the same respiratory problems as cigarette smoking. Persistent coughing, symptoms of bronchitis and more frequent chest colds are possible symptoms. Studies also shows that long-term use of marijuana suppresses the production of hormones that help regulate the reproductive system both in men and women, increases the risk of heart attack in regular users, increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the head or neck and other parts of the respiratory tract, affects the immune system’s ability to fight disease, causes high levels of depression, anxiety and adversely affects the power of memory and learning.

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