NCJ Number
198647
Date Published
1999
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This videotape from the Hazelden Information and Educational Services Foundation presents the personal stories of former marijuana addicts who recount the devastating effects of their long-term marijuana usage.
Abstract
In this videotape, a series of personal stories from former marijuana addicts are presented along with commentary from Jim Atkins, a drug treatment professional from the Hazelden Foundation, and Susan Dalterio, a research pharmacologist from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Focusing on how they became addicted to marijuana, how they perceived marijuana as a safe, harmless, and non-addictive drug, and how they considered their own marijuana usage as moderate, the former marijuana addicts highlighted in this videotape contend that they were surprised upon learning that long-term marijuana usage is as potentially devastating as the usage of other “harder” drugs. After Atkins and Dalterio describe the ways in which long-term marijuana usage affects individuals’ hormone levels, sinus and respiratory systems, sex drives, sperm counts in the case of male drug users, and the brain development of unborn children in the case of pregnant drug users, the former marijuana users discuss their own negative physical and psychological reactions to long-term marijuana use. Citing a lack of motivation caused by long-term marijuana use, all of the individuals presented in this videotape contend that work, careers, families, and dreams are all negatively affected by marijuana use. Arguing that drug users often downplay the amount of drugs they use and are oblivious to the impact that their drug use has on others in their lives, the former addicts contend that they began to recognize the extent of their addictions only when they realized that their lives were not going well. Focusing on recovery, this videotape contains an elaborate presentation of former addicts arguing that recovery takes the same amount of time that was given to drug use and that because of permanent changes in brain chemistry as the result of abusing drugs, any drug use will immediately bring an addict back to their addictive behaviors. Focusing on therapy, prayer, and group meetings in order to keep their drug addictions at bay, the former marijuana addicts end this videotape presenting messages of hope by contending that breaking their marijuana addictions enabled them to go back to school, find gainful employment, and enter into positive emotional relationships.