1,001 Facts That Will Scare the S#*t Out of You: The Ultimate Bathroom Reader (60 page)

441

FACT :
Marijuana was
the most used illicit drug
in the United States, with 14.4 million users in the past month, according to the 2007 National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health.
And that was just at the Phish concert.

“Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings,” Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Office of Applied Studies (OAS),
www.oas.samhsa.gov
.

“Your Brain on Marijuana,” Teen Drug Rehab Treatment Centers—Alcohol and Drug Rehabs for Young Adults—Addiction Treatment,
www.drugrehabtreatment.com
.

442

FACT :
Heavy and chronic use of marijuana
damages short-term memory
and may impair the ability to form memories, recall events, and shift attention from one thing to another.
It can also lead to, uhh, it can lead to . . . wait . . . what?

“Your Brain on Marijuana,” Teen Drug Rehab Treatment Centers—Alcohol and Drug Rehabs for Young Adults— Addiction Treatment,
www.drugrehabtreatment.com
.

443

FACT :
According to a study conducted by the Archives of General Psychiatry, long-term marijuana use
can cause abnormalities in the brain
that lead to learning difficulties and psychotic symptoms like paranoia, delusions, and odd social behaviors.
How do they know? Because they are watching you. All the time. Right now, in fact.

“Your Brain on Marijuana,” Teen Drug Rehab Treatment Centers—Alcohol and Drug Rehabs for Young Adults -Addiction Treatment,
www.drugrehabtreatment.com
.

Jennifer Warner, “Marijuana Use May Shrink the Brain,” WebMD Health News, June 2, 2008,
www.webmd.com
.

444

FACT :
In a 2005 National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health, 46 percent of U.S. residents aged twelve and older
admitted that they have used marijuana
one or more times in their lives.
The other 54 percent are lying.

“Your Brain on Marijuana,” Teen Drug Rehab Treatment Centers— Alcohol and Drug Rehabs for Young Adults—Addiction Treatment,
www.drugrehabtreatment.com
.

445

FACT :
In a study of reckless drivers conducted in Tennessee, a third of all subjects not under the influence of alcohol
tested positive for marijuana
.
One of those tested positive for being Willie Nelson.

“Marijuana Myths and Facts: The Truth Behind 10 Popular Misconceptions,” Office of National Drug Control Policy,
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov
.

446

FACT :
Swedish researchers have discovered a link between marijuana use and
heightened risk of developing schizophrenia
.
Sounds like the Swedes need to work on growing better weed.

“Marijuana Myths and Facts: The Truth Behind 10 Popular Misconceptions,” Office of National Drug Control Policy,
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov
.

447

FACT :
Pseudoephedrine or ephedrine is the most common ingredient used in methamphet-amine (crystal meth),
also found in cold medicine
. Other ingredients such as ether, paint thinner, Freon, acetone, drain cleaner, battery acid, and lithium are also used.
Which, coincidentally, is nearly identical to the recipe for hot dogs.

“Meth Awareness,” U.S. Department Of Justice,
www.usdoj.gov
.

448

FACT :
The crank bug is a
hallucination commonly experienced by meth users
, where they feel as though insects are creeping on or underneath the skin, causing them to pick or scratch obsessively. This can lead to open sores that may then become infected.
If you’re a meth-head reading this book, I recommend you avoid the chapter on insects.

“Meth Awareness, U.S. Department Of Justice,
www.usdoj.gov
.