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Just For Today

Up Or Down

'This is our road to spiritual growth. We change every day.... This growth is not the result of wishing but of action and prayer.'

Basic Text, p. 35-36

Our spiritual condition is never static; if it's not growing, it's decaying. If we stand still, our spiritual progress will lose its upward momentum. Gradually, our growth will slow, then halt, then reverse itself. Our tolerance will wear thin; our willingness to serve others will wane; our minds will narrow and close. Before long, we'll be right back where we started: in conflict with everyone and everything around us, unable to bear even ourselves.

Our only option is to actively participate in our program of spiritual growth. We pray, seeking knowledge greater than our own from a Power greater than ourselves. We open our minds and keep them open, becoming teachable and taking advantage of what others have to share with us. We demonstrate our willingness to try new ideas and new ways of doing things, experiencing life in a whole new way. Our spiritual progress picks up speed and momentum, driven by the Higher Power we are coming to understand better each day.

Up or down - it's one or the other, with very little in between, where spiritual growth is concerned. Recovery is not fueled by wishing and dreaming, we've discovered, but by prayer and action.

Just for today: The only constant in my spiritual condition is change. I cannot rely on yesterday's program. Today, I seek new spiritual growth through prayer and action.

pg. 238

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Marijuana

Marijuana HISTORY

There has been a dramatic increase in the use of marijuana since 1992. Nationally, 47% of college age people have used marijuana in the past year. 20% have used in the last month. 4% use it on daily basis. In 1997 here at Rutgers, we found that 70.8% of students never used marijuana during that past year. 15% used it less than once a month. 7.9% used it one or two times a month. 2.2% used it once a week. 2.7% used it two to three times a week. Finally, 1.4% used marijuana on a daily basis.

What is Marijuana?

Marijuana is a green-brown mixture of dried and crushed leaves from the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), which looks like dried parsley leaves mixed with stems and /or seeds. It is usually rolled up into a cigarette, called a “joint” or a “blunt,” and smoked, but it can be eaten.

Marijuana’s main active chemical is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is found in all forms of cannabis that are psychoactive. The cannabis plant contains about 400 chemicals, but THC affects the brain the most.

What are the short term effects of using marijuana?

sleepiness and increased hunger
altered sense of time
impaired or reduced short-term memory
reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving, or studying for an exam
increased heart rate
potential cardiac dangers for those with pre-existing heart disease
bloodshot eyes
decreased social inhibitions that can increase exposure to risky situations
risk of paranoia, hallucinations, intense anxiety, panic attacks

What are the long-term effects of using marijuana?

impairments in learning, memory, perception, and judgment
some people experience paranoia, hallucinations, intense anxiety, panic attacks- psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect
paranoia
increased risk of chronic pulmonary disorders, including cancer (lung/mouth), emphysema, increase in testosterone levels for women decrease in testosterone levels for men
lower sperm levels in men
increased risk of infertility in both men and women
diminishing or extinguished sexual pleasure
decreased social inhibitions and exposure to risky situations

How long does marijuana stay in the body?

The THC in marijuana is absorbed and stored in fatty body tissue, including the brain. THC shows unique specific reactions in the brain. It effects areas of the brain which are responsible for pleasure, smell, memory, movement and hormonal regulation. Because THC is stored in the fatty tissues and the concentration of THC varies, it is difficult to know the exact length of time it stays in the body. About half the THC is still in the blood 20 hours after smoking. Once the THC passes through the liver, it may stay in the body for days, affecting both mental and physical functions (even though you’re no longer high). The breakdown products are slowly flushed out of the body and, although varied, traces of THC metabolites can be detected several days after smoking marijuana. In chronic users, remnants from THC may be detectable weeks after marijuana use. The same thing happens if you eat marijuana, except it takes longer to get to the brain.

How does marijuana affect driving?

Marijuana decreases attention and concentration (which is one reason why people use it). One study showed that young people who reported driving frequently while on marijuana were twice as likely to be involved in accidents. It seems that the marijuana-induced changes in perception and sense of time may be entertaining in the living room but can be deadly on the highway. Best bet: if you are using a psychoactive drug, do not drive or get into a car with someone who is. Marijuana affects all of the skills that are necessary to drive safely. The effects include diminished capacity to accurately judge distances, slower reflexes, and distorted perceptions of how fast you are going. Combined with alcohol, the hazards of driving under the influence of marijuana are far more extreme than with either drug alone.

Can a person become addicted to marijuana?

Addiction is a complicated process that is described by tolerance, dependence and withdrawal. Users can develop a tolerance over time. People who smoke marijuana or who have a genetic predisposition might develop a tolerance and would need more of the drug. Withdrawal can occur after chronic use and may be mild due to the THC lasting longer in the body because it is fat-soluble. Some people report irritability and restlessness and some have insomnia and nausea. People who use marijuana can become dependent when:

There is a constant desire for the “high”, or unsuccessful attempts are made to cut down or control use, Too much time is spent getting “high”, taking away from other life activities, Use is continued despite consequences like conflicts with, or loss of friends, family, or relationships; diminished academic motivation or performance; or negative effects on employment situation. Heavy users however, can begin to show signs of dependence when they experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include loss of appetite, problems sleeping, weight loss, and restlessness.

Why do people quit using marijuana?

People who quit using reported the following reasons: psychological damage, physical damage, don’t feel like getting high, not enjoyable, partner disapproved

Can marijuana be used for medicinal purposes?

This is highly controversial. It does appear that there are some valid medicinal uses for marijuana.

Know the Facts

Marijuana is not harmless, as some would have you believe, although it may not be as harmful as other drugs that are now legal. The long-lasting effects on the brain and lungs are still unknown. Using marijuana remains illegal in the state of New Jersey. You do not function normally and cannot do everyday activities which require concentration under the influence of marijuana. Be aware of the risks. Using drugs increases the likelihood of unsafe sex, which can lead to unwanted sex, unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections, and misunderstandings in relationships. Keep your edge. Drug use can ruin your looks, make you depressed, and contribute to slipping grades. Play it safe. One incident of drug use may make you do something that you may regret for a lifetime. Using drugs puts your health, education, family ties, and social life at risk. Face your problems. Using drugs won’t help you escape your problems; often only creates more. Be a friend. If you know someone with a drug problem, be part of the solution. Urge your friend to get help. Call the Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program for Students (ADAPS) on campus.

The Twelve Steps		The Twelve Traditions
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable. 2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. 5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptlym admitted it. 11. Sought though prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.		1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity. 2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern. 3. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. 4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole. 5. Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers. 6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose. 7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. 8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers. 9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. 10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy. 11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films. 12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.