Marijuana - Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

Reactions with Other Drugs or Substances

One of the biggest problems with any illegal substance is the variation in quality. Some sources say that marijuana produced in the twenty-first century is far stronger than that smoked in previous decades. Others say the doses are about the same. Whatever the case, each purchase of illegal marijuana carries dangers related to the strength of the product, the possible by-products, and the methods of preparation. Outdoor-grown marijuana might have been sprayed with pesticides that still linger on the leaves and buds. The plants might also have fungus or even bacteria from the unclean hands that picked or packed them.

Dealers sell marijuana joints containing PCP, a hallucinogen, or crack cocaine. fry sticksMarijuana cigarettes laced with formaldehyde, a chemical used to keep dead tissues from decaying. are joints dipped in formaldehyde, a chemical compound used as a preservative and disinfectant. All of these combinations have proven fatal in users. In November of 2004, the Newark Star-Ledger reported the death of a seventeen-year-old who ran naked across a busy highway and hurled himself through a glass window after smoking a fry stick. The young man died of the injuries he sustained from crashing through the glass.

Mixing marijuana and alcohol heightens the effects of each substance and can lead to reckless behavior. Mixing marijuana with amphetamines or even tobacco can increase the heart rate, possibly causing heart damage or stroke.