Educational Media Reviews Online

This timely Human Relations Media program looks at the risks and safety issues surrounding marijuana use, particularly in teens. With the legalization of marijuana taking place to varying degrees in several U.S. states, myths abound about the plant and the consequences of using it.

This program reviews what it means for marijuana to be considered legal—different states have different requirements—the fact that it is not legal at the federal level, nor is it approved for medical use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA sees the drug as a highly addictive substance, and one reason it isn’t an approved substance is that there haven’t been enough large scale clinical trials to substantiate its approval. What is known is that marijuana has some of the same carcinogenic and other less than healthy compounds as tobacco products.

Risk factors covered include the addictiveness of marijuana, the physical and emotional side effects of long term use, the effect on the brain, driving while high, and withdrawal symptoms. These are all explored through the lens of common perception, which is usually a myth, followed by the revealing truth. We’ve probably all heard some of the misconceptions such as marijuana is perfectly fine to use because it’s organic; it isn’t addictive; and it is much safer than meth, heroin, or even alcohol. One of the more interesting facts that research has uncovered is that marijuana lowers I.Q. Even when one stops using, the I.Q. numbers stay the same, and do not rebound to previous levels. One of the strong points of this production is the connection made between marijuana use and the teenage brain. As with other substance use, the effects on the teen brain are long lasting and sometimes permanent. Since the DVD is aimed at teen and young adult audience, it is critical that this connection is highlighted.

The program is on par with other Human Relations Media films, and is a high quality production. It does have a bias, and presents only the negative side of marijuana use. It sets a serious tone and the background music sounds rather tense and ominous at times. Overall, it is recommended for high school, public and academic libraries.