Is a joint now and then such a big deal?

"It's natural", "everyone does it", "it's only now and then." These are phrases you hear a lot. Usually it starts with a drag or a joint someone offers you at a party, out of curiosity or so as not to look bad. What people don't usually say is that marijuana affects the brain within a few minutes, that its effects are worse in young people and that damaged neurons regenerate with difficulty. Studies speak of problems with memory and attention. What's more, it creates a psychological dependence that makes it hard to quit. The fact that all this doesn't happen the first time doesn't mean it doesn't happen. You don't need to experience it to know it. Looking after your mind is also looking after your freedom: saying no the first time is much easier than getting out later.