
On January 23, 2008 at approximately 11:51 a.m. EST on Indiana I-64 at the 89 mile marker eastbound, Sergeant Kirby Stailey stopped a 2003 Volkswagon Jetta for speeding and unsafe lane movement. During the course of the traffic stop the driver Christopher James Donegan, 37, Grass Valley, CA (Yes, this is his actual city.) became very nervous and could not answer questions that Sgt. Stailey asked of him.
Trooper Brian LaRoche and his K-9 partner “Justice” came to assist Sergeant Stailey. When Trooper LaRoche conducted a walk around search with “Justice”, “Justice” alerted to the presence of illegal drugs in the car. A subsequent search of the vehicle by the troopers lead to the discovery of 33 pounds of marijuana packed in suitcases. Donegan was arrested without incident and taken to the Crawford County Jail.
“This is high quality marijuana with an estimated street value of approximately $210,000” said Stailey.
Charges: 1. Possession of Marijuana over 10 pounds, C-Felony 2. Dealing Marijuana over 10 pounds, C-Felony
Assisting Officers: Trooper Brian LaRoche and K-9 Justice Trooper Troy Fischer Trooper Ryan Conrad


What is Marijuana?
Marijuana is a green or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It has a strong, sweet odor when burned.
Marijuana in the Brain
The main active chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. It also contains more than 400 other chemicals. THC binds to nerve cells in the hippocampus of the brain, which controls learning and memory and integrates the senses with emotions and motivations. THC changes the way sensory information is processed by the hippocampus. All of this means there’s a major break between what a pot user senses and what he does about it.
How is marijuana used?
Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (called a “joint” or a “nail”) or in a pipe or “bong.” Sometimes it is a “blunt”, a cigar emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana and other drugs like crack or PCP. Marijuana may be mixed into foods or tea.
Street Names of Marijuana
There are over 200 slang terms for marijuana including: Pot, Herb, Weed, Boom, Mary Jane, Gangster, Chronic, Bud, Sinsemilla, Ganja, Hashish, and Hash Oil.
Marijuana and the Mind
Marijuana’s effects can be unpredictable. The effects that abusers are seeking include relaxation and giddiness. Pot smokers laugh at anything- funny or not. Many users become dizzy, have difficulty walking, and have red, blood shot eyes. Terrible thirst ”Cotton mouth and hunger “the muchies” are typical. Some people fall asleep when they use pot. Others experience anxiety or paranoia every time they use the drug.
Short-term Effects of Using Marijuana
After only a few uses of marijuana, users have problems with memory, learning, and problem solving. They have bad grades and weak relationships. Abusers lose coordination and their senses of sight, hearing, touch, time, and depth are distorted. Performance in sports or other activities is wrecked. Marijuana also increases heart rate and causes anxiety and panic attacks.
Long-term Effects of Using Marijuana
The most common long-term effect of marijuana abuse is amotivational syndrome. Abusers lose interest in the future and stop caring about things that used to be important to them. They neglect school, chores, personal health, and relationships. It can take up to 2 years off pot to regain a normal motivation level.
Marijuana can cause a great deal of other damage over time, including: Increased tolerance or the need for increasing amounts to feel effects. Permanent damage to thinking and reasoning ability. Chronic bronchitis, frequent chest colds, and pneumonia. Increased risk of lung or oral cancer. Weakened immune system. Damage to the reproductive system and infertility in both sexes. Miscarriage or brain damage to fetuses.
What else should I know about Marijuana?
Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug, but is not as common as you might think: About 80% of young people never use it. Being in a room with marijuana smoke can cause a “contact high” just from breathing. In one study, 33% of arrested reckless drivers tested positive for marijuana. Possession of marijuana is illegal. Charges carry high fines and jail time.
Put Marijuana Out!
If someone offers you marijuana, the easiest thing to do is say, “No, thanks.” You don’t owe them any explanation. Say you’re just not interested. Make a quick exit. Keep pot heads and pot smoke out of your life. Your brain, your body, and your goals are too important to be a burnout.
The Basis of Burnout
People who sue marijuana will talk your head off about it, but most of what they say is either wrong, self-serving, or both. A look at the lives of most abusers shows marijuana at the center and many other things pushed to the side. Pot smokers are the reason that a lack of excitement about life is called “burnout.”
Marijuana users may tell you it’s a harmless, “natural” drug. Marijuana is no more “harmless” or “natural” than cigarette tobacco; in fact, its smoke contains 3 to 5 times as much of tobacco’s cancer causing toxins. In addition, it can cause permanent loss of brain function and infertility.
Users say marijuana is a peaceful, fun drug, but they’re ignoring the facts. People who are stoned on marijuana are commonly paranoid. Things the “pot head” used to find fun, like sports ao arts, are forgotten.
Marijuana makes users every bit as dangerous behind the wheel of a car as alcohol does. People high on marijuana have difficulty judging distances, and their reactions to sights and sounds on the road are slowed way down. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana. People who have been smoking marijuana perform as badly on “drunk driver” test as drunk people do.
Don’t burn out. Keep your mind sharp, your lungs clear, and your eyes focused on the future. Don’t smoke marijuana.
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