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This mood-altering drug made from
the leaves and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant, Cannabis
Sativa. It is the most widely used illicit drug in the world.
Marijuana dried,
crumbled leaves & flowers which might look like herbs.
Hashish refers
to the dried resin from the top of the cannabis plant.
Hash oil dark,
thick liquid made from hashish.
Cannabis is mainly smoked. The
marijuana is rolled into thin cigarettes or put into a pipe.
Hashish may be smoked in a pipe or cigarette or pressed between
heated knives; the vapour is then inhaled though a cylinder. The
drug may also be eaten; it may be chopped up and combined with
food.
- euphoria
- increase in heart rate
- distortion of perception in
time or space
- interference with
coordination and reactions
- drowsiness and confusion
- red eyes
- laughing, giggling
- confusion, lack of
concentration
- loss of coordination
- slowed speech
- spontaneous desire for food
(munchies)
A
single, large dose may produce panic attacks and/or
hallucinations. As well, continued use may result in significant
impacts on other aspects of the person's life/health.
Cannabis contains over 400
chemicals. The particular chemical which makes a person "stoned"
is THC (short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Cannabis is
much stronger today than in the 60's and 70's; the amount of THC
has increased from about 1% to 8-12% and at times over 20%. This
increase results in much greater effects and impact.
THC is fat-soluble and so is stored
in fatty cells in the body. Water-soluble drugs such as alcohol
and LSD leave the body within a day or so. If a person smokes
one joint of marijuana, the THC can stay in the body for up to 3
weeks. In a regular, heavy user traces of THC may be detected 30
days after last use.
Use may cause:
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short-term memory loss
-
impairment of cognitive
learning (especially school-work, problem-solving)
-
loss if interest in and
motivation for sports, work, education, and/or goal
achievement
Use may cause:
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impairment of lung function -
the tar content is 7 to 10 times higher than tobacco. A
person may experience an increase in colds, bronchitis or
greater difficulty with pre- existing problems such as
asthma.
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interference with white blood
cells which protect the body from infection
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impact on sex organs and
hormone levels. THC lowers testosterone levels and may alter
the menstrual cycle
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constant fatigue and loss of
energy
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conflict with family and
friends
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increase in other high-risk
behaviour; for example, unprotected sex, legal problems
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increased accidents including
car crashes
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dependency and inability to
stop using without help/treatment
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anxiety, nervousness
-
sleeping problems
-
loss of appetite
Drug Dependency Services, Central
Region, 1999
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