Cannabis is a mood-altering drug made from the leaves and flowers of the cannabis saliva plant. It is available in three forms: marijuana, hashish, and hash oil.
People use cannabis for the effects produced by THC (known to scientists as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Marijuana is the weakest form of cannabis, with up to 7 to 15 percent THC, and hash oil contains up to 60 percent THC.
Cannabis is usually smoked. It can also be eaten, usually by being cooked into food such as brownies. The high from a single joint, or marijuana cigarette, may last two to three hours. Cannabis products are rarely injected since doing so would cause pain and swelling.
Some people believe that cannabis use leads directly to the use of harder drugs, such as LSD or cocaine. While it is true that some users of hard drugs started out with cannabis, it is not true that most cannabis users will move on to other drugs.
After the first few puffs, most users become relaxed and less inhibited. Some become talkative; others quiet and withdrawn. Senses feel sharper. Ordinary objects take on special meaning.
Judging distance and passage of time is difficult. As well, attention span and concentration may be reduced. The user may be unable to remember events that have just occurred. Taking in new information and performing complex tasks becomes a challenge. Physical effects may include impaired balance, rapid heart beat, red eyes, increased appetite, dry mouth and throat, and drowsiness. Some of these effects can pose a serious risk to seniors and people with serious cardiovascular disease.
Many users feel confusion or anxiety. This is more likely at higher doses when people may also have mild hallucinations and feelings of panic. These effects disappear over time. Cannabis can interfere with the ability to drive or use machinery. Combining sports or physical activities with cannabis could be hazardous
Effects can last long after the high has passed. Poor muscle coordination and drowsiness make it dangerous to drive.
As with tobacco, smoking cannabis over the long term will damage the lungs. A single marijuana cigarette yields almost four time as much tar as a tobacco cigarette. Since people that smoke cannabis generally inhale deeply and hold the smoke in their lungs longer, they increase the risk of lung cancer and other lung diseases.
The sedating effects of cannabis can worsen the tendency to be lethargic or apathetic. Symptoms of long-term cannabis use include reduced drive, impaired ability to do complex tasks, failure to make long-term plans, diminished communication skills, neglect of personal appearance, and sluggish mental responses. This syndrome tends to disappear several weeks after drug use stops.
Effects on the fetus are not clear at this time. However cannabis use during pregnancy is not recommended. Much remains to be learned about its effects on fertility as well, although some heavy users have had fertility problems.
Tolerance is the body adapting to the presence of a drug. When tolerance to a drug increases, more of the drug is necessary to achieve the same effect.
People who have used the drug for long periods of time become dependent on it. Withdrawal symptoms are mild and last about a week, but a craving for the drug may last longer.