Monday, March 30, 2009

CANNABIS


Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug. Made from parts of the cannabis plant, it’s a naturally occurring drug. It is a mild sedative (often causing a chilled out feeling or actual sleepiness) and it’s also a mild hallucinogen (meaning you may experience a state where you see objects and reality in a distorted way and may even hallucinate). The main active compound in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).




Slang:
Street names for drugs can vary around the country. Bhang, black, blast, blow, blunts, Bob Hope, bush, dope, draw, ganja, grass, hash, hashish, hemp, herb, marijuana, pot, puff, Northern Lights, resin, sensi, sinsemilla, shit, skunk, smoke, soap, spliff, wacky backy, weed, zero. Some names are based on where it comes from... Afghan, homegrown, Moroccan etc.

The effects
.Some people may feel chilled out, relaxed and happy, while others have one puff and feel sick.
Others get the giggles and may become talkative.
Hunger pangs are common and are known as 'getting the munchies'.
Users may become more aware of their senses or get a feeling of slowing of time, which are due to its hallucinogenic effects.
Clearly a stronger 'joint' (e.g. skunk or sinsemilla) may have more powerful effects.

Chances of getting hooked
There is some psychological dependence with cannabis (where there is a desire to keep taking the drug even in spite of possible harms) and this occurs in about 10% of users. There are no physical withdrawal symptoms from cannabis use.
If you've only been using for a short while there should be no problem stopping but with continued regular use of cannabis, this can become more difficult. You’re also at risk of getting addicted to nicotine if you roll your spliffs with tobacco.


Appearance and use
Cannabis comes in different forms.
Hash is a blacky-brown lump made from the resin of the plant. It's quite often squidgy.
Grass or weed (traditional herbal cannabis) is made from the dried leaves of the plant and looks like tightly packed dried herbs. Less common is cannabis oil, which is dark and sticky and comes in a small jar.
Recently, there have been various forms of herbal or grass-type cannabis that are generally found to be stronger than ordinary ‘weed’, containing on average 2-3 times the amount of the active compound, THC. These include ‘sinsemilla’ (a bud grown in the absence of male plants and which has no seeds), ‘homegrown’, ‘skunk’ (which has a particular strong smell) and ‘netherweed’.
These are forms of herbal cannabis often grown from selected seeds by intensive indoor methods (e.g. using hydroponic methods, artificial lighting etc.) to optimise their potency.
Most people mix cannabis with tobacco and smoke it as a spliff or a joint. Some people put it in a pipe. And others make tea with it or stick it in food like cakes or ‘cannabis cookies’.


The risks
*Even hardcore smokers can become anxious, panicky and suspicious.
*It affects your coordination, which is one of the reasons why drug driving is just as illegal as drink driving.
*Some people think cannabis is harmless just because it’s a plant – but it isn’t harmless. *Cannabis, like tobacco, has lots of chemical 'nasties', which can cause lung disease and cancer with long-term or heavy use, especially as it is often mixed with tobacco. It can also make asthma worse.
*Cannabis is risky for anyone with a heart problem as it increases the heart rate and can affect blood pressure.
*There’s also increasing evidence of a link between cannabis and mental health problems such as schizophrenia. If you’ve a history of mental health problems, depression or are experiencing paranoia, then taking this drug will actually increase the problem.
*Use of cannabis can cut a man's sperm count and suppress ovulation in women. If you’re pregnant, smoking cannabis may harm the baby.
*Regular, heavy use makes it difficult to learn and concentrate. Some people begin to feel tired all the time and can't seem to get motivated.
*Some users may want to buy stronger herbal cannabis to get ‘a bigger high’ but unpleasant reactions can be more powerful when you use stronger strains, and stronger varieties may lead in time to more severe dependence or more severe mental health effects.

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