Cannabis

Cannabis   (Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica)

Street names

Dope, Draw, Pot, Blow, Bush, Wacky Backy, Spliff, Marijuana, Ganja, Weed, Black, Hash, Grass, Shit, Skunk.

General Info

Cannabis is a natural substance from a plant commonly called Hemp. Cannabis originated from China in the first century AD and was initially used as a herbal remedy. It is a bushy plant that grows in most parts of the world. Next to alcohol and tobacco, it is the most commonly used drug in Wales.

It usually comes in a solid dark lump called resin or grass form which is generally mixed with tobacco and rolled into a spliff or joint or as sticky dark oil. It can, however, be smoked in bongs, buckets or pipes. It can also be brewed in a drink or cooked with food and eaten. There are different types of cannabis and some e.g. skunk are very strong.

Effects

The effects are often felt very quickly:

• Cannabis induces feelings of relaxation and heightened perceptions
• Users can become more talkative
• Judgement may be impaired and users may suffer short term memory loss
• Users may feel sick
• Cooking the drug then eating it make the effects more intense and harder to control and may bring on a craving for food often referred to as ‘having the munchies’.

Risks

• Cannabis may cause psychological dependency, panic attacks, lack of energy and paranoia
• Smoking it with tobacco may lead to users becoming hooked on cigarettes  (increased risk of lung cancer)
• Smoking Cannabis can cause chronic respiratory disease e.g. bronchitis
• It impairs the ability to learn and concentrate
• Getting stoned on Cannabis affects co-ordination, increasing the risk of accidents
• Cannabis can cause reproduction disorders and complications in pregnancy.

Class

Class B