Cannabis

Think About it

Cannabis is an illegal drug and is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Possession, selling, growing or using cannabis is against the law. If you are convicted of breaking the laws controlling cannabis you could get a heavy fine or even sent to prison, then you will have a criminal record. This can cause problems in many part of your life, for instance in work, school, status and relationships.

The drug

Marijuana is made from the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant.

Hashish is made from the plants resin (cannabis resin).

Hashish oil is a concentrated liquid extract from the cannabis plant.

Marijuana, hashish and hashish oil all come from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa. It is a sturdy plant which grows easily in many parts of the world. The main ingredient in cannabis which effect your behaviour is a chemical called THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol).

THC is absorbed into your blood stream and the blood takes it to your brain. It is the action on the brain which produces the feeling of being `stoned'. THC can be stored in fat tissues, which means that the chemical can stay in your body for several days.

What it does to your mind and body

The effects of cannabis can be different and depend on the amount and strength of the drug you use, your personality, your mood and how it made you feel if you have taken it before.

Small doses of cannabis cause the following effects which only last a short time.

• a feeling of well-being, loss of inhibitions
• talk and laugh more than usual
• cant concentrate
• cant co-ordinate properly, loss of balance
• feeling hungry
• heart and pulse gets quicker
• whites of the eye go red

These feelings usually last for 2 to 3 hours and later will often lead to calm and sleepy feelings. Cannabis can also leave you feeling like you have a hang-over (like alcohol) which makes you sleepy and you can't co-ordinate properly.

Very large amounts of cannabis makes all theses effects stronger. They can also change the way you perceive sound, time, colour, distance, touch or other sensations. Large doses of cannabis can produce the following

• confusion
• restlessness
• feelings of excitement
• hallucinations
• anxiety or panic

Other effects of cannabis use

Money

Cannabis is an expensive drug to use, an once of cannabis can cost anything from £70 to £130. The dealer (person who sells it) will cut up an ounce into `eighths' costing the buyer between £15 to £20 or `quarters' costing between £25 to £30, it also is sold in half ounces and ounces. Because cannabis is so expensive many people spend most of their wages or pocket money on buying the drug. For them using cannabis is more important than other activities. Fines for being caught in possession of cannabis or selling it can be very expensive too.

Work

Cannabis could end up getting you the sack from your job if you are stoned at work or have a cannabis hangover, you can't work properly. your concentration, co-ordination and judgement are all effected while THC is in your body. Your employer could sack you for using drugs at work or if you have been convicted on a cannabis charge.

Memory and Learning

Cannabis makes your memory poor - concentration and logical thinking. You can find it difficult to remember what happens while you have THC in your system. But you are still responsible for what you do when you are high.

Cannabis can even make it difficult for you to learn simple tasks. This can mean that you perform badly at work or at school, even fail exams or tests.

Sexuality

Cannabis can make you feel much more relaxed about sex. One of the problems here is that you may take the risk of having unprotected sex because you are to stoned to put a condom on, or maybe so high that a condom is the last thing you are thinking about.

Some researchers think that there is a possibility that heavy cannabis use could affect your sexual development and reduce important hormones being produced. This could lead to lowered sex drive, reduced sperm count or irregular menstrual cycles (girls periods). These effects are still being investigated.

Personality

Many people think that cannabis is a stimulant like speed, but it is not, it is a depressant like alcohol. Although it can make you feel more sociable and less inhibited, it also slows you down, and can make you feel quite withdrawn.

Some people who use a lot of cannabis often lose their energy and drive, and lose their interest in other people and their activities. This does disappear though when you stop using cannabis.

Relationships

If you use cannabis it can affect your relationship with family and friends. It can be difficult for other people to understand your changes in mood and behaviour, or your reason for using the drug. Legal and money problems, anxiety and misunderstandings related to cannabis can cause many conflicts within families.

Motor skills

THC (the chemical in cannabis) affects your balance and co-ordination. It also effects your ability to drive any kind of vehicle or operate many kinds of machinery. Cannabis and alcohol together have a much greater effect on motor skills. Both drugs are causing an increasing number of accidents on the roads, in the home, in industry and in sport.

Cannabis and Health

There is no evidence that occasional use of small amounts of cannabis causes any lasting health damage. but other aspects of your life can still be affected.

THC the mood changing chemical in cannabis can eventually affect your health and your life. The main risks associated with long-term cannabis use are:

• Smoking - cannabis is usually smoked. By itself it contains nearly twice as much tar as tobacco; if you mix it with tobacco, then you also absorb nicotine into your bloodstream. Smoking is related to many health problems - bronchitis, lung cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and other diseases linked to your circulation and respiration.

• Changes in motivation and personality

• Possible changes in the way your body produces hormones and sexual development.

• Legal and social problems which can in turn cause stress and anxiety.

Generally the more cannabis you smoke the greater the risk to your health.

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