CANNABIS
Category
Sedative with hallucinogenic properties
Street Names
'Pot', 'Hash', 'Weed', 'Draw', 'Grass', 'Smoke', 'Blow', 'Dope'.
Cannabis is the most popular illegal drug in Ireland. It is not known to be physically addictive, and there have been no reported cases of fatal overdose. When people start using cannabis at an early age and use heavily, statistically their chances of progressing on to use of "harder" drugs e.g. heroin and cocaine increases. However evidence does indicate that most cannabis users either completely stop or cut down levels of use over the course of their lifetime.
Cannabis comes in four different forms
* Grass (marijuana) looks like dried herbs or parsley and is the least powerful form. It is often made into a kind of home-made cigarette ('reefer'/'joint') and may be smoked in a pipe.
* Resin looks like a piece of an Oxo cube, it varies in colour from gold, brown to black. It is generally burned and crumbled. It is a stronger form of the drug. It too can be made into cigarettes, used in pipes, or baked into bread or cakes.
* Hash Oil/Liquid is concentrated cannabis and is the most powerful form. It is painted on the paper of an ordinary cigarette. When smoked it gives off a strong, sweet, incense-like smell.
* Skunk weed is the strongest form of cannabis grass. It is grown using artificial light and engineered to have the highest proportion of THC (tetrahydrocannabinols - the main psychoactive compounds).
Effects
Physical
* The effects of cannabis can last several hours depending on the amount used and the strength of the particular cannabis. The drug induces relaxed feelings and senses are enhanced.
* Use can trigger epilepsy.
* Smoking cannabis increases the likelihood of you developing chest problems, coughs, bronchitis etc.
* Cannabis can influence mood and affects short-term memory and concentration.
* Those particularly at risk of adverse reaction include those addicted to other drugs and those with heart trouble.
* Cannabis is detectable in your urine for up to six weeks.
* If someone has smoked too much, they may feel ill and vomit. They may also fall asleep. It is important to keep an eye on anyone in this situation and follow general safety precautions, as there is a risk that they may inhale or choke on their vomit while sleeping.
* Users may feel sluggish and dazed over the following few days after a particularly heavy session.
Psychological
* Mild hallucinations can occur.
* Reported adverse reactions include confusion, panic attacks, paranoia and hallucinations.
* With sustained use psychological dependence can occur.
Potential Side-Effects
Physical
* Cannabis smoke contains harmful chemicals some of which may cause cancer.
* Those who smoke cannabis are more likely to develop chest problems, coughs, bronchitis etc.
* Evidence indicates that cannabis may have a negative impact on male fertility. Research is ongoing into this issue.
Psychological
* Although there is no evidence that cannabis use can lead to any form of mental illness, it may aggravate pre-existing conditions e.g. schizophrenia and depression.
Safety
Mixing cannabis with tobacco is dangerous. Apart from the usual problems associated with tobacco smoke, there are further problems when the two are combined as three times more tar and five times more carbon monoxide is produced than in cigarettes alone. Cannabis smokers also tend to breathe in the smoke more deeply and hold it in for longer thus potentially doing the same amount of damage as heavy tobacco smokers.
There is evidence that holding in cannabis smoke does not actually increase the impact of the drug therefore try and not inhale for as long or as deeply in the future.
As there are harmful chemicals in cigarette papers it is advisable to cut down on the amount of cigarette papers used when making joints. It is better to use rolled plain paper filters in joints as chemicals in printed paper get released by heat. Do not use cigarette filters in joints as they increase the ratio of tar to THC by 30% and reduce the amount of THC that actually gets through by 60%.
Using water bongs or pipes also encourages the user to inhale for longer and deeper, causing the same problems as explained above. If you use a pipe or bong those made of glass, steel or brass are better options than wood and plastic as toxins are released with heat.
The safest way to use cannabis is to eat it. There are many ways to do this e.g. crumbling cannabis/grass into yoghurt or on top of pizza. The more culinary make it into cakes/biscuits (space cakes). Beware though, you need far less cannabis to get stoned by ingestion than by smoking (about 80% less). It can take a few hours for the effects to become apparent, and it may last for a number of hours. Too much cannabis consumed this way can lead to a "trip" like experience, levels of confusion and paranoia are likely to occur for those that are not experienced with this drug.
If you are a heavy user of cannabis and smoke it every day, take a few days off once in a while to clear your head and give your chest a break.
Overdosing
There is no evidence that anyone can die from using large amounts of cannabis, although you may sleep for a while.
Withdrawal
There are no physical side effects when a user stops smoking for a period of time, although those who have developed psychological dependence may experience inability to sleep, restlessness, irritability and a potential increase in aggressive tendencies for a short period of time.
Do not Drive or use heavy machinery; research shows that cannabis slows reaction times.
Sources:
www.newscientist.com
www.hit.org
www.erowid.org
Fonte
clubscene.ie / Merchants Quay Ireland
MQI is a voluntary organisation working with drug users, people who are homeless and other marginalised groups in Inner-city Dublin, Ireland.