A quick guide to cannabis, including street names, identifying factors and common effects of the drug.
Cannabis is also called:
Marijuana, pot, reefer, grass, weed, dope or ganja. Skunk and sinsemilla are potent forms and can be known as bud.
Appearance and uses:
It looks similar to dried parsley and may have stems and seeds in it. The stems, buds and/or leaves of the hemp plant are smoked or eaten/drunk in tea, they are often rolled into cigarettes or smoked via a bong or pipe.
The primary mind-altering ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol).
Common effects of cannabis
Initial feeling of being ‘chilled out’, the user may get the giggles, and appear more lethargic than usual.
Unwanted effects: problems with memory and learning, difficulty in thinking straight and problem solving, loss of co-ordination, distorted perceptions and/or hallucinations, altered sense of time, feelings of anxiety or panic with increased heart rate and finally paranoia. The regular use of cannabis is known to be associated with an increase in the risk of later developing psychotic illnesses including schizophrenia.
Addictive?
Marijuana is commonly accepted as an addictive substance, in that its use can lead to the compulsion to use more.
Hashish
Hashish is also called: hash.
Appearance and uses:
Hashish comes in brown or black cakes or balls – it can also be obtained as an oil. Hashish is usually smoked or eaten.
Common effects:
The effects that hashish has on a user can be the same as marijuana (above). Hash is a more concentrated, resinous form of marijuana.
