Basics
Recognising cannabis
How it is taken
What happens
Possible consequences
Risk reduction
Classification

Basics

• Cannabis is the controlled drug that is most commonly used illegally
• Street names include dope, grass, hash[ish], ganga, shit, blow, weed, draw and puff
• ‘Cannabis’ is a plant that has three species, cannabis sativa, cannabis indica and cannabis ruderalis.These plants (also known as hemp) grow in many parts of the world. The plant has been cultivated because of the variety of uses to which it can be put
• Most of the cannabis available in the UK has been imported. However, domestic cultivation of the plant is increasing
• Hydroponic grow rooms are a popular method for cultivation of cannabis in the UK, producing high yield plants throughout the year.

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Recognising cannabis in its different forms

• In its most basic form, ‘cannabis’ will simply be dried plant material, often called ‘grass’. Low quality herbal cannabis will contain all the parts of the plant
• A cannabis plant may be male or female (or very occasionally it may be a hermaphrodite). The flowering head of the female plant produces most of the resin that contains the psychoactive constituents
• High quality herbal cannabis will contain only the flowering heads of the female plant
• The resin produced by the plant can be collected, and sold in a block
• Occasionally, cannabis is sold as an oil
• Cannabis contains over sixty cannabinol compounds. The most significant psychoactive constituent is known as ê -9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC
• Herbal cannabis usually contains 1% to 5% THC
• Cannabis resin usually contains 2% to 10% THC
• Some forms of cannabis have been developed that contain over 20% THC. These hybrids are usually sold as herbal cannabis, under ‘brand’ names including skunk and northern lights.

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How it is taken

• Cannabis is usually smoked. In the UK the most common way to smoke cannabis is to mix the cannabis with tobacco and roll the mixture into a cigarette, known as a ‘joint’ or ‘spliff’
• Cannabis resin is usually hard. The resin is heated gently so that small amounts can be crumbled into the mixture
• Herbal cannabis can also be rolled into a spliff without adding any tobacco
• Cannabis oil is most commonly added to a cigarette by smearing the cigarette paper with the oil
• Cannabis can also be smoked in a pipe. Some pipes draw the smoke through water (to cool it and remove some of the smoke particles). These water pipes are often called bongs.
• However it is prepared, the smoke given off by the burning cannabis is inhaled deeply and held in the lungs before being expelled
• Cannabis can also be eaten with food or in a drink
• Cannabis is fat and alcohol soluble, but will not dissolve in water.

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What happens

• Cannabis is a depressant drug with hallucinogenic properties. Higher concentrations of THC increase the hallucinogenic effects
• When smoked, cannabis usually takes effect within 5-10 minutes
• When eaten the effects usually start after 30-45 minutes
• Common effects are relaxation, talkativeness and euphoria. Cannabis tends to produce episodes of both sociability and hilarity and introspective reflection
• Cannabis also produces feelings of enhanced awareness - sound and colour can seem more vibrant than usual
• It is fairly common for cannabis use to be followed by an episode of ‘the munchies’ - it acts as an appetite stimulant
• The amount of THC in a cannabis preparation dramatically affects the experience
• At higher doses, or with higher concentrations of THC, the experience can become more ‘trippy’ with visual and auditory distortion and short term memory loss
• The use of cannabis, particularly cannabis with a high concentration of THC, can emphasise feelings of anxiety or paranoia
• The effects of cannabis usually last for several hours.

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Possible consequences

• Regular users may develop a psychological dependence
• Reaction time and physical co-ordination will be affected by cannabis use, and someone who has used cannabis may not be able to drive or operate machinery safely
• Some researchers have linked regular cannabis use to aggressive cancers of the throat and neck
• Cannabis is very similar to the tobacco plant. Smoking either (or both) can cause irritation and damage to the respiratory system
• There is some evidence linking cannabis use to the worsening of some schizophrenic disorders. People with a history of mental illness may be vulnerable to cannabis induced psychosis.
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Risk reduction

The following guidance may help users to reduce risks associated with cannabis use:

• Smoking cannabis and tobacco together may be more harmful than smoking either alone
• Smoking cannabis through a water pipe cools the smoke and will remove some of the water soluble particles from the smoke
• Avoid cannabis use if you are feeling anxious, depressed or paranoid - it could emphasise the feelings
• Eating cannabis can make it more difficult to regulate the dose. Someone eating cannabis will not need to ingest any more than if they were smoking to achieve the same effect. High doses can be very disorientating
• Do not attempt to drive or operate machinery when intoxicated
• Mixing drugs produces unpredictable results. Taking cannabis with depressant drugs (like alcohol) may increase feelings of sedation and relaxation.

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Classification

Cannabis is a Class C drug. For those over 18, most - but not all - offences of cannabis possession are likely to result in a warning and confiscation of the drug. For a first offence of simple possession, those under 18 will normally be arrested, taken to the police station and given a warning or a reprimand. Supply and possession of cannabis are illegal.

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