Some hard facts on cannabis

Page 6

Marijuana, hashish and hash oil come form the plant cannabis sativa. Its main psychoactive ingredient, THC (delta nine tetrahydrocannabinol), is mainly responsible

for the typical effects on feeling, thoughts and the senses that users experience after taking cannabis.

Marijuana consists of the dried flowering leaves and tops of the cannabis plant. The amount of THC usually ranges from less than 1% to more than 6% of the marijuana material. A marijuana cigarette is referred to as a joint; it is hand-rolled, usually with the ends twisted.

Hashish consists of the dried flowers and resin of the cannabis plant. It ranges in color from light brown to almost black and is sold in chunks of cubes. The amount of THC can be as high as 15% to the hashish. It's smoked in cigarettes or pipes, often mixed with tobacco to make it burn more easily.

Hash oil is a thick oil of cannabis resin, which is usually extracted from hashish.

It ranges in color from almost clear to almost black. It can contain up to 60% THC. Because it is so potent, hash oil is used sparingly - often just a single drop is put on a

joint, a cigarette, or something else that can be smoked.

When a low or moderate amount of cannabis is used - say, one marijuana cigarette or less - users commonly feel content, relaxed, somewhat less inhibited emotionally, and they may even break into laughter unexpectedly.

Time may seem to pass slowly, distances may be hard to judge, and the way people see themselves may change. Feelings may be stronger and sensations may be sharper.

Memory for things that just happened may be interfered with, and the ability to perform complicated task such as driving a car is likely to be impaired. The heartbeat becomes more rapid, blood pressure drops slightly, and the eyes redden. Appetite may increase and the user's mouth and throat may feel dry. a few may experience panic or mild paranoia.

For higher doses - say, three or four marijuana cigarettes - the effects experienced can be much stronger. Some see things or hear voices that are not there or feel that they, themselves, are not real. They may become extremely suspicious of others, and perhaps feel terrified. At high doses, users generally also experience impaired judgment, slowed reflexes, impaired performance on simple tasks, and, sometimes confusion about past, present and future. Some may even feel that the drug-induced state will never end. All

of these serious reactions tend to disappear as the effects of the drug wear off. In spite of these very harmful effects, there have been no deaths reported in North America from cannabis overdose, even when extremely high doses are taken.

For more information on cannabis or other drugs or alcohol, contact the ADDAC office nearest you, listed in the telephone directory under Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission.

(This article is taken from the text of an audio tape prepared for use by the Ontario Addiction Research-Foundation "Dial-A-Fact" phone in information service. Edmonton's "The Health Line" (428-4288) also uses the "Dial-A-Fact" tapes.)