CANNABIS – INTRODUCTION
Cannabis has been used as a social drug for as long as alcohol.
It found a place in medicine as a sedative and mild pain reliever but was abandoned because its behavioral effect was so unreliable.
Those who advocate its use claim it is less dangerous than alcohol and say that there is not yet enough scientific evidence to prove its dangers.
That isn’t true. The active chemical in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The dried leaves, the stems, flowers or resin may be used.
Marijuana is the weakest form of cannabis. It is usually smoked. The other stronger forms of cannabis are also usually smoked, often with tobacco.
Most people who try it for the first time experience little effect. Some may feel giddy or even vomit. A few may feel light-headed with tingling of the hands and feet. This may be followed by a feeling of euphoria.
It usually takes about five marijuana cigarettes (reefers or joints), smoked all at once or over a week or so, to raise the level in the body sufficiently to experience a “high”. The drug is stored in the body in fat and is slowly excreted. Sixty per cent may still be present in the body after a week and 10 per cent after 48 days.
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