Cannabis
Category: Sedative/Hallucinogen
Legal Status
All cannabis products are controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act. Cannabis is included in Schedule 1. It is therefore illegal to grow, produce, supply or possess. It is also an offence to allow one's premises to be a venue for cultivating/supplying or smoking cannabis.
Short-term effects
After smoking, effects start within a few minutes and can last several hours if high doses are taken. Significant perceptual distortions are relatively rare but possible after high doses. Relaxed feelings and talkativeness.
How Long it stays in your System?
The half-life of cannabis in a human body is approximately four days. This means that half of the active ingredient (THC) or its derivatives will still be present 4 days after it was smoked or injested. A quarter will be present after 8 days, and so on, until the remaining traces are so slight as to be negligible. Complete elimination from an individual's system after a single use may take as long as 5 weeks while chronic users may have cannabis in their system for up to 80 days. (depending on how much was taken).
Long Term effects
Psychological dependence and respiratory problems possible, including lung cancer.
Scientific / Trade or Slang Name
Smoke, Dope, Ganja, Marijuana, Blow, Pot, Draw, Grass, Weed.
Method of use
There are three forms of Cannabis: Oil, Herbal and Resin. Herbal cannabis is smoked on its own. Resin or oil is smoked in a cigarette (joint) with tobacco or on their own through a pipe or other device. Resin is sometimes eaten in cakes or other foods. The most impure cannabis is called 'soap bar'. It's contaminated with all sorts of things (see top image).
Signs and Symptoms of cannabis use:
- Bloodshot eyes
- Giggling (especially in early stages of use)
- Distracted
- Introverted
- Short attention span
- Verbal tangents (hard to follow smokers train of thought)
- Loss of short term memory (resumes when person stops smoking)
- 'Bomb' burn on clothes (multiple burn marks caused by falling bits of ash)
- Torn off bits of cardboard from cigarette packets or other cardboard objects to make a "roach" (a sort of filter)
- Bits of loose cigarette tobacco around the home
- Butts of cigarettes minus filter stains
- Cigarette papers e.g. rizzla and cigarettes together
- Knives with burn marks (from heating and inhaling hash smoke 'hot knives')
After effects: May cause anxiety and restlessness
