Cannabis

WHAT IS CANNABIS?

Cannabis is an illegal depressant drug derived from Indian hemp plants. One of the main active chemicals in cannabis is THC [delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol] but there are over 40 cannibinoid chemicals (including CBD-cannabidiol) that can play a role in the effects of Cannabis.

OTHER NAMES:

Grass, pot, weed, hash, reefer, dope, herb, mull, Buddha, ganja, joint, stick, buckets, cones, skunk, hydro, yarndi, smoke, green.

EFFECTS:

• Talkative, relaxed, decreased concentration, slower reaction times. Auditory and visual hallucinations, anxiety and panic.
• DURATION
• Effects can be felt as quick as 10 minutes after smoking or vaping cannabis.
• Effects can be felt for 1 to 4 hours if smoked or vaped. 5 or more hours if eaten.
• While there is no risk of death, there are times when a young person might “green out”, skin turn pale or green, get the sweats, vomit or pass out.
• Alcohol, causing nausea, vomiting, panic and paranoia.
• Cannabis is also used to assist comedown from stimulants.

SOME COMMON HARM REDUCTION STRATEGIES

Encourage a young person to: –

• stop using tobacco if they are smoking a “mix”.
• try to keep track of how much has been used to avoid overuse
• understand the risks involved in mixing other drugs and alcohol, including prescription medication.
• If a young person wants to cut down work with them on the 3 D’s -Delay, Distract and Decide
This is only a little bit of information this Harm Reduction Victoria fact sheet has heaps more.

We also recommend this video which explains a lot about how cannabis works in the brain.

This article is about the relationship between cannabis and mental health.

Or there’s this article from ADF in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers that has some information about what happens to the body and brain on Ganja.