Author: James Anderson

Marijuana Cannabis, Weed: What It Is, Side Effects & Risks

The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. The first state in the union to legalize the medical use of marijuana was California in 1996 with Proposition 215. ACOG recommends that marijuana use be discontinued during breastfeeding. The scientific data are not strong enough to determine the risk to the nursing infant.

Marijuana is also the most common illicit drug used during pregnancy, in roughly 2% to 5% of women. Feeling of a relaxed state, euphoria (“high”), and an enhanced sensory perception may occur. Some people who are novice users may feel anxious, paranoid, or have a panic attack, especially if they use higher amounts or higher strengths of THC.

Detection in body fluids

If you’re curious about trying cannabis, make sure to read up on the laws in your area first. Keep in mind that while cannabis comes from a plant and is considered natural, it can still have strong effects, both positive and negative. While individual people may report certain personal benefits, all of these factors make it difficult to come to any firm conclusions.

1. People who smoke marijuana often have the same respiratory problems as cigarette smokers.
2. Other countries to do so are Canada, Georgia, Germany, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Thailand.
3. The plant is low in THC like the indica plant but does not contain adequate levels of CBD when it comes to medicinal effects.
4. Although these findings support the idea of marijuana as a “gateway drug,” the majority of people who use marijuana don’t go on to use other “harder” drugs.
5. When people do experience hallucinations from marijuana use, they’re typically different from hallucinations people experience from other hallucinogens (like LSD, psilocybin and ecstasy).

This effect may be enhanced if other drugs, such as stimulants, are taken with marijuana. Marijuana’s strength is correlated to the amount of THC it contains and the effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC. In general, the THC content in marijuana has been increasing since the 1990s, when it contained less than 4% of THC. Today it may contain much higher percentages of THC and extracts can contain upwards of 50% or more of THC. THC from marijuana acts on specific receptors in the brain, called cannabinoid receptors, starting off a chain of cellular reactions that finally lead to the euphoria, or “high” that users experience.

A Rise in Marijuana’s THC Levels

The “blunts” retain tobacco leaf used to wrap the cigar and therefore it combines marijuana’s active ingredients with nicotine and other harmful chemicals. Smoking marijuana can affect your memory and cognitive function and cause harmful cardiovascular effects, such as high blood pressure. For states such as Colorado and Washington, the full legalization of cannabis has led to a boom in recreational, medicinal, and industrial uses.

One downside to the dried leaves method of ingestion is that they are more likely inhaled through burning, which can lead to the ingestion of harmful chemicals created in the smoke. When the smoke comes into contact with the lungs, the chemical ingredients are easily absorbed into the body. Cannabis for recreational use can act as both a depressant and stimulant.

These devices pull the active ingredients (including THC) from the marijuana and collect their vapor in a storage unit. It is important to note that the federal government still considers marijuana an illegal drug and that the illegal distribution and sale of marijuana is a federal crime. Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), marijuana is still considered a Schedule 1 drug. Rules surrounding recreational use of marijuana vary by state or territory. Check the laws in each area, as differences exist for quantity allowed, plant growing, and retail sales, among other factors. Prescription medicines containing synthetic cannabinoids (THC) are available.

It is important to recognize that state medical and recreational marijuana laws do not change the fact that using marijuana continues to be an offense under U.S. federal law. Per federal law, cannabis (marijuana, hashish) is a schedule I drug. Human fetuses exhibit the cannabinoid receptor type 1 in the nervous system as early as 14 weeks of gestation, and animal studies suggest cannabinoid exposure may lead to abnormal brain development. As reported by de Moraes Barro and colleagues, babies born to adolescents who used marijuana during pregnancy have shown adverse neurological behavior effects of the newborns in the first 24 to 78 hours after delivery. These numbers could rise as more states continue to legalize marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes. Due to possible side effects of marijuana on the fetus, ACOG recommends that marijuana should be avoided during pregnancy.

Cannabis (Marijuana) DrugFacts

When the flowers of these plants are harvested and dried, you’re left with one of the most common drugs in the world. Cannabis, weed, pot, and marijuana all refer to the same group of plants known for their relaxing and calming effects. However, effects vary depending on your mode of consumption and it’s illegal in many places. Marijuana smoke contains many of the same harmful components as tobacco smoke.

What is medical marijuana?

It’s also important to note that other factors besides biological mechanisms, such as a person’s social environment, are also critical in a person’s risk for drug use and addiction. Read more about marijuana as a gateway drug in our Marijuana Research Report. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a report urging doctors to protect children from the harms of marijuana as the U.S. becomes increasingly tolerant to the drug. Experts note that marijuana use in the young can lead to abnormal brain development. Cities, municipalities, employers, landlords, and universities may have special policies about the use of marijuana. Use within any federal land, national park or monument is still illegal.

In heavy chronic users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks. Vaporizers are also popular for those who prefer not to inhale smoke. The devices concentrate the THC from the marijuana into a storage unit and the person then inhales the vapor, not the smoke.

But providers may certify marijuana use to help with certain medical conditions in states that legally allow it. Read more about the ABCD study on our Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD Study) webpage. When people begin using marijuana as teenagers, the drug may impair thinking, memory, and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions.