Cannabis Basics
Number of chemicals in a single cannabis plant
480
Top three cannabis products:
Flower, Edible, Wax, Cart/Pen
Does cannabis affect juvenile brains or adult brains more?
Juvenile brains
Term used for increased hunger with cannabis use
The munchies
Number of people who used marijuana in 2023 in the United States
61.8 million
Year cannabis was legal in the United States
2012 Washington and Colorado became first states to legalize cannabis recreationally, Oregon was first state to decriminalize in 1973.
They produce cannabis-like effects and can be 4-800 times stronger than THC.
Synthetic cannabinoids, they also tend to be shorter acting.
Anger, aches, depression, inability to concentrate, sweating, craving, slight tremors, sleep disturbances, and decreased appetite and stomach pain.
Symptoms of withdrawal
Cannabis intoxication
Amount of time that cannabis lasts in the body of a chronic user
3 months
What class of drugs does cannabis reside in?
Hallucinogen, the potency is way less than other substances in that class.
What is a type of cannabis that grows under conditions in subtropical, tropical, and temperate regions throughout the world? This type of cannabis has more of an effect on body tremors.
Cannabis sativa
Cannabis use slows learning and disrupts concentration affecting this part of the brain
The hippocampus
Physical relaxation or sedation, some pain control, bloodshot eyes, coughing from lung irritation, increased appetite, small to moderate loss in muscular coordination
Immediate physical effects,
Vomiting syndrome caused by cannabis use, which can also include symptoms like abdominal pain (cramps), symptoms of dehydration.
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome
Year cannabis was made illegal in the United States
1937
This type of cannabis is a shorter, bushier plant with fatter leaves. This is the source of most of the world's hashish. It is more effective as a treatment for pain, and mental stress and can improve someone's sleep.
Cannabis indica
Has a negative impact on connections built for functions like attention, memory, and learning, and may be long lasting or even permanent.
Slight confusion, mental separation from the environment, drowsiness, an aloof feeling, and difficulty concentrating.
Mental effects of cannabis use
When a chronic smoker quits, this is persistent and can take years to fully recover
Memory problems/ functional memory
What reasons do individuals with cancer or aids, seizure disorders, some types of glaucoma, depression, and anxiety use cannabis?
Medical uses for cannabis, appetite enhancement and a distraction from pain and anxiety for temporary relief.
Method of vaporizing hash oil. This method extracts the THC by spraying butane, Everclear alcohol, or another solvent through buds or leaves of cannabis. The THC content is generally above 40%. It is a powerful substance that can make smokers "useless" while high.
Dabbing
Part of the brain that regulates appetite, pain, anxiety, fear, the suppression of painful memories, and the sense of novelty.
The amygdala.
*This is important in understanding the effects of cannabis because it demonstrates the impact of THC on the amygdala. When a person uses cannabis, THC artificially simulates the amygdala making mundane objects and activities interesting.
Cannabis smoking on a regular basis can cause coughing and symptoms of acute and chronic bronchitis. The smoke contains a mixture of toxic gases and particulate matter that can irritate the breathing passages. This is a long-term effect of cannabis use.
Respiratory complications, EVALI
Who benefits from cannabis being described as harmless, and by increasing the potency of cannabis?
Legally the Cannabis industry, illegally organized crime.