Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in Britain. Made from parts of the cannabis plant, it’s a naturally occurring drug. It is a mild sedative (often causing a chilled out feeling or actual sleepiness) and it’s also a mild hallucinogen (meaning you may experience a state where you see objects and reality in a distorted way and may even hallucinate). The main active compound in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Street names can vary around the country. Bhang, black, blast, blow, blunts, Bob Hope, bush, dope, draw, ganja, grass, hash, hashish, hemp, herb, marijuana, pot, puff, Northern Lights, resin, sensi, sinsemilla, shit, skunk, smoke, soap, spliff, wacky backy, weed, zero. Some names are based on where it comes from… Afghan, homegrown, Moroccan etc.

Chances of getting hooked
There is some psychological dependence with cannabis (where there is a desire to keep taking the drug even in spite of possible harms) and this occurs in about 10% of users. There are no physical withdrawal symptoms from cannabis use.

If you’ve only been using for a short while there should be no problem stopping but with continued regular use of cannabis, this can become more difficult. You’re also at risk of getting addicted to nicotine if you roll your spliffs with tobacco.

Cannabis is illegal; it’s a Class C drug.

Marijuana is an illegal drug in many countries. Laws regarding the sale, possession, transportation, and smuggling of marijuana vary from country to country. Marijuana and hashish are made from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. When dried, the plant resembles oregano and comes in green, brown, gold, and red. The mind-altering chemical ingredient in marijuana is Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The chemical potency of marijuana today is 20 to 25 times greater than it was in the 1960s. Marijuana is usually smoked from a pipe or cigarette. It can also be eaten. Chemicals ingested from marijuana use leave the body very slowly. They can remain in cells for as long as 45 days. Harmful by-products are stored in the brain, lungs, testes, ovaries, and body fat.

Low doses of marijuana can induce euphoria — a dream-like state — as well as confusion, anxiety, panic, hallucinations, and paranoia. Marijuana increases heart rate and blood pressure, which can be dangerous for people with heart problems or susceptibility to strokes. It also diminishes coordination, reaction time, short-term memory, sense of time, the ability to learn, and the ability to talk.

Physical dependence on marijuana can develop rapidly. Withdrawal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, irritability, sweating, sleeping problems, and weight loss. Marijuana users risk lung damage, diseases such as bronchitis and lung cancer, higher heart rate and blood pressure, lower immunity to disease, and lower reproductive functioning.

Benzopyrene, the cancer-causing chemical found in cigarette smoke, is much more abundant in marijuana smoke than in cigarette smoke. Smoking three to five marijuana cigarettes a week can have the same effect on the lungs as smoking 16 to 18 tobacco cigarettes a day, seven days a week.

Marijuana users can lose interest in long-term goals and activities. Users may become increasingly unmotivated or dull and may have difficulty concentrating, remembering things, planning, or performing in school or work. These problems can disappear soon after stopping marijuana use completely.

People who use marijuana often have bloodshot eyes, decreased coordination and reaction time, difficulty communicating clearly, a confused appearance, and/or a skewed sense of time.