CANNABIS Cannabis, from the Cannabis sativa plant (see a large photo), is the most widely used illegal drug in Canada. It is a mood-altering drug, and can be found in marijuana (the dried seeds and leaves of the plant ... see another large photo), as well as hashish (see a large photo) and hash oil (both from the plant resin). Marijuana and hashish are usually smoked, most commonly in cigarettes. Hash oil is added to marijuana or tobacco cigarettes. Cannabis can also be cooked in foods. The cannabis 'high' comes from the chemical THC , or delta-9-tetrahydro-cannabinol. Hashish usually contains more of this active ingredient than marijuana, and hash oil even more. Cannabis use makes you feel more relaxed; colours seem brighter, sounds and smells seem more distinct. Some users feel happy and talk a lot; others become quiet and withdrawn. These effects usually last for two to four hours. (If you eat it, the effects take longer to occur, but last longer). Cannabis use affects your judgment, and slows your reaction time dramatically. Driving and operating machinery while using this drug is definitely not safe, especially if its use is combined with alcohol, which it often is. While high on cannabis, you lose some of your ability to learn. You forget things, and have trouble concentrating. Some users suffer from severe anxiety, and high doses can cause panic attacks and temporary psychosis. However, these effects usually disappear within hours. Because the drug is illegal and unregulated, users have no idea what other chemicals they may be getting when they purchase cannabis. Often it is spiked with other nasty substances to increase its 'kick'. In Canada, marijuana can be taken legally (by prescription) to decrease the nausea caused by anti-cancer drugs, and to increase appetite in people with AIDS. However, only a few people in these situations have been granted permission through Health Canada’s Special Access Program. Using cannabis heavily for a long time can have serious side effects: Cannabis smoke contains cancer-producing chemicals ... even more of them than tobacco. Smoking cannabis damages the lungs and often leads to chronic coughing and lung infections. People who smoke both tobacco and marijuana may develop lung, neck and head cancers at a younger age than those who smoke only tobacco. Many people who have used the drug for a long time experience problems with short-term memory, concentration and abstract thinking. They may experience personality changes. Sometimes these problems can last for years, even after stopping use of the drug. Women who use cannabis during pregnancy, just as women who smoke tobacco, are more likely to have premature or underweight babies. As the children grow up, they often have learning and behaviour problems. Cannabis use is addictive, and as with other drugs, it causes an increase in tolerance (more and more of the drug is needed to get the same effect). Dependent users who quit may feel mild withdrawal symptoms like troubled sleep, irritability, anxiety, nausea, sweating and loss of appetite. These symptoms usually last less than a week, but the psychological craving (just as with tobacco) can last much longer. BACK