SeminarAdverse effects of cannabis
Section snippets
Cannabis the drug
Cannabis preparations are largely derived from the female plant of Cannabis sativa. The primary psychoactive constituent is Ī“-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).3 The THC content is highest in the flowering tops, declining in the leaves, lower leaves, stems, and seeds of the plant. Marijuana (THC content 0Ā·5ā5Ā·0%) is prepared from the dried flowering tops and leaves; hashish (THC content 2ā20%) consists of dried cannabis resin and compressed flowers; and hashish oil may contain between 15% and 50%
Patterns of cannabis use
Cannabis has been tried by many European young adults and by most young adults in the USA and Australia.1 Most cannabis use is intermittent and time-limited: most users stop in their mid to late 20s, and very few engage in daily cannabis use over a period of years.4 In the USA and Australia, about 10% of those who ever use cannabis become daily users, and another 20ā30% use the drug weekly.1, 4
Because of uncertainties about THC content, heavy cannabis use is generally defined as daily or near
Acute effects of cannabis
Cannabis produces euphoria and relaxation, perceptual alterations, time distortion, and the intensification of ordinary sensory experiences, such as eating, watching films, and listening to music.2 When used in a social setting it may produce infectious laughter and talkativeness. Short-term memory and attention, motor skills, reaction time, and skilled activities are impaired while a person is intoxicated.2
The most common unpleasant side-effects of occasional cannabis use are anxiety and panic
Cellular effects and the immune system
Cannabis smoke may be carcinogenic; it is mutagenic in vitro and in vivo.10 Cannabinoids impair cell-mediated and humoral immunity in rodents, decreasing resistance to infection, and non-cannabinoids in cannabis smoke impair alveolar macrophages.11 The relevance of these findings to human health is uncertain because the doses of THC used in animal studies have been very high, and tolerance may develop to the effects on immunity in human beings.12
A few studies
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