What is marijuana?

Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in Australia. It is made from the dried flowers and leaves of a plant called Cannabis Sativa. Other names for marijuana are cannabis, daga, grass, mull, pot, dope and yarndi. Marijuana can look like dried herbs or tea. Sometimes it contains seeds or twigs. It can be grey, green or brown in colour. Marijuana is usually smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints or in water pipes called bongs. Sometimes it is mixed with food, such as cakes and cookies, and eaten.
What is THC?

THC is the chemical in marijuana which makes you feel high. This means you experience a change in mood and may see or feel things in a different way. Some parts of the plant contain a higher level of THC. For example, the flowers or buds have more THC than the stems or leaves.
How does THC affect you?
When marijuana is smoked, THC goes quickly into the blood through the lungs. It then goes to the brain and this is when the high is felt. This can happen within a few minutes and can last up to five hours from each time the smoke is inhaled. When marijuana is eaten, THC is absorbed more slowly into the blood as it has to pass through the stomach and intestine. Not only does it take longer to experience the high when the drug is used in this way, the effects can also last for much longer, particularly those that are regarded as unpleasant by the user, such as hallucinogenic effects. THC is absorbed quickly into body fat. It is then released very slowly back into the blood. It can take up to one month for a single dose of THC to fully leave the body.
Hashish

Hashish consists of the THC-rich resinous material of the marijuana plant, which is collected, dried, and then compressed into a variety of forms, such as balls, cakes, or cookie-like sheets. Pieces are then broken off, placed in pipes, and smoked.
Effects
The effects of marijuana will depend on:
• how much you take
• how often you take it
• how strong the marijuana is
• how the marijuana is taken (joint, bong, food)
• your size, weight, health
• your mood
• your experience with marijuana
• your tolerance to marijuana
• whether marijuana is taken with other drugs, such as alcohol, which can increase the effects of both drugs
• whether you are alone or with other people, at home or at a party, etc
• your age – young people are more vulnerable to the negative effects of marijuana.
Immediate effects
Small amounts
If you have a small amount of marijuana, the effects can last up to five hours from each exposure. You may:
• feel unusually well and happy
• do or say things which you normally wouldn’t, such as risk-taking behaviour like unsafe sex or dangerous driving
• talk and laugh more than usual
• experience anxiety and paranoia
• have bad balance and coordination
• feel drowsy
• find it hard to concentrate
• have problems remembering things
• feel hungry
• experience asthmatic symptoms or have trouble breathing if you smoke marijuana
• have a faster heart rate
• have dry, red eyes
• have a dry mouth and throat
• focus on one particular thing and ignore all other things.
Large amounts
If you take a large amount of marijuana, you may:
• feel confused
• vomit
• be restless
• experience changes in your perception of time, sound, sight, touch and distance
• feel excited
• see or hear things which are not there (hallucinations)
• feel anxious or panicky
• ‘black out’
• feel distant or separate from reality.
Marijuana can also cause problems with:
• remembering things
• thinking clearly
• movement
• ability to do things like drive or operate machines.
Long-term effects

If you take marijuana regularly over a long period of time then you may experience the following health problems:
• dependence
• increased risk of getting bronchitis, lung cancer and other diseases of the respiratory system
• decreased motivation
• decreased concentration, memory and ability to learn new things
• decreased sex drive
• depression
• psychological effects – this is more likely if the person already has a schizophrenic condition or has a pre-disposition to schizophrenia which can be triggered by marijuana use. Most people who use illegal drugs, first used drugs like alcohol, tobacco or marijuana. However, most people who use cigarettes, alcohol or marijuana never use other illegal drugs. Regular marijuana use at a younger age increases the risk of other drug use but only 4 per cent of marijuana users have ever used heroin. The link between marijuana use and the use of other illegal drugs is usually due to the personal traits that make it more likely for the person to take part in risky behaviour.
Dependence

Physical and psychological dependency on marijuana can develop. This means that you may experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop or suddenly cut down as well as tolerance, meaning you need more of the drug to experience the same effects. Marijuana withdrawal symptoms usually consist of flu-like symptoms such as:
• headaches
• nausea
• irritation
• depression
• trouble sleeping and strange dreams
• anxiety
• poor appetite
• restlessness.
Mixing marijuana with other drugs
It can be dangerous to mix marijuana with other drugs such as alcohol or prescription drugs. This is because the effects of marijuana and the other drug can become stronger and produce more unpredictable effects than if they were used separately. There is no evidence that marijuana automatically
leads to the use of other drugs.
Marijuana and pregnancy
It is not wise to use any drugs during pregnancy. THC passes from the mother to the baby through the placenta. There is some evidence that women who smoke marijuana may give birth to smaller babies or have premature deliveries. Other studies show that newborn babies may have trouble sleeping if their mother used marijuana during pregnancy. Also, in the first six months of life, babies who have been exposed to marijuana in-utero are at a greater risk of developing asthma, chest infections and other breathing problems such as wheezing.