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Scientific Name: THC
Drug Class: no class
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Marijuana is not classified in any specific drug class.
Marijuana, or pot, is usually smoked in marijuana cigarettes ("joints"),
in pipes ("bowls"), or water pipes ("bongs"). Also common is the
practice of cutting open a cigar and replacing the tobacco with
marijuana, to make a "blunt". When a blunt is smoked with a 40oz it is
called a "B-40".
The effect experienced differs from person to person and depends on:
1) the type of cannabis and how much THC it contains
2) the way the drug is taken (smoked or eaten)
3) experience and expectation of the user
4) setting where the drug is used.
Some people feel nothing the first few times that they try smoking marijuana. Others feel "high", intoxicated or euphoric. A person who is "high" might commonly feel engrossed in ordinary sights, sounds, tastes and trivial events which then seems highly interesting or funny. The user feels relaxed and mood is elevated. Time seems to pass slowly. Some people feel "cotton mouth", thirsty, or very hungry (called "the munchies"). After about a half an hour, users feel drowsiness and sedation. Some people experience this as stimulation followed by a relaxed feeling of tranquillity. Users may shift between hilarity and contemplative silence, but these swings often reflect the user's situation.
There are cases of people having a bad reaction. These people feel slight paranoia and anxiety. This is more likely with high doses of THC. These scary feelings subside quickly as the drug wears off.
When hashish or high-grade marijuana is eaten, the effects take much longer to be felt (one to two hours) and may produce a more hallucinogenic response.
These initial effects usually fade within 2-3 hours at which time the user becomes sleepy.
- The eyes are bloodshot and red.
- Heart rate is raised.
- Dry mouth, slow reaction time, poor sense of balance.
- Behavior: Reaction time is slow. Mood is euphoric, possibly paranoid. The person may be sedated.
Shortly after smoking a person will feel "high", dry mouth, rapid
heartbeat, loss of coordination and poor sense of balance, slow reaction
time. Blood vessels in the eye expand to make the eyes look red. Smoking
marijuana eases muscle pain and headache.
Long term or heavy use of marijuana can lead to short term memory loss,
trouble handling complex tasks, perception, judgment and motor skills.
Chronic respiratory problems (like those associated with cigarette
smoking) are also symptoms of long-term marijuana use. There are even
findings linking THC to cancer. Studies show that someone who smokes
five joints a week may absorb as many cancer-causing chemicals as a
person who smokes a pack a day of cigarettes.
Immune System
THC receptors are located in many different places outside the
brain and affect body functions in a range of ways. One of these is the
immune system - the complex of structures, cells, and chemicals that
fight infection and disease. In fact, two different main types of
cannabinoid receptors have been identified: one that is highly
concentrated in the brain and one that is highly concentrated in certain
immune-system cells. Some animal studies indicate that THC can reduce
immunity to infections, but the doses used in these studies were far
greater than any human user would take. Unfortunately, at present, there
are not enough reliable studies of the effects of THC on human immune
function to make a convincing case either way. Still, a lot of basic
research is being conducted that suggests that THC may compromise the
function of immune cells. We will simply have to wait and see if these
early studies prove to be relevant to the human marijuana user.
The Heart
Smoking marijuana increases the heart rate. Laboratory studies have
shown that this increase measures in the general range of twenty to
thirty beats per minute. Frequent smokers may develop a relative
tolerance to this effect, but even once tolerant they will still
experience increase in heart rate. Clearly, such an increase in heart
rate could pose a risk for some individuals, particularly these with
heart disease or high blood pressure, or those who take medications that
alter heart rhythms. Still, there is no conclusive evidence to show that
smoking marijuana leads to heart disease or produces heart attacks.
The Lungs
Chronic marijuana use impairs the functioning of the lungs. Studies
show that the lungs of chronic, heavy, marijuana users do not produce
as much airflow as the lungs of the nonsmoker do. In addition, solid
studies have found both an abnormal clinical appearance and an abnormal
organization of cells in the airways of these users relative to smokers
who smoke only tobacco. Marijuana smoke and tobacco smoke are rather
similar, containing carbon monoxide and cyanide. One carcinogen,
benzopyrene, occurs in greater concentration in marijuana smoke that in
tobacco smoke. So far, there is no link between marijuana smoking and
lung cancer, but due to these carcinogens, it is likely that one will
be established.
The Reproductive System
Although marijuana does not make people sterile, as some rumors have
asserted, long-term use of marijuana does have some effects on
reproductive function. Through its effects on the brain, marijuana
suppresses the production of hormones that help regulate the
reproductive system. In men, this translates to decreased sperm counts
and occasionally, erectile dysfunction (impotence) from high doses over
a long period of time. A woman who uses marijuana regularly over a long
period of time may experience irregular menstrual cycles. Though these
effects almost never cause complete infertility, they could decrease the
probability of conception.
Another hormonal effect of marijuana in men may result in the
development of breast tissue (the scientific term for this is
gynecomastia), an effect that is generally not enjoyed by men. This is
caused by marijuana's ability to increase secretion of the hormone
prolactin.
(all of the above "long term effect" information is from Buzzed )
The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-90 tetrahydrocannabinol).
Body
When marijuana is smoked, the rich blood supply of the lungs rapidly absorbs the THC. Since blood from the lungs goes directly from the heart to the brain, the high, as well as the effects on the heart rate and blood vessels, occurs within minutes. Much of the THC is actually gone from the brain within a few hours after smoking. However, THC also accumulates n significant concentrations in other organs, such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, and testes. THC readily crosses from the blood of a pregnant woman into the placenta and reaches the developing fetus.
How the smoker smokes makes a difference in how much of the THC from the marijuana actually gets into the body. A cigarette allows approximately 10 to 20 percent of the THC in the marijuana to be transferred. A pipe is somewhat more efficient, allowing about 40 to 50 percent to transfer, and a water pipe (or bong) is quite efficient. Since the water pipe traps the smoke until it is inhaled, theoretically the only THC lost is what the smoker exhales.
Although much of the high wears off relatively soon after smoking, THC remains in the body much longer. About half of the THC is still in the blood twenty hours after smoking. And once the blood carrying the THC passes through the liver, some of the THC is converted into other compounds that may remain there for several days. Some of these metabolites have psychoactive effects as well, so that although the initial high may disappear within an hour or two, some of the effects of marijuana on mental and physical functions mat last for days.
Not only may THC and its metabolites stay in the blood for days; they stay in the fatty deposited of the body much longer. This is because they are very lipid-soluble, meaning that they easily get absorbed into and stored in fat. THC stored in fatty deposits is released from these tissues slowly over a rather long period of time before finally being eliminated. What all this means is that about 30 percent of ingested THC (and its metabolites) may remain in the body a full week after smoking, and may continue to affect mental and physical functions subtly. In fact, the remnants from a single large dose of THC may be detectable up to three weeks later.
All of these rules apply when marijuana is eaten instead of smoked, except that less THC gets to the brain and it takes longer for it to get there. When marijuana (or any drug) is taken into the stomach, the blood that absorbs it goes to the liver before flowing to the rest of the body (including the brain). This means two things. First, the liver breaks down some of the THC before it ever has a chance to affect the brain. Second, the remaining THC reaches the brain more slowly because of its indirect rout through the bloodstream. However, because the body absorbs THC more slowly when marijuana is eaten, the peak levels of the drug last longer (though they are lower than they would be if the same amount were smoked).
Whether the user eats or smokes marijuana, the accompanying differences in the way THC is distributed and metabolized, appear to have a substantial impact on the kind of experience he or she has. Rather than experience a sudden change from being straight (sober) to being high, the marijuana eater experiences a slow and gradual shift that lasts longer. Many experienced users report that what happened after eating marijuana is more reminiscent of a mild mushroom or LSD tip; it's not simply "getting high." Since high levels of THC can cause hallucinogen-like experiences, people who have eaten marijuana and reported such feelings may actually have achieved higher levels of THC than many smokers - despite the fact that some of it is metabolized by the liver before it gets to the brain - because they ate larger amount than they would likely have smoked.
Brain
Perhaps the most striking finding from research on cannabinoids has been the recent discovery of a connabinoid receptor in the brain. This was not the first time that researchers had located a specific brain receptor for a plant material. The opiate receptor, which was discovered years ago, is involved in the modulation of pain and possibly of stress on a broader sense as well. But while it makes sense that our brains have evolved a chemical system for dealing with pain, it's less clear why it would evolve a receptor for THC and what its implications are for human beings.
Since the brain provides its own cannabinoid receptors, it must also provide its own compound to activate those receptors. Anandamide (the name comes from ananda, the Sanskrit word for "bliss") is one compound, found naturally in the brain, that binds with cannabinoid receptors. Another is called 2-AG. It also activates the THC receptors in the brain, and is present there in amounts 170 times greater than anandamide. There are likely other such naturally occurring compounds, because several different subtypes of cannabinoid receptors have been discovered.
Although we must leave it to the anthropologists and ethnobotanists to figure out why we have cannabinoid receptors. we do know where they are in the brain, and that might help us to understand the effects of marijuana. The hippocampus is critically involved in the formation of new memories, and has a very high concentration of cannabinoid receptors. Not surprisingly, the inhibition memory formation by marijuana is its most well-established negative effect on mental function.
There is no real "overdose" in the sense that overdose exists with other
drugs. Occasionally people report feeling anxious or fearful soon after
smoking or after particularly heavy dose. Relaxed and reassuring
conversation with the user is often the best treatment for such an
episode (from Buzzed).
However, smoking marijuana does impair judgment and the kinds of complex coordination needed to drive a car. Automobile accidents and stupid mistakes are the largest risks of marijuana intoxication.
The "overdose" is psychological as follows. In very rare cases a person who has taken a very high dose of THC can have severe psychotic symptoms and need emergency medical treatment.
Marijuana causes no physical addiction. There are no withdrawal symptoms after the stop of chronic use. However, Marijuana may cause psychological dependence. A person may feel used to being high and feel a psychological need to smoke pot.
Marijuana may cause tolerance. A user may require higher amounts of the drug to attain the same effects.
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Interactions with other drugs:
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It is never possible to know for sure the effect that an interaction
will have on a user. There are so many factors that affect the action
of the drugs, that it is impossible to accurately consider them all.
They include, but are not limited to, the user's mood, body chemistry,
other medications or illnesses, and psychological history. Even a
medical professional would not be able to say for sure what the effect
of an interaction will be.
Alcohol
Smoking pot when drinking alcohol can suppress the drinkers sensations of nausea
or need to vomit, making overdose more possible. When a person has consumed enough alcohol that alcohol poisoning is a concern, their body needs to vomit. Pot suppresses
the instinct to vomit, and excess alcohol is not expelled, making overdose more likely.
Hallucinogens
Because marijuana may cause paranoia, it is not advisable to use it in
conjunction with hallucinogenics, like LSD or Psilocybian Mushrooms, as
it may induce a panic attack or "bad trip."
Heart Disease
People with heart disease or high blood pressure may be at risk because
marijuana use increases the heart rate and places greater work on the
heart.
It is possible that the combination of heart or blood pressure
medications or with drugs that suppress the function of the immune
system are dangerous. In addition, one recent study shows that the
combination of marijuana with cocaine can lead to very dangerous effects
on the heart (reported in Buzzed).
Marijuana is a leafy plant that grows in many regions of the world.
What is sold as "an eighth" is the puffy buds that grow at the ends of
the stalks. Marijuana is green, although sometimes low quality
marijuana looks a little brown. Generally, the moister the pot looks,
the higher quality. Also, when the buds are stuck together in one lump
the pot is of higher quality than if the leaves are "shaky" like a store
bought spice. Sometimes marijuana is packaged with orange peels to keep
it moist and give it a fruity smell. Some kinds of marijuana have
little orange hairs in the buds, signifying better quality pot.
Marijuana has a distinctive, earthy smell, and can be smoked, brewed
into tea, or baked into cookie form or "ganja brownies." Occasionally,
smokers will collect the black, sticky resin that is left in their pipes
and smoke this, too.
pot, herb, grass, weed, mary-jane, reefer, aunt mary, skunk, boom,
gangster, kif, smoke ganja.
There are also street names for
different 'brands' of marijuana such as 'Texas Tea', 'Maui wowie' and
'chronic'. Blunts and joints are often rolled to include crack cocaine.
This combination is known as a "primo" or a "wooloe". A joint or blunt
dipped in PCP is called a "happy stick", "wicky stick", "love boat" or
"tical".
Marijuana is a Schedule 1 substance. This means that in the US there are
no commonly accepted medical uses for the drug in its smoked form.
THC, the 'active ingredient' in marijuana is used in pill form for treating nausea and vomiting along with certain cancer treatments. It is also used for AIDS patients to keep up their weight.
All of the marijuana preparations people use for their psychoactive properties derive from the cannabis plant. The first written accounts of cannabis cultivation appear in Chinese records from as far back as 28 BC, though the plant was likely cultivated for thousands of years before that. The Chinese writings indicate that the plant was grown for fiber, but they also recognize its intoxicating and medicinal properties. In fact, THC (as well as nicotine and cocaine) was recently identified in an Egyptian mummy from approximately 950 BC. By around AD 1000, use of the cannabis plant as an intoxicant had spread to the eastern Mediterranean region, and European explorers to this area returned with fascinating stories of the effects of hashish.
Cannabis had been introduced to eastern Europe much earlier (around 00 BC), but not until Napoleon ventured to Egypt in the early nineteenth century did European culture fully acquaint itself with hashish. By the 1840s, recreational use of cannabis products (as well as a number of other drugs) had grown to be quite chic among the artists and intellectuals of France, many of whom used the drug in their search for new ways to enhance creativity and to view the world.
Although the original European explorers brought cannabis seeds to the New World to cultivate hemp plants for rope and cloth, it was not until the early twentieth century that marijuana began o impact United States society directly.
In 1988, it was discovered that the membranes of certain nerve cells contain protein receptors that bind THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the high that users experience when the smoke it.
Today, government surveys show that nearly 50 % of teenagers try marijuana before they graduate high school.
web sites:
books:
- Buzzed by Cynthia Kuhn, Scott Swartzwelder, and Wilkie Wilson. Published by Norton & Company, Inc. 1998.
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