marijuana Flashcards
(21 cards)
- Marijuana
is the dried leaves of the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant.
- There are over
500 chemicals in marijuana
- Delta-9-tetrahdrocannabinol (THC)
is the chemical that is known to cause the psychotropic (mind-altering) effects, aka what makes a person feel “high.”
- The amount of THC in marijuana
has been increasing over the past few decades.
- Marijuana can be used in these forms:
o Smoking hand-rolled cigarettes (joints) or marijuana cigars (blunts)
o Inhaling smoke using glass/metal pipes (bowls) or water pipes (bongs)
o Inhaling vapor using a device that pulls the active ingredients (including THC) from the marijuana into the vapor.
o Drinking tea brewed with marijuana
o Eating food with marijuana cooked into it (edibles)
- Synthetic marijuana (also known as – K2, Spice, or herbal incense) –
laboratory-made chemicals like THC that are sprayed onto plant materials to make it look like marijuana but are often much stronger and very dangerous. Unlike marijuana, their use directly results in overdose deaths.
- Smoking or vaping marijuana causes THC to
quickly pass from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries it to the organs throughout the body, including the brain. Its effects begin almost immediately and can last from 1-3 hours.
- If eating or drinking marijuana, the effects of THC can appear within 30-60 minutes.
o Because of the delayed effects, some people will consume more and more waiting for their “high” to take effect
o This sometimes results in a trip to the emergency room because the user experiences uncomfortable symptoms from too much THC
Unease
Shaking
Anxiety
Paranoia
Hallucinations
Psychotic reactions
- Marijuana activates the endocannabinoid system
system which causes the “high” and stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain’s reward centers, thus reinforcing the behavior.
- There are generally NO reports of people
fatally overdosing (dying) on marijuana alone.
o However, marijuana use can increase risks for accidents and injuries (drugged driving impacts alertness, concentration, coordination, and reaction time)
- Marijuana CAN be addictive –
10% of people who use marijuana may develop “marijuana use disorder,” which leads to problems in school, friendships, family or other conflicts in their life.
- People us use marijuana frequently can develop withdrawal symptoms when they stop using.
o Possible withdrawal symptoms include irritability, sleeplessness, lack of appetite, anxiety, cravings
o These symptoms can last for a few days up to a few weeks. This could result in relapse (returning t the drug after you’ve quit) b/c they crave the drug to relieve the symptoms.
- CBD =
= Cannabidiol is one of the main cannabinoids (chemical compounds unique to cannabis) found in cannabis sativa plants
o CBD can be derived from any type of cannabis sativa plant, but it’s legal throughout the U.S. only when it comes from hemp specifically.
- THC
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is another main cannabinoid found in cannabis sativa plants.
o THC is the compound that produces the intoxicating, psychoactive “high” feeling
- CBD and THC may come from the same plant
, but their unique chemical structures affect how they interact with the body. Because of these differences, they are treated differently in the U.S. legal system.
- CBD is still psychoactive, meaning it
it affects the mind – it’s just not intoxicating and doesn’t impair function.
* Potential side-effects:
o THC – dry mouth and intoxication effects, such as disorientation, paranoia, dizziness. More serious reactions can include panic attacks and psychosis. High doses may even lead to hospitalization.
o CBD – no abuse potential and won’t lead to hospitalization even with high doses. High dosage most commonly leads to sleepiness and may lead to liver issues over the long term, although more research is needed to confirm. Adverse digestive effects associated with CBD typically stem from other ingredients in the CBD product, such as coconut oil.
- Both CBD and THC have been shown to help
help manage sleep troubles and physical pain. CBD specifically is often used to alleviate stress and anxiety, too.
- Medical marijuana uses the marijuana plant or chemicals
marijuana plant or chemicals in it to treat diseases or conditions.
- More and more states are legalizing marijuana to treat pain and illness
- In addition to the other ways “normal” marijuana can used, medical marijuana can be applied to the skin in a lotion, spray, oil, or cream. It also can come in liquid form and the user can place drops under their tongue.
- States monitor and regulate medical marijuana sales, but they are unable to regulate the strength and ingredients
- To get medical marijuana, a person needs a written recommendation from a licensed doctor in states where that is legal. (Not every doctor is willing to recommend medical marijuana for their patients)
- 2 laboratory-made versions of THC have been approved
by the federal government to treat nausea, prevent sickness and vomiting from chemotherapy in cancer patients, and increase appetite in some patients with AIDS
* CBD oil has been approved as a possible treatment for seizures in children with some severe forms of epilepsy
- Delaware Laws –
Legal Status = Fully Legal Medicinal = yes
o Governor John Carney said he would let HB1 (legalizes possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for adults 21 or older) and HB2 (will regulate and tax cannabis sales for adults in DE) bills pass without his signature. This is his quote - “I came to this decision because I believe we’ve spent far too much time focused on this issue when Delawareans face more serious and pressing concerns every day. It’s time to move on.”
o 22nd state to legalize recreational marijuana
o Must be 21 or older
o Legal amounts = 1 ounce or less of leaf marijuana, 12 grams or less of concentrated cannabis, or cannabis products containing 750 milligrams or less of THC.
