cannabis

What is the scientific name of cannabis?

Cannabis sativa.

What is another name for cannabis?

Indian hemp.

For how long has cannabis been used for medicinal purposes?

For centuries.

In which ancient Chinese record was cannabis mentioned?

A Chinese compendium of 2737 BC.

What is Materia Medica?

A collection/book that lists medicinal substances and their uses.

Which traditional systems of medicine use cannabis?

Ayurveda and Unani.

What are the two main properties of cannabis?

Narcotic and euphoric properties.

What does "narcotic" mean?

A substance that affects the brain, reduces pain, causes drowsiness and may cause addiction.

What does "euphoric" mean?

Produces feelings of happiness, excitement or a "high."

Who knew about the narcotic and euphoric properties of cannabis in ancient times?

The ancient Aryans.

On what occasions did the ancient Aryans use cannabis?

Social and religious occasions.

Where is cannabis believed to have originated?

Western and Central Asia.

In which climatic regions is cannabis now widespread?

Temperate and tropical regions.

Name three Indian states where cannabis is widely grown.

Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Under whose supervision is cannabis grown in India?

Under the strict supervision of the government.

Where does cannabis naturally grow?

On wastelands where rubbish, garbage and excrement accumulate.

Which type of soil is best for cultivating cannabis?

Fertile, well-drained soil.

What type of plant is cannabis?

A tall, robust, annual herb.

What is special about cannabis leaves?

They are palmately divided.

What are glandular hairs?

Tiny hairs on the plant that produce resin.

Where are the narcotic constituents mainly concentrated?

In the resin produced by the glandular hairs.

What is bhang?

The dried leaves, stems and flowering shoots of the cannabis plant.

Does bhang have a high or low resin content?

Low resin content.

How is bhang commonly consumed?

As a decoction in water or milk, or dried and smoked (often mixed with tobacco).

What is a decoction?

A liquid prepared by boiling plant material in water or milk.What is ganja?

From which part of the cannabis plant is ganja obtained?

The young female inflorescences (flower clusters).

What is an inflorescence?

A cluster of flowers growing together on a plant.

Why are female cannabis plants used to prepare ganja?

Because they contain more resin and cannabinoids.

What are the medicinal uses of ganja?

It is used as a sedative and hypnotic.

What is a sedative?

A drug that calms the nervous system and reduces anxiety or excitement.

What is a hypnotic?

A drug that induces sleep.

Does ganja have a high or low resin content?

It has a relatively high resin content.

How is ganja commonly consumed?

By smoking or in beverages.

What is charas (hashish)?

Charas is the pure sticky resin obtained from the cannabis plant.

What does "undiluted" mean?

Not mixed with any other substance.

What does "unadulterated" mean?

Pure and free from impurities.

What does "exudation" mean?

A substance that oozes out naturally from a plant.

From which parts of the cannabis plant is charas obtained?

From the leaves and young female inflorescences.

How is crude charas collected?

By rubbing the tops of the plants with the hands or beating them with a cheese cloth.

What happens after the sticky resin adheres to the hands or cloth?

It is scraped off to obtain charas.

What is the appearance of fresh charas?

Dark green, thick and sticky (viscous).

How does charas change on storage?

It becomes dark brown and brittle.

What does "viscous" mean?

Thick and sticky.

What does "brittle" mean?

Hard and easily broken.What is marijuana?

Which parts of the cannabis plant are used to prepare marijuana?

Leaves, seeds, stems and flowering tops.

What does "varying mixture" mean?

The proportions of the plant parts can differ in different preparations.

What is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis?

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

What does THC stand for?

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

What does "psychoactive" mean?

A substance that affects the brain, altering mood, thoughts, behaviour and perception.

Which functions are affected by THC?

Mood, memory, motor coordination, cognitive ability, sensorium, time sense and self-perception.

How does THC affect mood?

It can produce happiness (euphoria), relaxation, anxiety or fear.

How does THC affect memory?

It mainly impairs short-term memory.

What is motor coordination?

The ability to control body movements smoothly and maintain balance.

How does THC affect motor coordination?

It slows coordination and movement.

What is cognitive ability?

The ability to think, learn, understand, reason and solve problems.

How does THC affect cognitive ability?

It reduces thinking, learning and decision-making abilities.

What is sensorium?

A person's awareness of their surroundings through the senses.

How does THC affect the sensorium?

It alters sensory perception.

What is time sense?

A person's ability to judge the passage of time.

How does THC affect time sense?

Time may seem slower or faster than it actually is.

What is self-perception?

How a person sees or feels about themselves.

How does THC affect self-perception?

It can make a person feel detached or unreal.

When does peak intoxication occur after smoking marijuana?

Within 10–30 minutes.

What is peak intoxication?

The time when the drug produces its strongest effects.

What are the most common effects of marijuana after smoking?

Euphoria, relaxation and sleepiness.

What may occur instead of sleepiness when users interact with others?

Spontaneous laughter.

What is euphoria?

A feeling of intense happiness and well-being.What are the common physical signs of marijuana use?

Why do marijuana users develop red eyes?

Because the blood vessels in the eyes widen.

What are dilated pupils?

Pupils that become larger than normal.

How does marijuana affect the pulse rate?

It increases the pulse rate.

What happens to short-term memory at higher doses of marijuana?

It becomes impaired.

How does marijuana affect the ability to perform multiple mental tasks?

It makes such tasks difficult to perform.

Why do marijuana users confuse the past, present and future?

Because THC alters their time sense.

What is depersonalization?

A feeling of being detached from oneself or feeling unreal.

How does marijuana affect motor skills?

Simple motor skills are relatively unaffected until high doses are taken.

How does marijuana affect reaction time?

Reaction time becomes slower at higher doses.

What happens to appetite after using marijuana?

Appetite increases.

What happens to the mouth and throat after using marijuana?

They become dry.

How does marijuana affect thinking at higher doses?

Thinking becomes disorganized.

What happens to depersonalization at higher doses?

It becomes more pronounced.

How does marijuana affect time sense at higher doses?

Time distortion increases.

What emotion may replace euphoria at higher doses?

Anxiety.What are the long-term effects of chronic marijuana use?

How is marijuana commonly consumed?

By smoking it in a joint or pipe, or by taking it orally in tea or food. Users often hold the smoke in their lungs to increase its effects.

What are the major health risks of regular marijuana smoking?

Lower resistance to infections, increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease.

How does marijuana affect reproduction?

It suppresses ovulation and alters hormone levels in females, damages male fertility, and may cause small head size, irritability, poor growth and low birth weight in babies of mothers who use it.

Does marijuana cause addiction?

It causes dependence, but true addiction is uncommon and withdrawal symptoms are usually mild.

What are the withdrawal symptoms of marijuana?

Irritability, anxiety, mood changes, tremors, sweating, nausea and sleep disturbances.

What is cannabis psychosis?

A temporary mental disorder caused by large doses of marijuana, characterized by confusion, drowsiness and irrational behaviour. It may last for several days.

How is marijuana dependence treated?

Usually with outpatient care, including group, individual and family therapy, educational programmes, urine testing (drug detectable up to 30 days), and relapse prevention training.