Substance Abuse
Definitions and Symptoms

MARIJUANA -(Cannabis)

Definition:

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. A dry, shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, it usually is smoked as a cigarette (joint, nail), or in a pipe (bong). It also is smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana, often in combination with another drug. Use also might include mixing marijuana in food or brewing it as a tea.

As a more concentrated, resinous form it is called hashish and, as a sticky black liquid, hash oil. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually sweet-and-sour odor. There are countless street terms for marijuana including pot, herb, weed, grass, widow, ganja, and hash, as well as terms derived from trademarked varieties of cannabis, such as Bubble Gum®, Northern Lights®, Juicy Fruit®, Afghani #1®, and a number of Skunk varieties.

Symptoms:

• Loss of memory (Amnesia)
• Impaired concentration
• Distorted perception
• Paranoid reaction
• Hallucination
• Avoident (Depersonalization)
• Lack of motivation – chronic cannabis syndrome (also known as motivational syndrome)
• Muddled thinking
• Panic
• Depression
• Schizophrenia
• Confusion (Dementia)
• Risk of dependency

Physical Effects:

• Dry mouth
• Increased appetite
• Rapid heart rate (Tachycardia)
• Decreased blood pressure