Cannabis
What is cannabis?
Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried parts from the cannabis plant. The plant contains chemicals that affect the brain and can change how you feel or think.
The main active chemicals are cannabinoids, including:
- THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which causes the "high"
- CBD (cannabidiol), which does not cause a high
There are many ways that people use cannabis, including:
- Rolling it up and smoking it like a cigarette ("joint") or cigar ("blunt")
- Smoking it in a pipe ("bowl") or water pipe ("bong")
- Mixing it into drinks like tea, or food like cakes or brownies ("edibles")
- Smoking concentrated oils ("dabbing")
- Using electronic vaporizers ("vaping")
- Taking liquid drops under the tongue ("tinctures")
- Applying it to the skin as lotions or balms ("topicals")
Topical products usually do not cause a high.
What are the effects of cannabis?Cannabis can cause short-term and long-term effects. These can vary depending on:
- How much you use
- How often you use it
- The THC level
- The ingredients
- How you take it
- Other medicines or drugs used at the same time
- Other health conditions you have
- Your age and sex
- Your experience with cannabis
Short-term effects:
While you are high, you may notice:
- Changes in senses, such as seeing brighter colors
- Altered sense of time, such as minutes seeming like hours
- Changes in mood
- Problems with body movement
- Trouble with thinking, problem-solving, and memory
- Increased appetite
- Slower reaction time
Secondhand smoke from cannabis products has many of the same risks as secondhand tobacco smoke.
Long-term effects:
In the long term, cannabis can cause health problems, which can include:
- Problems with brain development. People who started using cannabis as teenagers may have trouble with thinking, memory, and learning.
- Coughing and breathing problems, if you smoke cannabis frequently.
- Repeated episodes of nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain due to long-term, heavy cannabis use. This is called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).
- Problems with fetal and child development during and after pregnancy, if you smoke cannabis while pregnant.
Heavy long-term use of cannabis has been linked to increased risk of cancer, digestive issues, heart problems, and mental health problems.
Can you overdose on cannabis?It is possible to overdose on cannabis, if you take a very high dose. You may feel anxious or panicked or have a rapid heartbeat. In rare cases, an overdose can cause paranoia and hallucinations. There are no reports of people dying from just using cannabis.
Is cannabis addictive?Cannabis can be addictive. THC levels in products have increased over time. Stronger products raise the risk of addiction, known as cannabis use disorder. You are more likely to become addicted if you use cannabis every day or started using it when you were a teenager.
When you try to quit, you may have mild withdrawal symptoms such as:
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Decreased appetite
- Anxiety
- Cravings
The cannabis plant contains chemicals that may help with some health problems, but it's not clear if the whole plant can treat or cure them.
Recreational cannabis is still illegal under federal law. Federal rules have eased somewhat for medical cannabis and FDA-approved cannabis drugs.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved man-made forms of THC. These drugs treat nausea caused by chemotherapy and increase appetite in people with certain health conditions who have lost a lot of weight. There is also a liquid drug that contains CBD. It treats three forms of severe childhood epilepsy.
Researchers are studying whether cannabis and its ingredients may treat more conditions. Most U.S. states allow medical cannabis, and about half also allow recreational use for adults 21 and older.
NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Felter's Materia Medica on Cannabis
The dried flowering tops of the female plant of Cannabis sativa, Linné, or the variety indica, Lamarck (Nat. Ord. Cannabinaceae). Asia, East Indies......f the world, notably in the United States. Common Names: Guaza, Ganjah, Gunjah, Ganga; Indian Hemp (Cannabis indica) when derived from the Indian plant. Principal Constituents.Not well determined. T......ted: Cannabin, an active brown resin, and cannabinon, a soft resin. Preparation.Specific Medicine Cannabis. Dose, 1/2 to 10 drops. Specific Indications.Marked nervous depression; irritation of the...1
An oleoresin derived from species of Copaiba growing in South America. Dose, 5 to 30 drops. Description.A viscid, pale-yellow or brownish-yellow... / ...ge should be treated with Rx. Specific Medicine Aconite, 10 drops; Specific Medicines Gelsemium and Cannabis, one fluidrachm each; Simple Syrup, enough to make 4 fluidounces. Mix. Sig.: One teaspoonfu...1
Physician's Materia Medica on Cannabis
A combination of sedatives and hypnotics whose uses may be de duced from its composition. Each fluidrachm contains; Chloral, 15 grs.; Potassium Bromide, 15 grs.; Ext. Henbane, % gr.; Ext. Cannabis Ind ica, $1; gr. Dose for hypnotic effect, 4 c. c. (1 fluidrachm).2
The flowering tops of the pistillate plant of CANNABIs sa'r1vA, Lin., grown in the East Indies. Antispasmodic, analgesic, deliriant. aphrodisiac. Locally applied it is anti-pruritic. Prescribed in teta nus, in neuralgia, in insomnia and other conditions depending on anemia of the brain, in combating the morphine habit, etc. Dose, 0.2 to 0.6 Grm. (3 to 10 grs.) or more.2
A popular combination of anodynes much used for relief of colic, cholera morbus and spasmodic pains in general. Each fluidrachm contains; Morphine Hydrochloride, 3-8 gr.; Tincture Cannabis Indica 11 1/4 M; Acid Hydrocyanic, diluted, 1 1/8 M; Chloroform, 5 3/4 M]; Oil Peppermint, 3-16 M; Tincture Capsicum, §/3 Ill. Dose for an adult, 0.3 to 1.0 c. c. (5 to 15 M), repeated in % to 1 hour when necessary to control pain.2
Physician's Therapeutics Memoranda on Cannabis
During the seizure, amyl nitrite is the remedy most likely to be of service; chloroform must be... / ...itic cases potassium iodide in full doses must be used instead of the bromide. Other remedies of im portance are belladonna (combined with bromides), cannabis indica, digitalis, horse-nettle and chloral hydrate. In children, ascertain whether the irritation is due to worms and treat accordingly.2
For hemorrhage from the bladder, the most eflicient remedies are fluid extract ergot, oil erigeron, gallic acid, cannabis indica and camphor (5 to 10 gr. doses). Astringent injections are not to be ad vised except in extreme cases, but epinephrine hydrochloride may be used thus. In malarial hematuria, sodium hyposulphite is recom mended, 5 to 15 grains four or five times a day.2
The remedies most prescribed in the early stage are; aconlte and potassium citrate to control... / ...ylic acid; calomel followed by a saline purge. The bronchitis must be treated in the usual manner, avoid ing depressing agents such as tartar emetic. Cannabis indica is a safe sedative in these cases. Combat the peculiar depression as the case progresses by strychnine or nux vomica in full doses, co...2
If due to syphilitic infection antisyphilitic remedies such as potassium iodide and Donovan’s solution. If resulting from metal lic poisoning, iodides to promote elimination. Systematic exercises toregain faculty of coordinating movements. For relief of “lightning” pains, acetanilid, antipyrin, phenacetin, lactophenin, chang ing often from one to another of these and combining them with caffeine; cannabis indica. Solution Gold and Arsenic Bromide, N., B. & Co. may do good.2
The remedies of especial importance are; Hyoscine (or scopola mine) hydrobromide, chloral hydrate, sulphonal, cannabis indica, bromides, apomorphine (in emetic dose).2
If hemorrhage is active, ergot is the best remedy, if passive. oil of erigeron (3 m5 minim doses) has the preference. Fluid extract cinnamon is a favorite remedy with some; Elixir Viburnum Com pound, N., B. & Co., is efficient; cannabis indica, black haw, witch hazel (distilled extract) and bromides of potassium and sodium are all useful.2
For... / ...diate relief, prescribe acetanilid, phenacetin or anti pyrin usually conjoined with caffeine and potassium or sodium bro mide, sometimes gelsemium or cannabis indica; locally, liniments of aconite or chloroform; menthol, chloride of methyl spray; applica tions of electricity; hypodermatic injections... / ...prescribed accordingly.2
Useful remedies are combinations of strychnine, arsenic and iron; cannabis ind ica, zinc valerianate and gelsemium; glycerophosphates; sparteine, belladonna.2
In Pulmonary Tuberculosis pure fresh air is the most important remedy. Let the patient live out... / ... the quantity of creosote should be progressively in_ creased. Treat symptoms as they arise on general principles. The cough may often be relieved by cannabis indica or by heroine, hydrocyanic acid and chloroform. Laryngeal Tuberculosis may be treated by insufliations of Iodosyl or iodoform, and loc...2
Among the best remedies are; A mixture of fluid extract cannabis indica, 1/2 fl. oz.; salicylic acid, 1 drm., and collodion, 2 fl. ozs.; glacial acetic acid ; trichloracetic acid; Fowler’s solution; chromic acid.2
References
2) Nelson, Baker & Co., 1904, Physician's Handy Book of Materia Medica and Therapeustics, Detroit, Michigan.