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Cannabis
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Cannabis is a Class C drug made from the cannabis plant.
What does it look like?
Cannabis comes as dried plant leaves, as blocks of a brown or black, oily resin or as cannabis oil, a dark, concentrated liquid.
How is it taken?
Cannabis is usually smoked, often with tobacco. It can also be brewed and drunk as tea or put into a cake and eaten.
What effects does it have?
When taken:
The effects of cannabis start within a few minutes and can last for several hours. They can include bloodshot eyes, increased appetite and dizziness. It can make you relaxed and some people may become very quiet while others become talkative or giggly. Some people say they become very aware of colours and music. Short term memory and co-ordination may be affected, making accidents more likely. Cannabis also causes loss of inhibitions and this may lead to unsafe sex and an unplanned pregnancy or disease such as hepatitis or HIV. Cannabis makes some people very anxious and panicky and can cause hallucinations.
Afterwards:
The effects of cannabis wear off quickly but regular users can be 'stoned' all the time, living their lives in a daze. They can lose their memory and find it difficult to carry out everyday tasks.
Long term:
When people already suffer from mental health problems,
cannabis can make them worse but cannabis probably
does not cause
these problems in the first
place.
Regular smoking of cannabis can increase the risk of
lung and other cancers.