basic facts.
Derived from cannabis/hemp plants.
The main active chemical in it is tetrahydocannabinol (THC) which makes you feel chilled out, happy and relaxed. THC can also make you hallucinate, altering your senses such as sight, hearing, and touch.
The main active chemical in it is tetrahydocannabinol (THC) which makes you feel chilled out, happy and relaxed. THC can also make you hallucinate, altering your senses such as sight, hearing, and touch.
effects.
Makes you feel chilled out, relaxed and happy. You may become very talkative and get the 'giggles'. It can make you more aware of your senses due to possible hallucinogenic effects. It can also make you feel very hungry ('munchies').
It effects people in different ways however, some get energetic and giggly while others simply sleep for hours.
It effects people in different ways however, some get energetic and giggly while others simply sleep for hours.
risks.
Has been claimed to be linked to causing relapses/induce the development of psychotic illnesses in later life e.g. schizophrenia. You are especially at risk if you have a family background of mental illness.
Regular, heavy use makes it difficult to learn and concentrate.
Can cause feelings of anxiety, paranoia and panic.
Those driving under the influence of cannabis have nearly double the risk of a crash.
Increase heart rate and affect blood pressure; especially harmful to those with heart disease.
Can worsen asthma and even lead to lung cancer.
Can lower fertility in both men and women.
Mixing with alcohol means the accident rate is 16 times higher than for cannabis or alcohol alone.
Regular, heavy use makes it difficult to learn and concentrate.
Can cause feelings of anxiety, paranoia and panic.
Those driving under the influence of cannabis have nearly double the risk of a crash.
Increase heart rate and affect blood pressure; especially harmful to those with heart disease.
Can worsen asthma and even lead to lung cancer.
Can lower fertility in both men and women.
Mixing with alcohol means the accident rate is 16 times higher than for cannabis or alcohol alone.
the law.
Argentina
Sale and possession are both illegal. However small amounts for personal use (5 grams or less) are decriminalised. The use of marijuana for medical purposes is accepted but not protected by law (if you have it, you may still be liable for prosecution).
Australia
Sale and possession are both illegal. However small amounts for personal use are decriminalised. Enforcement varies from state to state.
Canada
Sale and possession are both illegal. However the possession of marijuana is legal for medical and industrial use provided you are carrying a government issued license. Enforcement varies from city to city.
China
Sale and possession are both illegal. However hemp grade cannabis is permitted to be grown and sold as the Chinese use the fibre and seeds for medicinal purposes.
Hungary
Sale and possession are both illegal. There is no distinction in law between drugs according to danger/class in Hungary - there is the same punishment for heroin and marijuana. Medicinal use is not permitted. Personal use is decriminalised.
India
Sale of marijuana in India is legal if sold by government authorised shops as it is used during Hindu rituals otherwise it is illgeal to sell. The possession of marijuana is illegal however if purchased by the government authorised shops, it is legal. Marijuana is not recognised as having medical advantages. Minimum sentence 10 years.
Iran
Sale of marijuana in Iran is legal if regulated by the government, if it is not then it is still illegal. Possession is also illegal but in some circumstances considered legal; Iranians grow marijuana for food purposes as they eat the seeds. If you are carrying less than 15 grams of marijuana then you are generally left alone.
Ireland
Sale and possession are both illegal. The legal system works on a 'three strike' law whereby on the third drug related offence you are taken to court.
Israel
Sale and possession are both illegal. However there is exceptions for small amounts of medicinal marijuana which is considered legal. Personal use is relatively decriminalised.
Jamaica
Sale and possession are both illegal however this is often overlooked and marijuana is sold openly in some cities.
Japan
Sale of marijuana is illegal however is legal for those cultivating it for research purposes. If caught selling you can recieve up to 10 years in prison and a 30 million yen fine. Possession is also illegal and can result in up to 5 years in prison. Japan are generally very strict.
Nepal
Possession is illegal but not regulated or enforced generally. Sale is also illegal. However marijuana is still widely available and used to be legal in the 1960s/70s.
Netherlands
Possession is legal however sale of marijuana is not. Despite this, there are still certain coffee shops that sell it openly.
New Zealand
Sale and possession are both illegal. In 2009 a bill to permit the use of medicinal marijuana was defeated. The fruit/seeds are considered to be Class C whereas the THC is Class B.
North Korea
Both sale and possession of marijuana is legal; marijuana is not regulated or even classed as a drug.
South Africa
Sale and possession are both illegal. If caught with a small amount of cannabis you would have it confiscated and may receive a fine. Police in South Africa are more concerned with stopping the producers and dealers.
Serbia
Both sale and possession are illegal.
Spain
Sale and possession are both illegal. However growing a plant on private property for personal use, consumption by adults and use for medical purposes are tolerated.
Thailand
Sale and possession are both illegal and it is classed as a Category V narcotic. Supplying or intent to supply (10kg or less) can result in a 2-10 year prison sentence and/or a fine of 40,000 to 200,000 baht. If caught with more than 10kg it can result in a 2-15 year prison sentence and/or a fine of 200,000 to 1.5 million baht. Possession can result in a maximum of 5 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht.
United Kingdom
Sale and possession are both illegal. Possession can result in up to 5 years in jail. Selling can get you 14 years in jail and an unlimited fine (over 9 plants is intent to supply). Like alcohol, driving when high is illegal. Allowing other people to use marijana in your house or any other premises is illegal. Rated as a Class B drug. Medicinal marijuana limited to synthetic cannaboids e.g. Nabilone or mouth spray e.g. Savitex. It is illegal for doctors to predscribe medicial marijuana but patients from other EU countries can bring medicinal marijuana to the UK and legally smoke it.
United States
Depends largely on state. Possession is generally illegal but is legal in Colorado and Washington and is decriminalised in 14 states. Sale is illegal. Federal law classifies it as a Schedule I substance, same as heroin. United States Supreme court ruled that federal government has the right to regulate and criminalise cannabis, even for medical purposes. Medical marijuana is legal in 15 US states.
Uruguay
Sale and possession are both illegal. However possession of small amounts for personal use is not penalised (but the law does not specify how large the amount for 'personal use' is). As of 31st July 2013, a bill has been passed to legalise and regulate the production and sale of marijuana but it has not yet become law.
Venezuela
Sale and possession are both illegal. Personal use results in rehabilitation and detoxification procedures. Possession of less than 20 grams is not punished (although the government requires no other drugs be found on your person along with it to avoid prosecution).
Sale and possession are both illegal. However small amounts for personal use (5 grams or less) are decriminalised. The use of marijuana for medical purposes is accepted but not protected by law (if you have it, you may still be liable for prosecution).
Australia
Sale and possession are both illegal. However small amounts for personal use are decriminalised. Enforcement varies from state to state.
Canada
Sale and possession are both illegal. However the possession of marijuana is legal for medical and industrial use provided you are carrying a government issued license. Enforcement varies from city to city.
China
Sale and possession are both illegal. However hemp grade cannabis is permitted to be grown and sold as the Chinese use the fibre and seeds for medicinal purposes.
Hungary
Sale and possession are both illegal. There is no distinction in law between drugs according to danger/class in Hungary - there is the same punishment for heroin and marijuana. Medicinal use is not permitted. Personal use is decriminalised.
India
Sale of marijuana in India is legal if sold by government authorised shops as it is used during Hindu rituals otherwise it is illgeal to sell. The possession of marijuana is illegal however if purchased by the government authorised shops, it is legal. Marijuana is not recognised as having medical advantages. Minimum sentence 10 years.
Iran
Sale of marijuana in Iran is legal if regulated by the government, if it is not then it is still illegal. Possession is also illegal but in some circumstances considered legal; Iranians grow marijuana for food purposes as they eat the seeds. If you are carrying less than 15 grams of marijuana then you are generally left alone.
Ireland
Sale and possession are both illegal. The legal system works on a 'three strike' law whereby on the third drug related offence you are taken to court.
Israel
Sale and possession are both illegal. However there is exceptions for small amounts of medicinal marijuana which is considered legal. Personal use is relatively decriminalised.
Jamaica
Sale and possession are both illegal however this is often overlooked and marijuana is sold openly in some cities.
Japan
Sale of marijuana is illegal however is legal for those cultivating it for research purposes. If caught selling you can recieve up to 10 years in prison and a 30 million yen fine. Possession is also illegal and can result in up to 5 years in prison. Japan are generally very strict.
Nepal
Possession is illegal but not regulated or enforced generally. Sale is also illegal. However marijuana is still widely available and used to be legal in the 1960s/70s.
Netherlands
Possession is legal however sale of marijuana is not. Despite this, there are still certain coffee shops that sell it openly.
New Zealand
Sale and possession are both illegal. In 2009 a bill to permit the use of medicinal marijuana was defeated. The fruit/seeds are considered to be Class C whereas the THC is Class B.
North Korea
Both sale and possession of marijuana is legal; marijuana is not regulated or even classed as a drug.
South Africa
Sale and possession are both illegal. If caught with a small amount of cannabis you would have it confiscated and may receive a fine. Police in South Africa are more concerned with stopping the producers and dealers.
Serbia
Both sale and possession are illegal.
Spain
Sale and possession are both illegal. However growing a plant on private property for personal use, consumption by adults and use for medical purposes are tolerated.
Thailand
Sale and possession are both illegal and it is classed as a Category V narcotic. Supplying or intent to supply (10kg or less) can result in a 2-10 year prison sentence and/or a fine of 40,000 to 200,000 baht. If caught with more than 10kg it can result in a 2-15 year prison sentence and/or a fine of 200,000 to 1.5 million baht. Possession can result in a maximum of 5 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht.
United Kingdom
Sale and possession are both illegal. Possession can result in up to 5 years in jail. Selling can get you 14 years in jail and an unlimited fine (over 9 plants is intent to supply). Like alcohol, driving when high is illegal. Allowing other people to use marijana in your house or any other premises is illegal. Rated as a Class B drug. Medicinal marijuana limited to synthetic cannaboids e.g. Nabilone or mouth spray e.g. Savitex. It is illegal for doctors to predscribe medicial marijuana but patients from other EU countries can bring medicinal marijuana to the UK and legally smoke it.
United States
Depends largely on state. Possession is generally illegal but is legal in Colorado and Washington and is decriminalised in 14 states. Sale is illegal. Federal law classifies it as a Schedule I substance, same as heroin. United States Supreme court ruled that federal government has the right to regulate and criminalise cannabis, even for medical purposes. Medical marijuana is legal in 15 US states.
Uruguay
Sale and possession are both illegal. However possession of small amounts for personal use is not penalised (but the law does not specify how large the amount for 'personal use' is). As of 31st July 2013, a bill has been passed to legalise and regulate the production and sale of marijuana but it has not yet become law.
Venezuela
Sale and possession are both illegal. Personal use results in rehabilitation and detoxification procedures. Possession of less than 20 grams is not punished (although the government requires no other drugs be found on your person along with it to avoid prosecution).
medical uses
Proposed Medical useCancer
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Proposed benefitsCannabinoids, the active components of marijuana, inhibit tumour growth and also kill cancerous cells int he body.
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Movement disorders
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Chemicals called cannibols can be used to decrease the symptoms/ticks caused by disorders such as Tourette's syndrome.
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Seizures
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The muscle relaxant effects of marijuana can be used to prevent seizures or at least lessen the severity of them for those who suffer frequently.
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Weight loss
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People who have lost weight due to conditions such as HIV/AIDS or anorexia can stimulate their appetite using marijuana to consume more calories and prevent severe weight loss.
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professional views
FOR"The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS -- or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day." - Joycelyn Elders, MD, former US Surgeon General, in a 2004 article titled "Myths About Medical Marijuana," published in the Providence Journal
"I have found in my study of these patients that cannabis is really a safe, effective and non-toxic alternative to many standard medications. There is no such thing as an overdose. We have seen very minimal problems with abuse or dependence, which at worst are equivalent to dependence on caffeine. While a substance may have some potential for misuse, in my opinion, that's a poor excuse to deny its use and benefit to everyone else." - Philip Denney, MD, co-founder of a medical cannabis evaluation practice, in his 2005 testimony to the Arkansas legislature in support of House Bill 1303, "An Act to Permit the Medical Use of Marijuana"
"There is very little evidence that smoking marijuana as a means of taking it represents a significant health risk. Although cannabis has been smoked widely in Western countries for more than four decades, there have been no reported cases of lung cancer or emphysema attributed to marijuana. I suspect that a day's breathing in any city with poor air quality poses more of a threat than inhaling a day's dose -- which for many ailments is just a portion of a joint -- of marijuana." - Lester Grinspoon, MD, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School in a 2006 article in the Los Angeles Times titled "Puffing Is the Best Medicine"
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AGAINsT"Marijuana isn't really very good for you. True, there are health benefits for some patients. Several recent studies, including a new one from the Scripps Research Institute, show that THC, the chemical in marijuana responsible for the high, can help slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease. (In fact, it seems to
block the formation of disease-causing plaques better than several mainstream drugs.) Other studies have shown THC to be a very effective antinausea treatment for people -- cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, for example -- for whom conventional medications aren't working. And medical cannabis has shown promise relieving pain in patients with multiple sclerosis and reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients. Frequent marijuana use can seriously affect your short-term memory. It can impair your cognitive ability (why do you think people call it dope?) and lead to long-lasting depression or anxiety. While many people smoke marijuana to relax, it can have the opposite effect on frequent users. And smoking anything, whether it's tobacco or marijuana, can seriously damage your lung tissue... Despite all the talk about the medical benefits of marijuana, smoking the stuff is not going to do your health any good." - Sanjay Gupta, MD, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN, in a 2006 article titled "Why I Would Vote No on Pot," published in Time magazine People have claimed Marijuana can achieve many many different medical outcomes, most of which have not been proven when tested in properly conducted clinical trials. The fact that there are huge amount of different chemicals in marijuana means it is hard to pin down what effects what chemical is having. - Barnaby Poulton, Head of Pharmaceutical Development for MSD, in an interview 2013.
"Although I understand many believe marijuana is the most effective drug in combating their medical ailments, I would caution against this assumption due to the lack of consistent,
repeatable scientific data available to prove marijuana's medical benefits. Based on current evidence, I believe that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that there are less dangerous medicines offering the same relief from pain and other medical symptoms." - Bill Frist, MD, Former US Senator, 2003 |