Keep in mind that while cannabis comes from a plant and is considered natural, it can still have strong effects, both positive and negative. As weed becomes legal in more areas, names for it are evolving. Today, more and more people are using the term cannabis to refer to weed. However, it is difficult to assess the safety of cannabis as a whole due to the wide range of forms it comes in and the varying chemical compositions of different strains.
How cannabis can affect your health
Industrial hemp textile products are made from cannabis plants selected to produce an abundance of fibre. Researchers are still studying the long-term and short-term effects of this substance. NIDA supports the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, which will follow a large population of mothers and their infants from the prenatal period through age 10. This study aims to better understand healthy development and shed light on how early exposure to cannabis and other substances, stressors, and trauma affect brain development and mental health, and how to reduce adverse outcomes. People who start using cannabis in their teens may also have a higher risk for mental health issues later in life, including schizophrenia. Cannabis plants produce a large number of chemicals as part of their defense against herbivory.
- Information provided by NIDA is not a substitute for professional medical care or legal consultation.
- This means that it has no currently accepted medical uses and a high potential for addiction.
- Molecular analytical techniques developed in the late 20th century are being applied to questions of taxonomic classification.
- The emergency and referral resources listed above are available to individuals located in the United States and are not operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
- Delta-8 THC products have not been FDA-approved for safe use.
Is marijuana a hallucinogen?
The Cannabis sativa L plant also contains non-intoxicating cannabinoid compounds like cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabis sativa L plants containing very small, non-intoxicating amounts of delta-9 THC, which are also called hemp, are mainly used for textile fiber and for their edible seed oils. Unless mentioned otherwise, the information on this webpage is only about cannabis products containing intoxicating amounts of delta-9 THC. Dioecious varieties are also preferred for textile fiber production, whereas monoecious varieties are preferred for pulp and paper production. It has been suggested that the presence of monoecy can be used to differentiate licit crops of monoecious hemp from illicit drug crops,25 but sativa strains often produce monoecious individuals, which is possibly as a result of inbreeding.
If You Use Cannabis Products
One group of these is called cannabinoids, which induce mental and physical effects when consumed. It is essential to only ever take cannabis or cannabinoid-containing products or medications as directed by a healthcare professional. The effects of these treatments are well-studied and typically well-tolerated for their intended use. However, using cannabis products outside of their prescribed use or using cannabis from unlicensed distributors can carry great risk.
marijuana
The lower leaf pairs usually occur in an opposite leaf arrangement and the upper leaf pairs in an alternate arrangement on the main stem of a mature plant.
Authors of a 2017 review found some evidence supporting the use of cannabis to relieve depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. In the late 1980s researchers discovered a receptor for THC and THC-related chemicals in the brains of certain mammals, including cannabis withdrawal management humans. This finding indicated that the brain naturally produces a THC-like substance that may perform some of the same functions that THC does. Such a substance subsequently was found and named anandamide, from the Sanskrit ānanda (“bliss”). Marijuana varies in potency, depending on the variety and where and how it is grown, prepared for use, and stored.
While individual people may report certain personal benefits, all of these factors make it difficult to come to any firm conclusions. When people do experience hallucinations from marijuana use, they’re typically different from hallucinations people experience from other hallucinogens (like LSD, psilocybin and ecstasy). This suggests that the hallucinatory effects of marijuana may work differently from those of other hallucinogens. Cannabis is illegal in many places, but more and more areas are starting to legalize it for both recreational and medical uses.
This means that it has no currently accepted medical uses and a high potential for addiction. Because of this, healthcare providers can’t prescribe marijuana. But providers may certify marijuana use to help with certain medical conditions in states that legally allow it. Marijuana is a mind-alerting substance that comes from the Cannabis sativa plant. It has several short-term and long-term effects, many of which scientists are still studying.
- But if you orally ingest cannabis, such as in a capsule or food, it may be several hours before you feel anything.
- See ABCD Study® results on cannabis exposure for more information.
- Some evidence suggests that oral cannabinoids are effective against nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, and some small studies have found that smoked cannabis may also help alleviate these symptoms.
- Over the years, research has yielded results to suggest that cannabis may be beneficial in the treatment of some conditions.
Because of this, you should avoid smoking marijuana around a baby or children. Scientists have historically classified marijuana (THC) as a hallucinogen. However, not all instances of marijuana use cause hallucinogen-like effects. In other words, marijuana is cannabis, but not all forms of cannabis are marijuana (contain THC).
What is medical marijuana?
The research supporting CBD use for inflammation and pain is promising. The use of CBD-based prescription medication Epidiolex to reduce some kinds of seizures is well established. Many more large, long-term studies in humans are needed to fully understand the lasting effects of cannabis use.
However, cannibas refers specifically to the plant genus, which comprises Cannabis sativa and, in some classifications, Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active ingredient present in all parts of both the male and female marijuana plants, but it is most concentrated in the resin (cannabin) in the flowering tops of the female plant. It was first isolated from the Indian hemp plant (Cannabis sativa) and synthesized in 1965.
The three names fit in Schultes’s framework better, if one overlooks its inconsistencies with prior work.83 Definitions of the three terms using factors other than morphology produces different, often conflicting results. There is evidence that demonstrates both the harms and health benefits of cannabis. Yet despite increasing studies in the area, more research is necessary to determine the health implications of using cannabis. While cannabis may help some people reduce opioid and alcohol use, taking cannabis excessively or not as prescribed can lead to a cannabis use disorder. In 2012 the U.S. states of Colorado and Washington became the first in which citizens voted in favor of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. By 2022 the recreational use of marijuana was legal in 19 states.