Drug Information I Cannabis I Health Risks

Using even a small amount of Cannabis can cause serious side effects that can affect your physical and mental health, and wellbeing. We’re here to set the record straight. Read up on the facts, or chat live and confidentially with a qualified drug counsellor and ask some questions of your own.

If you require immediate help, call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on (08) 9442 5000 or 1800 198 024 toll-free for country callers.

What is a bong?
A bong is a water pipe that is used for smoking cannabis.

Can cannabis affect the brain?
Frequent use of cannabis can affect the brain by decreasing the user’s ability to concentrate and remember things and can also impact on learning ability. Research indicates that cannabis affects the frontal cortex of the brain, leading to less self control.

If you are a first timer and you tried it, how long does it stay in your system afterwards?
Cannabis can last in your system for up to 5 weeks, however with one time use this may be a little less. However, it is difficult to determine as every individual is different. Read more.

How long before cannabis leaves your system and is no longer detectable in a blood or urine test?
It is suggested that a single joint can last from 18 hours to 5 days until it is no longer detectable in urine, and 20-36 hours until it is no longer detectable in blood. Heavy cannabis use can take 60-90 days until it can be no longer detectable in urine, and 20-36 hours until it is no longer detectable in blood.

What type of drug is Cannabis?
Cannabis is difficult to classify pharmacologically because it has a variety of effects. It is primarily a depressant drug, however, it can have hallucinogenic and some stimulant properties.

What are the other names for cannabis?
Mull, Pot, Dope, Weed, Leaf, Gunga, Marijuana, Grass, Smoke, Green, hashish, hashish oil

Where does cannabis come from?
Cannabis is the short name for the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa. It is thought to have originated in Asia and reached Europe more than a thousand years ago.

What is Hashish?
Hashish is the dried, compressed resin extract from the flowering tops of the female plant. It ranges in colour from light brown to nearly black, and is more potent than marijuana. Hashish is usually smoked through a pipe or cooked in foods and eaten.

What is Hashish oil?
Hashish oil is a think and oily liquid extract from the cannabis plant. It is reddish-brown in colour. The Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the active ingredient, is very concentrated and a small amount will produce marked effects. Hashish oil is usually added to joints or cooked in foods and eaten.

How is Cannabis used?

Cannabis is usually smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes (‘joints’) or water pipes (‘bongs’). The drug is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of the lungs. Intoxication is felt when the drug reaches the brain which can take a few minutes and may last for up to 5 hours. When cannabis is eaten, the absorption of drug is much slower, taking up to 3 hours to enter the bloodstream and the amount of food in the stomach and the user (e.g. weight, gender and other drugs used) will determine how quickly a person feels the effects.

If you are pregnant, can you still smoke cannabis? Even occasionally?
Only a limited amount is known about the effects of cannabis on the unborn child. However, the use of cannabis during pregnancy is not recommended. If cannabis is used in pregnancy the baby may be born smaller and lighter than other babies. Low birth weight can be associated with infections and breathing problems. Read more.

Is driving after using cannabis dangerous?
Yes. Cannabis can impair driving ability by: Hesitancy over reactions; Slower reaction times; Distorting perceptions of distance and speed; Greatly reducing the ability to concentrate; Decreasing the ability to coordinate appropriate reaction when driving; Read more.

Can you overdose from cannabis?
The toxicity of cannabis is very low. There have been no confirmed deaths directly from cannabis overdose. Cannabis use can lead to a number of serious negative health consequences and can increase the risk of injury to yourself and to others.

I have heard that using cannabis reduces your motivation and drive. Is this true?
Many regular users of cannabis, especially young users, find that they begin to lose energy and drive, and interest in other activities. Their performance in school or work often suffers.

How long does cannabis stay in your system?
Cannabis can be detected in blood for up to 20-36 hours, but can be present in urine from 18 hours after use to 90 days after use.

How long after consuming cannabis can it be detected in saliva?
Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (the active component in cannabis) can be detected in saliva for up to 4 hours after use, but can depend on the amount and potency used, and a person’s metabolism rate.

Will THC be detected if it is inhaled by passive smoking?
Having Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in saliva from passive smoking is very unlikely and if it were it would be at extremely low levels that would not be detected by the screening devices.

Can you get addicted to cannabis?

Addiction is a complex issue. Some drugs are more physically addictive while others are mentally or socially addictive. It is important to know and understand what you’re getting into. It has been suggested that cannabis can lead to addiction/ research indicates that 1 in 10 people who try cannabis become addicted, with young people more at risk of addiction following cannabis use than older people.

My friends say that cannabis is safer to use than other drugs, and there are things you can do to use cannabis safely. What can you do?

Cannabis is not the ‘safe’, harmless drug people may think it is. There are significant risks for people who use cannabis especially young people. It is safer not to use cannabis at all. However, if someone does, remember: Some people have panic attacks when they get ‘stoned’. If this happens, call for help immediately and reassure them it will pass. Because of this, users should not be left alone as they can often find themselves in dangerous situations. Cannabis, like alcohol, slows reflexes, affecting reaction time and ability to carry out normal functions such as driving, swimming, and operating machinery.

Is it true that the strength of cannabis varies between different parts of the plant?
Yes this is true. The flowers of the female plant contain more Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis which is responsible for the “high” people feel, then the stem or the leaves.

Some of my friends use cannabis and alcohol at the same time. Is this dangerous?

Using cannabis with other drugs increases risks. If cannabis is used in conjunction with other depressant drugs, such as alcohol, the depressant action generally increases. When cannabis is combined with alcohol it can also frequently lead to behaviour which causes injuries. For example, because cannabis interferes with a person’s motor and coordination skills, vision and perceptions of time and space, the ability to drive safely and complete tasks that require concentration can be impaired.

Why does it take so long for cannabis to leave your body?
Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, is not soluble in water, but is very soluble in fat. Because of this, it is quickly absorbed into your body fat deposits from the blood stream.

Can cannabis interfere with your sex drive and hormones?
Some heavy users of cannabis have indicated that they have experienced a lowered sex drive, and may have lowered sperm count, or irregular menstrual cycles.

Which form of cannabis is usually the strongest?
Hashish oil contains the most Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). As the THC is very concentrated in hashish oil, only a small amount will produce marked effects.

Are the effects of cannabis felt more quickly when it is smoked compared to when it is eaten?

Yes. When smoking cannabis, Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of the lungs. From there it is taken to the brain and this is when the “high” effect of the drug is felt. This can happen within a few minutes and can last up to 3 to 5 hours. When cannabis is eaten, the absorption of THC into the bloodstream is much slower. It can take up to one hour to experience the “high” effect; however this can last up to 4 to 7 hours.

Is smoking cannabis better for you than smoking tobacco?
No. Even if users smoke only cannabis, they are still at risk of diseases associated with smoking such as bronchitis and lung cancer. Marijuana cigarettes, or joints, have 50 to 100 per cent more tar than tobacco cigarettes.

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