Marijuana, also known as Cannabis Sativa, is a natural substance that has both medicinal and negative effects on the user. The active component of this substance is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
In general, this substance is classified as a depressant with few properties of a hallucinogen and a stimulant. It acts on the brain of the user where it induces a spike in brain alertness, muscle movement, and behavior. This substance is mostly abused for recreational purposes due to its euphoric sensation. Likewise, it has another active ingredient called cannabidiol (CBD), which contributes to its medicinal benefits.
This substance is also known for other scientific and street names. There are three common scientific names for marijuana: Cannabis Indica, Cannabis Sativa, and Cannabis ruderalis.
Meanwhile, the street names of this substance can vary depending on factors such as culture, location, and quality of the product. Street names are used to cover the real identity of the drug when doing illegal transactions.
Some of its common street names are the weed, reefer, skunk, mary jane, broccoli, bhang, aunt Mary, astro turf, and dope. In terms of location, it has the following street names: Panam Gold, Maui Wowie, Black Russian, Texas Tea, Thai stick, and Colombo.
In terms of quality, the street names for good quality marijuana are a righteous bush, nug, kind bud, dank, bud, hydro, chronic, and good stuff. Whereas, the street names for the low-quality ones are dirt grass, swag, ragweed, burger, bammies, cabbage, and charge.
Marijuana, How They Work
This drug is available in different forms in the market with specific ways of taking them. The most common forms of this drug in the market are cigarettes, hashish, medicinal marijuana, paraphernalia, ingestible, and weeds.
Medicinal marijuana is different from the illicit ones because it contains the purest form of the two active ingredients of this drug: cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (TBC). This drug can be taken orally, intravenously, or through inhalation. Some of the common illnesses cured by this substance include post-traumatic disorder, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Marijuana can also be dried and rolled into smaller sticks called cigarettes. It is called a joint if it has been mixed with tobacco. These types are commonly taken through smoking or inhalation using water pipes.
With the advent of technology, there are several means and materials also called marijuana paraphernalia that allows users to get a frequent dose of this substance. This stuff can be taken orally, ingested, smoked, or inhaled using water pipes or electronic cigarettes.
Aside from being smoked or inhaled, there are other forms of this substance that can be added in food and drinks. This type is called edible or ingestible marijuana. These things can be readily added in baked cookies, food, or even teas. Marijuana, when ingested, is not a quick-acting substance for the effects can be typically felt 45 minutes to 3 hours after ingesting it. Likewise, the duration of the effect depends on the dose taken by the person.
If the substance is a dried one formed into small cubes or blocks, then it is called hashish. This form can either be chewed like gum or smoked and turns into its oily liquid form. In terms of color, it can range from black to dark brown and then yellowish brown. Likewise, its texture can vary from being smooth to matte type, where some of it can be chewy or hard.
Hashish can also be transformed into an oily liquid where its potency is high and a small amount of it smoked can give a substantial sensation. These types are mostly contained in small plastic or glass bottles and bags.
Lastly, weed is a dried form of the marijuana plant where most of its raw and natural features can still be observed. Majority of its color is still greenish with a rough texture. When sold illegally, the dried leaves and stems are just tied together in one bunch. Similar to other forms, this type can be smoked and inhaled through water pipes.
Addiction and Dangers
Despite the medical benefits of this substance, it is still considered dangerous because of its high addictive potential and the tolerance it can build in the user. Moreover, its depressant, hallucinogenic, and stimulant properties intensify as the dose increases.
Through the years, the strength of this drug has been improved by adding fifteen percent of tetrahydrocannabinol in most products. Likewise, the mode of preparing the drug also affects its potency. Slightly pressing or adding this drug in food to be cooked increases its potency by around 50 to 90 percent. Further, ones that are naturally grown have higher potency as well, around 2 to 3 times stronger compared to commercialized ones.
The moment a person starts taking this drug, certain side effects can be readily felt and it magnifies when the duration is longer with increasing dosage. The short-term side effects from using this drug include a gradual loss of memory, inability to think, loss of muscle strength, lower pulse rate, decreased milk production for lactating women, decreased sex drive, and a higher chance of stroke.
In contrast, the long-term side effects of this drug are increased appetite, high risk of addiction with opioids, decreased comprehension, delusions, tremors, slight psychosis, and uncontrolled muscle movement.
Furthermore, if one plans to under drug test, the knowledge of how long it stays in the body must be known.
In the blood, it can still be detected 12 to 48 hours after the last period of usage. Likewise, frequent usage of it can have an average stay in the body of about 20 to 25 days after the last time of usage.
In the hair follicles, traces of this substance can still be detected for around 90 days after the last period of usage.
In the saliva, residues of this drug can still be detected depending on how often the person uses it. For people frequently using this drug, it stays in the body for around 1 to 3 days after the last session of usage. While, for severe users, it stays between 1 to 29 days after the last period of usage.
In the urine, large traces of this substance can be detected compared in the blood. The duration of stay depends on how often the person is using marijuana.
For occasional (three times per week) and medium level (four times per week) users, it stays up to 72 hours or 3 days and 5 to 7 days, respectively.
Meanwhile, for intense (several times per day) and chronic (daily usage), it typically stays in the system for about 30 days or more.
Medications and Treatments
Before allowing any individual to undergo a treatment program, sufficient self-awareness and willingness to do so must be present in that person. This ensures a greater chance for a successful recovery process.
The first step to any treatment program is detoxification and abstinence from the substance. Typically, this stage can last for around 8 to 10 weeks and may be extended depending on the severity of dependence.
The active component of marijuana tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has the nature of sticking into the fatty tissues of the body. In order to gradually remove it from the body, the patient undergoes a sauna session with moderate heat. This enables the THC to slowly evaporate and come out from the body.
Along the process of detoxification and abstinence, the person experiences several withdrawal symptoms. The common symptoms for this include dryness of the mouth, vague speech ability, reddish eyes, elevated pulse rate, depression, mood disorder, lethargy, and nervousness.
Furthermore, to hasten the recovery process, the patient undergoes behavioral therapies to re-establish positive behavior. The common behavioral therapies for marijuana addiction are Cognitive behavioral therapy, contingency management, and group counseling.
