Cannabis Addiction

Cannabis is the name given to substances which can take a variety of different forms and be known under different names. You might have heard of marijuana, dope, weed, skunk, pot, Mary Jane, hash, pollen; these are, in essence, all cannabis under different names. They all come from the buds of a plant which grows naturally in many parts of the world. The use of cannabis goes back many thousands and years and in some countries is still widely used and legal. In spite of revisions to the law in the United Kingdom, cannabis is still illegal and scientists agree that it presents risks to the user.

The two main types of cannabis are the dried buds (slang: weed, skunk) and the solid, compressed form (pot, hashish, resin, solid). The active substance is called THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and it alters the way the brain functions. Cannabis can differ in strength depending on which type is used but they tend to be consumed in the same fashion: smoking. This is either done by making a joint or spliff, using cigarette paper and, often, tobacco. It can also be smoked using a pipe or a bong which is a type of free standing pipe which uses water. Cannabis can also be eaten.

The effects are broadly similar, whichever type of cannabis is used. Users will feel relaxed and drowsy and subject to fits of hysterical laughter (slang: the giggles) and increased appetite (the munchies). If users are unlucky they might also experience confusion, introspection, panic attacks, paranoia and even nausea and hallucinations.

There is some debate about the long term effects of cannabis use but it has been linked with mental health issues and is often the 'trigger' in users who have latent psychological problems, causing them to have their first psychological episode; this is often called 'cannabis psychosis'. Users who are under the age of sixteen are at a heightened risk from the effects of cannabis use because their brains have not fully developed yet. Of course smoking anything is bad for your lungs and leaves you at risk of lung cancer and associated conditions, this is in spite of the widely held conception that cannabis is not as damaging to your lungs as tobacco; recent evidence shows this not to be the case. The dry mouth (known properly as xerostomia) that occurs when you smoke cannabis can compromise oral health. Saliva is a valuable, natural defence against tooth decay and gum disease and if there is not enough of it in the mouth, then oral hygiene can deteriorate.

Despite changes in the law in the United Kingdom in the last ten years, it is still illegal to possess cannabis and supply it, even if it is just to your friends. A term in prison is possible for those caught with it.

Scientists now seem to think that cannabis itself is not an addictive substance but it is extremely habit forming. Prolonged use can leave the user feeling socially detached and alienated and the only solution in their mind is to smoke more cannabis. The fact that cannabis is often smoked with tobacco, which is highly addictive, means that many become addicted to smoking joints, if not the cannabis itself. Because cannabis is so widely used and therefore seen by many users as being a somewhat 'low-level' substance, there is a high correlation between people using cannabis and then turning to harder drugs. This has led cannabis to be labelled a 'gateway' drug.

The depression that is associated with prolonged cannabis usage can be extremely debilitating and you might feel like you are thoroughly alone in the world. But there are trained professionals who can help you with your problems and by calling a helpline or speaking to your doctor you can take the first step towards getting your life back, free from cannabis and its effects.