Background: Cannabis plants produce a unique
family of terpeno-phenolic compounds called cannabinoids, which produce the
"high" one experiences from consuming marijuana. Cannabis is usually
smoked in a ‘joint’ or with a water pipe (sometimes with tobacco added) because
smoking is the most efficient way to achieve the desired psychoactive effects.
 |
| Two Major Constituents of Cannabis. THC is psychoactive. |
A quick
summary for all:
1. There
are 483 identifiable chemical constituents known to exist in the cannabis
plant, and at least 85 different cannabinoids have been isolated from the
plant.
2. The two
cannabinoids usually produced in greatest abundance are cannabidiol (CBD)
and/or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but only THC is psychoactive or
gives “high”.
3. Since
the early 1970s, Cannabis plants have been categorized by their chemical
phenotype or "chemotype", based on the overall amount of THC
produced, and on the ratio of THC to CBD. Although overall cannabinoid
production is influenced by environmental factors, the THC/CBD ratio is
genetically determined and remains fixed throughout the life of a plant.
4. Non-drug
plants produce relatively low levels of THC and high levels of CBD, while drug
plants produce high levels of THC and low levels of CBD. When plants of these
two chemotypes cross-pollinate, the plants in the first filial (F1) generation
have an intermediate chemotype and produce similar amounts of CBD and THC.
Female plants of this chemotype may produce enough THC to be utilized for drug
production.
Recreational Use:
Cannabis
is used for a wide variety of purposes including recreational use, medical use
and as hemp fibre. Many human culture including Chinese, Indian and Greek,
etc., have records of cannabis use in various social and religious activities. Cannabis
is a popular recreational drug around the world, only behind alcohol, caffeine
and tobacco, and it is also available as baked product and as a tea!!!
Summary: The article reports analysis of
various “side-effects” that have been associated with ‘heavy’ or ‘regular’
cannabis, which for the study purpose is defined as daily or near-daily use. Starting
from year 1993 till year 2013, a comparison of the evidence in 1993 with the
evidence and interpretation of the same health outcomes in 2013 is attempted. Various
fallouts including health, social behaviors, education, etc. are evaluated for
regular user vis-à-vis a non-regular/non-user.
Results: The key conclusions are:
Adverse Effects of Acute Cannabis Use
1. Cannabis
does not produce fatal overdoses.
2. Driving
while cannabis-intoxicated doubles the risk of a car crash; this risk increases
substantially if users are also alcohol-intoxicated.
3. Cannabis
use during pregnancy slightly reduces birth weight of the baby.
Adverse Effects of Chronic Cannabis Use
1. Regular
cannabis users can develop a dependence syndrome, the risks of which are around
1 in 10 of all cannabis users and 1 in 6 among those who start in adolescence.
2. Regular
cannabis users double their risks of experiencing psychotic symptoms and
disorders, especially if they have a personal or family history of psychotic
disorders, and if they start using cannabis in their mid-teens.
3. Regular
adolescent cannabis users have lower educational attainment than non-using
peers but researchers don't know whether the link is causal.
4. Regular
adolescent cannabis users are more likely to use other illicit drugs, but researchers
don't know whether the link is causal.
5. Regular
cannabis use that begins in adolescence and continues throughout young
adulthood appears to produce intellectual impairment, but the mechanism and
reversibility of the impairment is unclear.
6. Regular
cannabis use in adolescence approximately doubles the risk of being diagnosed
with schizophrenia or reporting psychotic symptoms in adulthood.
7. Regular
cannabis smokers have a higher risk of developing chronic bronchitis.
8. Cannabis
smoking by middle aged adults probably increases the risk of myocardial
infarction.
Article Citation: Hall, W. What has
research over the past two decades revealed about the adverse health effects of
recreational cannabis use? Addiction 2015,
110(1), 19-35. (free copy)
