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Cannabis
This pamphlet is to increase awareness of cannabis, the
effects of cannabis use…
Cannabis is a depressant drug. This means it slows down the activity of the central nervous system and
the messages going between the brain and the body. Depressant drugs do not necessarily make a person
feel depressed. When large does of cannabis are taken it may also produce hallucinogenic effects.
Other name
Grass, pot, hash, weed, reefer, dope, herb, mull, Buddha, ganja, joint, stick, buckets, cones, skunk,
hydro, yarndi, smoke and hooch.
What is looks like
There are three main forms of cannabis: marijuana, hashish and hash oil.
Marijuana is the most common and least potent form of cannabis. Marijuana is the dried leaves and
What is cannabis?
Cannabis is a drug that comes from Indian hemp plants such as Cannabis sativa and Cannabis
indica. The main active chemical in cannabis is THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol).
Cannabis is a depressant drug. This means it slows
down the activity of the central nervous system and
the messages going between the brain and the body.
Depressant drugs do not necessarily make a person
feel depressed. When large doses of cannabis are
taken it make also produce hallucinogenic effects.
Other names:
Grass, pot, hash, weed, reefer, dope, herb, mull,
Buddha ganja, joint, stick, buckets, cones, skunk,
hydro, yarndi smoke and hooch.
What is looks like
There are three main forms of cannabis: marijuana,
hashish and hash oil.
Marijuana is the most common and least potent form
of cannabis. Marijuana is the dried leaves and flowers
of the plant. It looks like chopped grass and ranges in
colour from grey-green to greenish-brown. Its texture
can be fine of coarse. Marijuana may contain seeds
and stems from the plant.
Hashish
(“hash”)
is driedIt cannabis
usually
in and
the
flowers
of the plant.
looks likeresin,
chopped
grass
form
of a in
small
block.
range to
in colour
from light
ranges
colour
fromBlocks
grey-green
greenish-brown.
brown
It’ to nearly black. The concentration of THV in
hashish is higher than in marijuana, producing stronger
effects.
Hash oil is a thick, oily liquid, golden brown to black in
colour, which is extracted from cannabis. Hash oil is
the strongest form of cannabis.
In recent years a wide range of synthetic products,
claiming to have similar effects to cannabis, have also
been made available in Australia. Synthetic cannabis is
made up of chemicals that are designed to activate
the same chemical systems in the brain as THC. These
drugs are marketed as having similar physical and
psychological effects as cannabis, but can have more
unpredictable effects and are potentially more
harmful than cannabis.
Hashish (“hash”) is dried cannabis resin, usually in
form of a small block. Blocks range in colour from light
brown to nearly black. The concentration of THC is
hashish is higher than in marijuana, producing stronger
effects.
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How and why is it used?
The different forms of cannabis are used in different ways:
 Marijuana is smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes (joints), in a
pipe or a bong.
 Hashish is usually added to tobacco and smokes, or baked
and eaten in foods such as hash cookies
 Hash oil is usually spread on the tip or paper of a cigarette
and then smoked.
Cannabis and hash can also be smoked in a vaporizer. Vaporisers heat
cannabis to temperatures that release its active ingredients while
minimizing the toxins associated with burning.
Cannabis is used for the psychoactive (mind and mood-altering) effects of
THC and other active ingredients.
The TCH in cannabis is absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of
the lungs (if smoked), or through the walls of the lungs (if smoked), or
through the walls of the stomach and intestines (if eaten). The
bloodstream carries the THC to the brain, producing “high” effects. Drugs
inhaled get into the bloodstream quicker than those eaten. This means
that the effects of cannabis when smoked occur more rapidly than when
eaten.
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Medial Uses
Cannabis has been used for medical purposes
for many centuries. It has been reported that
cannabis may be useful to help conditions
such as:
 Nausea and vomiting, particularly
when associated with chemotherapy
 Wasting and severe weight loss, in
people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or
anorexia nervosa, as it may be used as
an appetite stimulant
 Epilepsy
 Pain relief, for example in people with
cancer and arthritis
 Relief from symptoms of some
neurological disorders that involve
muscle spasms, including multiple
sclerosis and spinal cord injury
 Glaucoma
 Asthma
Cannabis in Australia
According to the National Drug
Strategy Household Survey in 2010.
 35.4 per cent of Australians
aged over 14 years had used
cannabis in their lifetime
 10.3 per cent had used
cannabis in the previous 12
months.
Effects of Cannabis
The effects of any drug (including cannabis)
vary from person to person. How cannabis
affects a person depends on many things
including their size, weigh and health, also
whether the person is used to taking it and
whether other drugs are taken around the
same time.
** The effects of any drug also depend on the
amount taken. This can be very hard to judge as
the quality and strength of illicit drugs can vary
greatly from one batch to another.
Immediate effects
Low to moderate doses
Low to moderate doses of cannabis can
produce effects that last 2 to 4 hours after
smoking. The effects of ingested (eaten)
cannabis usually commence within 1 hour.
Some of the effects include
Refer to image 
People who have smoked synthetic cannabis
have also reported high blood pressure,
increased breathing rate, chest pain, heart
palpitations and seizures.
Higher doses can make the effects stronger
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400 × 139 brochures.mater.org.au
Long-term effects
Some of the effects that may be experienced after long-term
cannabis use include:
* Brain  Cannabis may impair concentration, memory and
learning ability. The brain could remain affected for several
months after stopping cannabis use.
* Lungs  Smoking cannabis can result in a sore throat, asthma
and bronchitis. Cannabis cigarettes (joints) have more tar than
tobacco, placing cannabis users at increased risk of respiratory
illness such as lung cancer. This risk is increased because
cannabis smokers often inhale deeply, and hold the smoke in
the lungs for longer, to increase the effects of the drug.
Cigarette smokers who also smoke cannabis have an even
greater risk of respiratory disease.
* Hormones  Cannabis can affect hormone production.
Research shows that some cannabis users have a lowered sex
drive. Irregular menstrual cycles and lowered sperm counts
have also been reported
* Immune system  there is some concern that cannabis
smoking may impair the functioning of the immune system
* Cannabis and psychosis  Cannabis use, especially heavy and
regular use, may be linked to a condition known as a “druginduced psychosis”, or “cannabis psychosis”. This can last up to
a few days. The episodes are often characterized by
hallucinations, delusions, memory loss and confusion.
There is some evidence that regular cannabis use
increases the likelihood of psychotic symptoms in
people who are already vulnerable due to a personal
or family history of mental illness. Cannabis also
appears to make psychotic symptoms worse for
people with schizophrenia, and using cannabis can
lower the chances of recovery from a psychotic
episode
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Tolerance and dependence
People who use cannabis regularly can develop dependence and tolerance to
it. Tolerance means they need to take larger amounts of cannabis to get the
same effect.
Dependence on cannabis can be psychological, physical, or both. People who
are dependent on cannabis find that using the drug becomes far more
important than other activities in their lie. They crave the drug and find it
very difficult to stop using it. People who are psychologically dependent on
cannabis may find they feel an urge to use it when they are in specific
surroundings or socializing with friends. Physical dependence occurs when a
person’s body adapts to cannabis and gets used to functioning with the
cannabis present.
Withdrawal
Cannabis and driving
If a dependent person stops taking
cannabis, they may experience
withdrawal symptoms because their
body has to get used to functioning
without cannabis. People may
experience withdrawal symptoms
for less than a week, although their
sleep may be affected for longer.
It is dangerous to drive after using
cannabis. The effects of cannabis,
such as altered perception,
impaired coordination and
sleepiness, can affect driving
ability. It is especially risky to drive
after drinking alcohol and using
cannabis, as the combination can
amplify the effects.
Some of the withdrawal symptoms
that may be experienced include:
 Cravings for cannabis
 Loss of appetite and weight
loss
 Irritability
 Anxiety
 Sweating
 Upset stomach
 Chills and tremors
 Increased body temperature
 Disturbed and restless sleep,
often interrupted by
nightmares
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Many drugs (including cannabis) can
cross the placenta and affect the
unborn child.
Some



potential effects include:
Smaller birth weight
Miscarriage and stillbirth
Behavioural problems and
delayed development
If a mother uses cannabis while
breastfeeding, the drug may be
present in her breast milk. This may
have an effect on the health of the
baby.
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Cannabis and other drugs
The effects of mixing cannabis with other drugs, including alcohol, prescription medications and
over-the-counter medicines, are often unpredictable.
When people drink alcohol and use cannabis at the same time this can increase the unpleasant
effects, including nausea, vomiting and feelings of panic, anxiety and paranoia.
Some people use cannabis to come down from stimulants such as amphetamines or ecstasy. The
mixing of cannabis and ecstasy has been linked to reduced motivation, impaired memory and
mental health problems.
Cannabis and the Law
Cannabis is illegal in Australia.
Federal and state laws provide penalties for possessing, using, cultivating, selling and driving
under the influence of cannabis. There are also laws that prevent the sale and possession of
bongs and other smoking equipment in some states and territories. Penalties can include fines,
imprisonment and disqualification from driving. Some states and territories have programs that
refer people with a drug problem to treatment and/or education programs where they can
receive help rather than going through the criminal justice system.
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Treatment options
In Australia, there are many different treatment options for drug problems. Some aim to help a
person to stop using a drug, while others aim to reduce the risks and harm related to their drug
use.
Treatment is more effective if adapted to suit each person’s situation. Some of the different
options include individual counseling, group therapy, medication (pharmacotherapy), and
residential therapy and supervised/home withdrawal.
Online counseling for cannabis dependency is a relatively new treatment option available in
Australia.
Preventing and reducing harms
Many Australians take at least one psychoactive drug on a regular basis – they might take
medication (i.e. over-the-counter or via a prescription), drink alcohol, smoke tobacco or use an
illegal drug. All drugs have the potential to cause harm. As use increases, so does the potential
for harm.
Australia’s national drug policy is based on harm minimization. Strategies to minimize harm
include encouraging people to avoid using a drug through to helping people to reduce the risk of
harm if they do use a drug. It aims to reduce all types of drug-related harm to both the
individual and the community.
There is not safe level of drug use
Use of any drug always carries some risk – even medications can produce unwanted side effects
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