Cannabis

Page contents

• Other Names
• How's it taken?
• Effects
• Legal Status

Related links

• Government drugs website

Summary

• Cannabis is a mild hallucinagenic substance, derived from the 'Cannabis Sativa' plant
• it comes in several different forms, including 'resin', which is a solid, dark lump or as leaves and storks known as 'grass'. It may also comes in oil form
• there are different strengths of cannabis - some (e.g. skunk) are very strong

Other names include

• Marijuana, draw, blow, weed, puff, hash, ganja

How is it taken?

• it can be rolled in a 'spliff' or 'joint' with tobacco or smoked on its own
• may also be eaten or brewed as a tea

Effects

• getting 'stoned' on cannabis can make people feel relaxed and sometimes talkative
• cooking and then eating the drug can make these feeling more intense and sometimes harder to control
• could bring on cravings for food, known as 'the munchies'
• can leave people feeling tired and lacking in motivation or energy
• some people may become anxious or even paranoid, depending on their mood and situation at the time
• smoking cannabis with tobacco could result in becoming hooked on cigarettes
• smoking over a long period of time can lead to problems with breathing and even lung cancer
• regular use has been known to cause long-term mental illness including depression and schizophrenia in some people

Legal status

• Cannabis has been reclassified from a Class C drug to a Class B drug. It is important to remember that cannabis is illegal and that cannabis possession will continue to be an arrestable offence
• If you are under 18, and it's your first offence of cannabis possession you will normally be arrested, taken to the police station and given a warning or a reprimand.
• For those over 18, most offences of cannabis possession are likely to result in a street caution and confiscation of the drug. But you could be arrested if you smoke in a public place, near a place where there are children e.g a school, or where public order is at risk. Those who repeatedly commit offences can be arrested and prosecuted.
• Penalties for supplying stay the same (with a maximum of 14 years).