What are some other names for cannabis?
o Cannabis is also known as marijuana, grass, pot, dope, Mary Jane, hooch, weed,
hash, joints, brew, reefers, cones, smoke, mull, buddha, ganga, hydro, yarndi,
heads and green.
What are some of the short-term effects of cannabis?
o Theshort-termeffectsofusingcannabismayinclude: Feeling of well-being;
Talkativeness;
Drowsiness;
Loss of inhibitions;
Decreased nausea;
Increased appetite;
Loss of co-ordination;
Bloodshot eyes;
Dryness of the eyes, mouth, and throat; Anxiety and paranoia.
Potency of Cannabis
How strong is marijuana?
o The main ingredient in marijuana responsible for its psychoactive, or mood
altering, effects is a cannabinoid called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or "THC" for short. In combination with other cannabinoids, the amount of THC in marijuana determines the strength of the effect of the drug. The level of THC in marijuana is not always the same. It can vary depending on the strain or variety of the plant, the way in which the plant is grown, the part of the plant that is used, and the way the plant is prepared for use and stored.
What parts of the plant are used?
o The flowering tops, or "buds" of the female cannabis plant have the highest
concentrations of THC, followed by the leaves. Much lower THC levels are found
in the stalks and seeds of the cannabis plant.
What is the concentration of THC for the various preparations of cannabis?
o Hash oil: 15 – 30% THC o Hash: 10 – 20% THC
o Marijuana: 1 – 20% THC
Has the potency of marijuana increased over the past several years?
o Yes, the cannabis today is stronger than before. The potency has increased 2 to
7 times since the 1970s, as measured by THC levels.
Cannabinoids
What is a cannabinoid?
o There are 480 natural components within the cannabis sativa plant, of which 66
are classified as “cannabinoids.” The effects of marijuana are moderated likely by cannabinoids. There are several subclasses of cannabinoids:
Cannabigerols (CBG)
Cannabichromenes (CBC)
Cannabidiols (CBD)
Tetrahydrocannabinols (THC)
Cannabinol (CBN) and cannabinodiol (CBDL) Misc.
What do the cannabinoids do?
o Cannabinoids bind to cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) in the brain and
peripheral nervous system where they affect memory, cognition and
psychomotor performance. See above for what symptoms cannabinoids cause. What is the main difference between the cannabinoids?
o The main difference between the cannabinoids is the degree to which they cause psychoactive effects i.e. produce a high. Three classes of cannabinoids, the CBG, CBC, and CGD, are not known to cause a high or other psychoactive effects. THC, CBN, and CBDL are psychologically active to various degrees.
o CBD is one of the most abundant cannabinoids at up to 40% of cannabis resin, and it can have anti-anxiety effects and lessen the psychoactive effects of THC. The more CBD a formulation contains, the less psychoactive it is likely to be.
Marijuana Edibles
- What are marijuana edibles?
- o Marijuanaediblesarefooditemsmadewithmarijuanaormarijuanaoils,which
- can be used as an alternative to smoking or vaporizing marijuana.
- Are there different types of marijuana edibles?
o Medibles come in many different liquid forms and food types, including:
- Brownies
- Cookies
- Drinks
- Popcorn
- Candies, including animal or fruit-shaped gummies, suckers and
- chocolates
How should edibles be stored?
o Medibles and their packages are often brightly colored and grab the attention of
kids. They may look like candy, drinks or other types of foods to young children. It is extremely important to keep these products locked up and out of reach of children and pets.
Will ingesting marijuana affect someone differently than smoking it?
o Yes. Unlike smoking marijuana, where the effects can be felt almost immediately,
effects from medibles can:
- Take from 30 minutes to 2 hours to take effect
- Last longer than expected depending on the dose, last meal, and/or
- medications or alcohol used at the same time.
Why do some medible products seem stronger than others?
o The amount of THC can vary in marijuana edibles. This makes it harder to
control how much THC is consumed. The amount of THC in homemade marijuana edibles can vary even more. Many users can be caught off-guard by the stronger potency and long-lasting effects of medibles.
- Who can buy edibles?
- o In Washington State, both medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal. Adults
- 21 and over can purchase up to one ounce of useable marijuana (the harvested flowers, or “buds”), 16 ounces of marijuana-infused edibles in solid form, 72 ounces in liquid form, and 7 grams of marijuana concentrates.
- What is the recommended dosage for edibles?
o Washington’s definition of one edible dose is 10 mg.
o Some edibles have more than one dose of THC and may come with directions to
only consume part of the product.
o Always read the dosing recommendations and know exactly how much THC is in
the edible.