Cannabis

Distribution

The cannabis pushes under the majority of the climates. Probably originating in the area located between the the Himalayas and the India, it then accompanied migrations and conquests to be spread on all the continents. Nowadays, according to OICS, it still pushes in a wild state in several countries of the South Asia, in particular in India, with the Nepal and the Sri Lanka.

It is a plant which affectionate hot climates and sunning. It opens out particularly on grounds of the type Calcaire and nitrogenized. She appreciates a neutral pH or slightly Acide.

Pharmacology

Although the principal psychoactive substance contained in the cannabis is Tétrahydrocannabinol or THC, this Plante contains more than sixty Cannabinoïde S which takes part in a synergistic way in the effect Psychotrope.

Some cannabinoïdes make it possible to identify the geographic origin of the product. One knows thus that grass or the resin resulting from the Pakistan contains a strong quantity of Tétrahydrocannabivarine, molecule having a tail propyl in the place of the tail amyl of the THC.

The wild grass of cannabis usually contains between 0,5 and 5 % of THC in the female summit parts with maturity. The varietal selection and the developments in the farming techniques (such as the hydroponic culture ) produced varieties titrating until 30 % of THC. The content of THC is also affected by the sex of the plant: the female plant produces flowers containing more THC than its male counterpart. The sinsemilla (of Spanish meaning “without seed”) is a female plant not fertilized by pollen and has an output more raised than granulated grass. The cultures with aimings therapeutic and entertaining generally have a high content of THC; contrary, the cultures reserved for industry have a low content of THC.

Use

Medical cannabis

Many countries authorize the therapeutic use of the cannabis: Belgium, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Great Britain, New Zealand, Spain, or certain American States (California, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Washington). Tests are sometimes tolerated in Suisse, in particular in the part Germanophone, nevertheless the cannabis remains an illegal drug for other uses in this country.

The cannabis does not look after but makes it possible to relieve the side effects of a disease or a medical care. Pharmaceutical research made it possible to show that it is possible to cancel the psychoactive effect while preserving integrality of the therapeutic effects.

Entertaining cannabis

The cannabis can present itself in several forms:

of the dried flowers female (which form the “heads”), called marijuana , or of the dried sheets (usually, sheets of the flowered crown of the female plants, called sheets of manicurist);
of the resin of cannabis (the Haschisch ), which is a derivative of the dried plant, agglomerated in blocks after manufacture;
of the oil of cannabis which is a concentrate resulting from one extraction using solvents (alcohol, gas for lighters mainly) separation in water where oil survives then evaporation of solvent;
of " pollen" , called thus by analogy with the Pollen of the botanists but which does not have actually anything to see. It is about the powder obtained by recovering producing resin glands which fall from the plant by friction. Truth Pollen of the plant, yellow dust produced by the male feet at the time of their reproduction, does not contain active substance;
of Skuff.

It is generally consumed with tobacco in called artisanal cigarettes joined or detonators . Other modes of consumption exist: cakes (" space cakes"), infusions, vaporization which do not present the dangers related to the carcinogenic products of combustion: tar, carbon monoxide, etc

Required effects

Generally, the effects vary in intensity and duration, according to the mode of consumption, of the respective contents of THC (" effect; hight") and CBN (" effect; stone") as well as subject, of its physical status and psychic. The effects appear after a few minutes (inhalation) at a few hours (ingestion) and last in the same way.

Generally:

Euphoria, hilarity, excitation;
relieving, feeling of undulation;
facilitated Introspection (disappearance of the Inhibition);
association of creative ideas;
more sharpened directions;
stimulation of the Appetite (See medical Cannabis);
sleep.

Stronger amounts can induce an increase in the Perception auditive and visual (reduction in the latent Inhibition), which can generate " hallucinations" and to lead to the Bad trip or on the contrary to amplify the feelings during a musical production or in front of a film, often required effect. The simultaneous alcohol consumption multiplies by ten the effects of both but tends then towards poly-drug-addiction…

Undesirable side effects

After consumption, the user can express the following symptoms:

red eyes, Mydriase;
Tachycardia, hypertension/hypotension; sometimes until fainding
oral draining (familiarly called " the pâteuse" or " moquette" often characterized by a bleaching of the language);
anxiety;
difficulty of concentration;
turbid of the perception of time (a few minutes seem to be hours… or the reverse!) ;
Paranoia;
returns to oneself;
nausea S, Vomiting S, fainding (very rare).

The psychic effects are strongly related to the personality of the user.

The cannabis deteriorates the short-term memory, the concentration, the recall of the memories or the words and can thus decrease the capacities of training. In the actual position of knowledge, the memory does not seem affected beyond the time of the effects of the cannabis, i.e. a few hours. This mini-amnesia is multiplied in the event of consumption associated with alcohol.

The use of cannabis can translate a psychic discomfort - sometimes unsuspected - being able to transform itself into Paranoïa, crises of anguishes, feeling of oppression. There exist also some cases of acute cannabic psychosis.

At the neuropsychiatric level, the substance can decrease the attention, worsen or reveal mental health disorders like any psychotropic. A syndrome amotivationnel (demotivation) can appear, like: lack regard of oneself, intemperance, depression and suicidal tendencies. There exists a correlation between the prolonged use of the cannabis and the depression at certain patients but it remains difficult to say if the cannabis produces the depression or if the depression supports a chronic consumption… Various studies, with variable credibility, suggest bonds between Schizophrénie or Psychose and cannabis (more details in the article).

In the long run, even if the effects still need to be studied, one however quotes durable affections of the respiratory tracts similar to the tobacco: cough, bronchial cancer, chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema (because of major and prolonged inhalations). In addition, the inhalation of the combustion of products of cut always present in the Haschich exposes the user at the risks as random as harmful. The grass was exceptionally cut to water, sand even with glass plundered in order to weigh down the mass and thus to increase the prices.

Weak a physical dependence exists but it is generally not perceived like addictive, because of the low level of Accoutumance. Psychological cases of dependence were noted, in particular during a chronic use but it is rather about a dependence compared to the good produced being, which disappears quickly. It should however be announced that a physical dependence with the tobacco, used in the clothes industry of the joint, very often appears among regular smokers of cannabis. However, a joint can also be only made with the substance.

According to a study of an consumers' association, to smoke three joints is equivalent smoking a cigarette pack. The smoke of cannabis contains seven times more tar and of carbon monoxide that the smoke of the tobacco alone. This test is in contradiction with other scientific work which estimates that “to smoke of the cannabis the cancer risk does not increase” or that the carcinogenic risks are to be charged to the presence of nicotine due to the mixture with tobacco. Alternatively with combustion, the use of a spray, on sale free, delivers a practically pure vapor of cannabinoïde.

Consumption using a pipe with water very strongly increases the inhalation of toxic products.

Tracking

Tracking is carried out by salivary taking away, urinary test, blood sample or taking away of sweat.

One detects either THC there, or his metabolite, the THC-COOH, also called derived canabinoïde . It is possible to determine to when last consumption goes back by submitting the report/ratio of these two molecules.

In the Saliva, it is present only little of time after consumption: a few hours. In the Blood, it can be detectable up to 15 days after consumption. In the Urine S, its concentration is extrèmement variable, it depends on the frequency of consumption as well as quantity. From five days for an occasional smoker, one can find derivatives canabionoïde after nearly 45 days at a large smoker.

Surdose

No Surdose due to the cannabis was recorded in two millenia of medical history and it is what contributes more to its reputation of “soft drug”. The lethal Dose of the cannabis would be estimated at a single catch by ingestion of 7,5 kg. The cannabis being generally consumed by smoke (the fastest way of assimilation of the product), the consumer can thus easily control the quantity of consumed product, because the effects are rather fast.

Spending patterns

Generally, the cannabis is smoked, in the form of joint: the heads (flowers) dried or the émiettée resin (possibly frays with tobacco) are rolled in a sheet of paper cigarette and are fume like a cigarette. When he is smoked, between 15 and 50% of THC passes in blood and the effect hard between 45 minutes and 2:30.

Other techniques include the use of Narguilé or Pipe with water to smoke the cannabis while cooling smoke. They are supposed techniques to filter smoke, which multiply the quantities of air and inhaled poisons, owing to the fact that it is necessary to aspire more deeply. This mode of consumption makes more deeply penetrate smoke in the lungs, with the risks which are the consequence.

The cannabis can also be introduced because the THC is soluble in greases and alcohol:

the butter of Marrakech, obtained by extraction of the liposoluble compounds of the haschich or the inflorescences of cannabis replaces traditional butter in the receipts. It is used to prepare dishes such as the Space cake , the black and white pot or the hash brownies .
the cannabis can also be put in solution in Lait (preferably whole), which one names a bhang or " milk vert".
One can also dissolve hashish in black chocolate and to make use of it then in pastry making, or then to again make it solidify to use it with the request.
the Green Dragon indicates a Alcoholic drink containing maceration of cannabis in alcohol. The solution is green, from where the name.
the Pot tea is based on the principle of the, by infusion of sheets in warm water. However, the THC being hydrophobic, not effects psychoactive by consuming with the cannabis.

Nevertheless, when it is introduced, the effects of the cannabis are declared at the end of thirty minutes and can be prolonged several hours, which can generate a state of anxiety and paranoia called Bad trip .

Vaporization or sublimation is another method of absorption. One can extract THC and the others cannabinoïdes in the form of vapor by heating slightly the Plante without burning it. This method with the advantage of not producing toxic substances contained in the smoke of the cannabis and the tobacco during a normal combustion (carbon monoxide, tar, nitrosamines…). By heating the cannabis with approximately 190 °C, the psychotropic substances evaporate, but the plant does not burn yet. The produced vapor can then be inhaled, with an effect as immediate as if the Drogue were fumée.
Vaporization is the preferred technique of the people seeking to avoid the dangers related to the nicotinism.

Jargon

The flowers of cannabis dried are usually named marijuana , husband , marijuana , ganja , kif , beuh , weed , buzz , grass or pot ; and the resin haschich , hash , teuch or shit .

Evaluation of consumption

In June 2004, UNO in his world report on drugs 2004, estimated that there was a hundred and fifty million users for the cannabis.

More than sixty two million Europeans (more than 20% of the whole of the adult population) already cannabis consumed and twenty million consumed some during the last year, according to a study published the November 25th 2005 by the European Observatory of drugs and drug-addiction (OEDT).

In his annual report of March 1st 2006, OICS indicates that the Africa would count thirty-four million users.

However this evaluation is certainly very far from reality. There does not exist any reliable method to evaluate an illegal market, which is done by extrapolations of the drugs seized as well as evaluations of the surface cultivateds.

It acts on the other hand illegal drug the most consumed in the world.

Effects of the cannabis

Effects on the teenagers

According to a study, there would be no difference on the cerebral level between those which smoked regularly of the marijuana during their adolescence and those which never made use of it. Another study affirms rather than the people predestined with the Schizophrénie see their precipitated symptoms when they start to consume during adolescence. The intensive consumption of derived concentrated, as the oil of Hashish, supports, particularly with adolescence, the appearance of the disorders psychotics.

Effects on the design and the reproduction

The regular consumption of joints, at the man, contributes to a fall of the fertility.

During the pregnancy, the consumption of cannabis is likely to block the cerebral activity of the fetus, delaying the development of the brain in utero. The teratogenicity of the consumption of cannabis during the pregnancy seems clinically not-significant. However, after an exposure in-utero to the cannabis, of the cognitive attacks during the years of childhood were observed, above all on the attention and the tests of assumptions per visual way.

Effects on the processes of memorizing

American academics discovered that the cannabis pertube the processes of memorizing of the brain by disorganizing the electric operation of the hippocampus, structure key of the Cerveau for the activation of the memory. The cannabis with the amounts usually present in its consumers removes the electric, essential oscillations in the process of training and memorizing. The cognitive processes are disorganized.

According to the professor Jean Constantin, principal active substance in the cannabis, the THC, also the release of an important neuro-transmitter in the hippocampus blocks, the Acétylcholine, affecting the electrophysiological operation of the brain.

In 2006, the Neuropsychologie service of INSERM of Marseilles had shown that the cannabis disturbed at the fetus the formation of the networks of neurons in the development of the brain, which confirms to the very high proportion children having a backwardness in the smoky mothers.

Culture

The cannabis cultivates itself in interior as in outside. A seedling can be either male, or female, or Hermaphrodite. The seed of cannabis is called Chenevis.

The males are cultivated legally in certain areas, it are useful for the industry which manufactures products resulting from hemp like insulator, the textile, the plastic…

The females are cultivated at entertaining ends, their flowers are covered with Trichome S (kind of gland which contains inter alia the THC).

The seeds resulting from a regular male and a regular female give a chance on two for each sex, which is declared between the third and the fifth week of growth. As for seeds resulting hermaphrodites, they give in their turn seedlings hermaphrodites, in strongly variable proportions male/female.

Cannabis Cutting easily. This quality is used by the amateurs car-to feed in new seedlings females without having to get seeds. Indeed, the time so that one appears male constitutes a waste of time in an entertaining culture; whereas the cuttings have a known sex, which avoids the risk of hitch. Seeds sold under name " féminisée" in fact often hermaphrodites with a percentage are reduces male flowers to the minimum.

There would be between: 10000 and: 20000 farmers of cannabis in France.

Its individual culture with title (car-production) is encouraged by associations as CIRC in France which consider that in spite of the illegal aspect of this culture, it constitutes effective means of avoiding the Black-market and the problems which it poses in particular in term of dubious quality of the product. Internet is also important information means on this subject and French-speaking forums on the car-production were created. Certain countries like the Netherlands or more recently the Spain tolerate the car-production within a limit of five seedlings.

For the culture in outside, considering the characteristics of the plant, a southern orientation full is advised.

The culture in interior can be carried out out of pots in a traditional way or culture Hydroponique where the roots bathe directly in a nutritive solution. Lamps HPS (sodium high pressure) are often used for lighting. They produce a powerful light, of yellow color when the lamp heats then white, adapted to flowering.

Varieties

The cannabis declines itself in three principal varieties: sativa, indica and ruderalis. Officially there exists only one species, the Cannabis sativa , because these three varieties are not enough different to form species.

The cannabis sativa comes from the equatorial areas. The seedling is large and fine and the sheets are rather clear and fine. When it is consumed, the effect is rather justifying and euphoric.

The cannabis indica produces smaller seedlings. The blades of the sheets are broad and dark. Soup, it rather tends to alleviate or deaden.

The cannabis ruderalis is less widespread. It is low in THC but it flowers very quickly. It is sometimes used at the time of crossings to accelerate flowering.

Lots of descendants result from crossings among these three principal varieties. One indicates them under the term of Hybride, often by names given by the companies which produce them. If one judges of it by the number of obtenteurs (known as " breeders" in the jargon of the amateurs) in Europe and North America (a small hundred), and the number of varieties available among grainetiers, the sector of varietal creation and the sale of seeds of entertaining cannabis seems flourishing. It benefitted certainly from the new potential of the sales development on line via Internet sites. The proposed selection criteria are obviously the power (rate of THC), but also the type of intoxication obtained (characteristic of the " high"), flavors, without forgetting the potential of output, the precocity and the duration of flowering, the vegetative port (which will allow or not the culture in interior), resistance to the cryptogamic diseases, etc…

The Cannabis cup, with Amsterdam (Netherlands), is a festival where each year is indicated the best line, pure or hybridée. Certain hybrid lines like the " super skunk " become thus references.

Economic aspects

The first world producer of cannabis is the North America, even if the essence of this production is reserved for the local market, as it is also the case of the Central America, of the the Caribbean, the Oceania, the Asia and the Netherlands.

Legislation

Cultural and historical aspects

History

Mystical aspect

One also finds as from the 11th century and during all the Moyen-âge, in Perse and Syria, the existence of the Hashâchine (or “H' ashashine”, such as named them the Croisés), of the word “assas” meaning the base. These members of a Sect shii' you ismaélite of Assassins, created in 1094 and directed by Hassan Al Sabah' (also called the “Old man of the Mountain”) with Alamout in the south-west of the Caspian Sea, consumed hashish by ingestion (more rarely smoked) to condition themselves before carrying out their acts.

Certain sects of Sâdhu ritually consume hashish to tear the veil of the illusion (the Maya ). The sâdhu are present in India since several thousands of years.

In the same way, the community rastafari regards the cannabis as a means of meditation and spiritual reflection . Considering that “the tree of life” describes in the Bible indicates the cannabis, consumed like a sacrament allowing rise towards Jah (God).

Recent history and new knowledge

Several recent studies give a progress report on current knowledge concerning the effects of the Indien hemp on the natural person and social.

The '' Lancet '' of March 24th, 2007 - Volume 369, Number 9566: This study aims at classifying the dangerosity of the mésusage drugs. The Indien hemp is considered less dangerous than alcohol and the tobacco and more dangerous than solvents, the LSD and the extasy, inter alia.

Professor Jacques Besson, chief of the Community Service of psychiatry from the University hospital of Vaud (CHUV) in Lausanne, estimates that to smoke of the cannabis contributes to lower the threshold beyond whose a Schizophrénie can appear.

Doctor Daniele Zullino, Médecin-chef of the Service of abuse substances at the Department of Psychatrie of the University hospitals of Geneva (HUG) notes that fifteen years ago, the users controlled their consumption more or less. Today, it is not by far any more the case. A 16 year old young person who smokes of the cannabis multiplies by two the risk to develop a schizophrenia with the 25 years age. [http://extranot.hcuge.ch/Internet/instance.nsf/5FAD97C3A7B6279BC1256CA30036D89D/189C416B4FDD4AFD4125674C00362958?OpenDocument]

The newspaper The Independent , which had launched a campaign for dépénaliser the consumption of Indien hemp in 1997, presents its public excuses in its edition of March 18th, 2007. “So only we had known what we can reveal today…” Cannabis: Year apology “In 1997, this newspaper launched has campaign to decriminalise the drug. Yew only we had known then what we edge reveal today…”

Discusses

Books

Pascal Hachet, " These banked-up beds which smoke of the joints" , ED. Fleurus, 2000.

Neither reactionary nor laxist but anchored in a long clinical practice, this book brings reference marks and answers to the questions that the parents of teenagers are posed. The author, psychologist, insist on the forms of psychological assistance and support which the young consumers of cannabis in prey to a discomfort can receive, like their entourage. He refuses diaboliser and to standardize the use of the cannabis and invites the banked-up beds to grow differently and the parents to like them with vigilance.

Pascal Hachet, " Stories of smokers of joints. A psychiatrist with the listening of the jeunes" , ED. In Near, 2005.

Starting from a score of stories of life, the author, psychologist, analyze the motivations of the smokers of cannabis and their representations of the associated risks. It observes the attitude of the parents vis-a-vis the consumption of their children and distinguishes the various degrees from attachment to the cannabis: uses experimental, occasional, regular and addictif. He also proposes to include/understand the springs of the consumption of cannabis in many adults…

Professor Jean Costentin: Halt with the cannabis , ED. Odile Jacob, 2007.

See too

Cannabis|Cannabis

Effects of the cannabis on health
Hemp
Hashish
Psychotropic Skuff
Drug
List of the lines of cannabis
Cannabis cup
fast medical Tests

External references

External bonds

International association for the medical cannabis

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