Important information

• Do not drive, operate machinery, or perform other hazardous activities while using cannabis. It may cause dizziness, drowsiness, and impaired judgment.
• Do not drink alcohol while using cannabis. Alcohol will increase dizziness, drowsiness, and impaired judgment.
• Cannabis may increase the effects of other drugs that cause drowsiness, including antidepressants, alcohol, antihistamines, sedatives (used to treat insomnia), pain relievers, anxiety medicines, seizure medicines, and muscle relaxants.
• Cannabis is a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act.

What are the side-effects of cannabis?

The side-effects experienced by the cannabis user are variable and will depend upon the dose, method of administration, prior experience, any concurrent drug use, personal expectations, mood state and the social environment in which the drug is used.

• an altered state of consciousness. The user may feel "high", very happy, euphoric, relaxed, sociable and uninhibited.
• distorted perceptions of time and space. The user may feel more sensitive to things around them, and may also experience a more vivid sense of taste, sight, smell and hearing.
• increased pulse and heart rate, bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils, and often increased appetite.
• impaired coordination and concentration, making activities such as driving a car or operating machinery difficult and dangerous.
• negative experiences, such as anxiousness, panic, self-consciousness and paranoid thoughts.
• People who use large quantities of cannabis may become sedated or disoriented and may experience toxic psychosis - not knowing who they are, where they are, or what time it is. High doses may also cause fluctuating emotions, fragmentary thoughts, paranoia, panic attacks, hallucinations and feelings of unreality.
• The effects of cannabis are felt within minutes, reach their peak in 10 to 30 minutes, and may linger for two or three hours. THC is highly lipid soluble and can be stored in fat cells potentially for several months. The stored THC is released very slowly, and unevenly, back into the bloodstream.

Medical uses overview

Marinol (dronabinol) is used for the control of nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of cancer and to stimulate appetite in AIDS patients.

Cesamet (nabilone) is used for the control of nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of cancer.

Medical Cannabis (Medical Marijuana)

There are currently eight medical conditions for which patients can use cannabis:

• Cancer
  
• Glaucoma
  
• HIV/AIDS
  
• Muscle spasms
  
• Seizures
  
• Severe pain
  
• Severe nausea
  
• Cachexia or dramatic weight loss and muscle atrophy (wasting syndrome)

As of July 2014, 23 states and the District of Columbia legally allow cannabis for personal medical use. Rules surrounding the use of medical cannabis (medical marijuana) vary by state. The first state in the union to legalize the medical use of marijuana was California in 1996. States that allow medical marijuana include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. It is important to recognize that these state marijuana laws do not change the fact that using marijuana continues to be an offense under Federal law.

Medical marijuana in the U.S. is controlled at the state level. Per federal law, cannabis is illegal as noted in the Controlled Substances Act, but the federal government has stated they will not actively prosecute patients and caregivers complying with state medical marijuana laws. However, use of medical marijuana outside of the state laws for illegal use or trafficking will not be tolerated by state or federal government.

States with bills or pending legislation to legalize medical marijuana include: Florida, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

CBD Oil or Realm Oil

Several states are now considering or have passed bills to allow legalization of medical marijuana oil (CBD oil or Realm Oil) for intractable seizures in children with Dravet Syndrome. These children can suffer 40 or more seizures per day; the seizures are often prolonged in length. The oil is made a from a special strain of marijuana called “Charlotte's Web” that has extremely low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that leads to the “high”. However, the strain has elevated levels of cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive component that has been shown to have a number of therapeutic benefits, including those that limit seizure activity. The oil is taken in an oral liquid form, not smoked like traditional marijuana. News media has showcased several families from states that do not allow the CBD oil. These families have moved to Colorado from their home states to access the oil legally for their children who suffer from the debilitating seizures. Legislation is currently under review in several states to allow the oil for children with this debilitating seizure condition.

As of June 7, 2015, in addition to the states that allow medical marijuana, 15 states had okayed the use of CBD oil: these states include Utah, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Iowa, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Illinois.

Recreational Use of Cannabis

That being said, it is unlikely that the federal government is interested in pursuing individuals complying with state-mandated regulations surrounding legalized cannabis for recreational use, although the CSA law still gives them authority to do so.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has attempted to clarify this issue. On August 29, 2013, the DOJ issued guidance to Federal prosecutors concerning marijuana enforcement under the CSA. The DOJ is focused on priorities, such as:

1- Preventing the distribution to minors

2- Preventing revenues from sale of marijuana towards criminal activity

3- Preventing diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal to states where it is not legal

4- Preventing state-legalized marijuana from being a cover for other illegal drugs or activity

5- Prevent violence and guns in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana

6- Prevent drugged driving and other public health issues

7- Prevent the use of public land for marijuana cultivation

8- Preventing marijuana possession or use on federal property

NOTE: A majority of Americans support legalization of marijuana - 52 percent pro versus 45 percent con - (according to findings from a Pew Research Center survey in March 2013). Support for marijuana legalization has increased dramatically since 2010, by 11 percentage points.

Specific city and county laws have been enacted to regulate how citizens and tourists may possess and consume marijuana. Penalties exist for driving while under the influence of marijuana. Someone driving under the influence of marijuana is considered impaired in both Colorado and Washington when five nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood or more of active THC is detected.

For more information see: "Intervention" - Informed tough love. Avoidance & Escapism. (effective therapeutic strategies)

no recommendation

Our War Is With The Devil

Cannabis side effects

Long term effects of heavy use can include: