The Effects of Cannabis in a Nutshell

Cannabis is defined as a drug that has psychoactive properties. Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis are three plants that possess psychoactive properties.

It is one of the most common drugs in the world when the flowers of these plants are harvested and dried. Weed, pot, and marijuana are all terms used to describe marijuana.

Marijuana’s names are changing as it becomes legal in more places. Many people today refer to cannabis as weed, or weed as cannabis.

Cannabis is composed of what components?

Known as cannabinoids, calture cannabis contains more than 120 components. It’s still unclear what each cannabinoid does, but experts know a lot about two of them, known as cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The following are the effects and uses of each:

• Although it’s a psychoactive cannabinoid, it does not cause intoxication or euphoria, so it won’t get you high. Inflammation and pain are often relieved by it. As well as easing nausea, migraines, and seizures, it may also ease anxiety. Researchers are still trying to fully understand what CBD’s medical benefits are. (Epidiolex is the first and only prescription medication to contain CBD and to be approved by the FDA. This medication is used to treat certain kinds of epilepsy.)
• Marijuana is primarily composed of this compound. Cannabis is most commonly associated with its “high” due to the presence of THC.

How does cannabis affect you short-term?

The short-term effects of cannabis use can be varied. The positive effects can outweigh the negative ones.

The following are some of the more desirable short-term effects:

• Enjoyment
• Exuberance
• Being more aware of the sights and sounds around you
• An increase in appetite
• Temporal and event perceptions are altered
• Keeping focused and being creative

Compared with THC, these effects are often minimal in products containing high levels of CBD.

For some people, cannabis can also have problematic side effects. Among these are:

• Problems with coordination
• Reaction time that is delayed
• Vomiting
• Laziness
• Stress
• An increase in heart rate
• Reduced blood pressure
• I’m paranoid

This effect is rarer in CBD-rich products than in THC-rich ones.

Also, depending on how you consume cannabis, you may experience different short-term effects. Smoking cannabis will cause immediate euphoria. It may take several hours before you feel any effects if you consume cannabis orally, such as through a capsule.

Additionally, cannabis is often available in a variety of strains. Cannabis strains are loosely classified into these categories based on their effect. An overview of some common strains and their effects is provided below.

In what way does cannabis affect the body over time?

Researchers are still trying to fully understand the long-term effects of cannabis use. There is a lot of conflicting research on this topic, and most of the existing studies have only looked at animals.

For a full understanding of the long-term effects of cannabis, many more large, long-term human studies are needed.

Developing the brain

When cannabis is used during adolescence, it may negatively impact brain development.

The research shows that teens who start using cannabis have more memory and learning problems than teens who don’t use cannabis. However, it is unclear whether such problems are permanent.

Marijuana users in their teens are also at a higher risk for mental health problems later in life, including schizophrenia. The link between marijuana and schizophrenia is still unclear, however.