CANNABIS TODAY

2009.03.25

Cannabis sativa has been used by mankind since early ages for many purposes. Its use keeps on increasing with time. Cannabis holds a reputation because of many reasons but most important is its use as a psychoactive drug. We also see Cannabis being talked about in literature and on media, as in the film Reefer Madness.

All over the world, Cannabis has many street names and this list keeps on growing. Surprisingly, the US government has found out 647 street names for Cannabis. This image shows all 647 names of Cannabis written artistically to resemble its leaf. This cannabis leaf is present on t-shirts, logos and many places.

 

A few of the common names for cannabis are:

  • Pot

  • Weed

  • Grass

  • Ganja

  • Charas

  • Bhang

  • Honey oil

  • Reefe

  • Blubbers

  • Gangster

Interesting enough, many of the users of Cannabis don’t know the original name but they know lots of street names.

 

With passage of time the Cannabis industry has flourished and refined and more potent forms of cannabis have come to market.

 

LET’S TALK ABOUT SKUNK!

Skunk cannabis was originally a cross between cannabis sativa-indica (fast growing) and cannabis sativa-sativa (potent) species. It was later refined by cross breeding to produce more potent forms like super-skunk, early girl and jack herer. Herbal and most potent forms of Cannabis maybe as much as 2-10% in THC, the skunk cannabis is claimed to have upto20% THC, even more in super skunk varieties. Skunk comprises about 70% of all the Cannabis on streets today. Skunk cannabis is more potent thus it attracts more users as they get a “bigger high” and ironically, stronger side-effects.

 

Common natural forms of cannabis that are available are: marijuana, hashish, hash-oil, resins, kief. The popular ways to use Cannabis are more or less same i.e.

 

  • Joint/Nail: smoking loose marijuana rolled into a cigarette-most common way

  • Blunt: Cannabis filled in hollowed out cigars and smoked

  • Mixed with foodstuff (brownies, bhang, cookies)

  • Cannabis tea

  • Submarine/hookah: Smoked through water pipes

 

Not everyone uses Cannabis for its “high”; there are medical reasons for use of Cannabis as well. Many doctors and patients claim to benefit from Cannabis when used as a medicine, rather as a drug. According to the Russo and Grotenhermen report on Therapeutic effects of Cannabis and cannabinoids (see report), THC (active ingredient in Cannabis sativa) has:

 

    1. Established effect: nausea, vomiting, anorexia and weight loss.

    2. Relatively confirmed effect: spasticity, pain (especially neurogenic pain), movement disorders, asthma and glaucoma.

    3. Less confirmed effect: allergy, inflammation, infection, epilepsy, depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety, dependency and withdrawal.

    4. Basic research stage: autoimmune disease, cancer, fever, neuroprotection, blood pressure disorders.

 

Many drug trials have shown promising results with Cannabis. Some even prove Cannabis to have better outcome as compared to the conventional medicine. Clinically, the short comings limit Cannabis for medicinal use e.g. legal and public resistances, lack of standardized dose of THC, side-effects (i.e. psycho activity) and long term issues with pulmonary health.

 

Synthetic cannabinoids are now coming to market with minimum side effects. More popular ones in USA and Europe are Dronabinol (marinol), Nabilone (cesamet), HU-211(dexanabinol), Rimonabant (acomplia), and sitavex. Out of these, only the first two are FDA approved for treatment of chemotheraupy-induced nausea and vomiting which is unresponsive to conventional treatment. Dronabinol is also approved for use in AIDS associated anorexia.

 

Just like old times, Cannabis is still used for religious and spiritual purposes in some places and the “high” associated with it is considered some religious experience.