Cannabis

=What is Cannabis?=

Marijuana, Hashish (Hash) and Hash Oil all come from the hemp plant known as Cannabis Sativa, all three are known as Cannabis. Marijuana is a preparation of leafy material from the cannabis plant that is smoked (Black, Gilbert, Hart, Hebb, & Ksir, 2012. p341). It is difficult to put cannabis into a group with other psychoactive drugs due to the different effects it produces on individuals, therefore it could be incorporated into multiple groups such as depressants, sedative-hypnotics or hallucinogens. Cannabis can produce sedative-like effects, pain relief and in large doses, hallucinogenic effects (Black, et al., p341). Some common street names for Cannabis are dope, weed, herb, ganja, Mary Jane and Kush.

Cannabis is used for many different legal reasons in Canada today. It is a pain reliever for those suffering from Cancer or Multiple Sclerosis or appetite stimulator for individuals suffering from AIDS. Cannabis is most often consumed by smoking but some users will put the substance into baked goods such as cookies or brownies and they would then proceed to consume orally.

=The Effects of Cannabis Use=

**Physiological:** Increased heart-rate is the most common physiological effect on the user from cannabis use and can cause slight-increase in blood pressure for some users. Red or bloodshot eyes, dryness to the throat and mouth are also common effects to the user. There has been concern that marijuana can cause permanent delirious effects on the cardiovascular system, but there has not been any evidence to indicate that marijuana-related cardiovascular effects are associated with serious health problems for young healthy users (Black, et al., 2012. p350). **Behavioural:** Mellowness and hunger “the munchies” are some of the most common behavioural effects on a user; increased ratings of euphoria will give that “high” feeling. The user may experience distorted perceptions or impaired coordination. The magnitude of effects depends on the THC concentration (Black, et al., 2012. p351).

=Cannabis and Schizophrenia=

Not only is cannabis the most widely used illicit drug among those who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, researches have started to look at how heavy marijuana use especially at a young age, may contribute to onset schizophrenic symptoms. Youth who use marijuana on a regular basis nearly doubles the likely hood of developing schizophrenia, and for those who begin before the age of 16 can nearly quadruple their chances (Suzuki, 2013). This can send the user into a state of paranoia or psychosis which are common symptoms of schizophrenia. Those who suffer from schizophrenia claim that the marijuana helps them dim out the voices and hallucinations that come along with the illness, therefore making it a difficult cycle to get out of. Some common symptoms of a drug-induced psychosis that was described by youth were extreme paranoia, a young female mentioned that she felt that people were trying to eat her and later had to spend a year in the hospital (Suzuki, 2013). Another common outcome of youth experiencing psychosis is hearing voices talking to them from the TV or through vents.

The main active chemical in cannabis is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol also known as THC. When someone smokes marijuana, the THC passes through the lungs and into the bloodstream where it then carriers the chemical to the brain. The THC acts on specific places in the brain known as cannabinoid receptors.The cannabinoid system consists of two receptors, the cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and the cannabinoid 2 (CB2) (George, Lynch & Rabin., 2012). CB1 receptors are highly concentrated in brain regions implicated in the putative neural circuitry of psychosis and cognitive function. A major role for the CB1 receptor is to modulate neurotransmitter release that maintains homeostasis by preventing excessive neuronal activity in the CNS. High levels of dopamine are believed to play a significant role in pathologies of Schizophrenia (George, et al., 2012). The cannabinoids produce an increase in the dopaminergic activity in the mesolimbic reward pathway, which plays an important role in mediating the reinforcing effects of most drug abuse. Increased dopamine makes us more aware, therefore our flight/fight responses are more alert. It has been proposed that the CB1 receptor overstimulation may be a contributing factor in triggering THC-induced psychosis (George, et al., 2012).

The effect of cannabis and schizophrenia was first noted when a study was completed in Sweden with 45 570 young males over a span of fifteen years who used cannabis on a regular basis. The study showed that by the age of 18 there was a 6-fold increase in the risk of developing schizophrenia later in life, however no other study has been able to come up with the same results (George, et al., 2012). Another study was completed that assessed the impact of cannabis on later development of psychosis. Results from seven cohort’s studies showed a 40% increased risk of psychosis in regular cannabis users compared to non-users. The data also showed a dose-response effect, those who used more frequently their risk for experiencing psychotic symptoms increased by approximately 50-200%, compared to those who did not use (George, et al., 2012).

This does not mean that everyone who smokes marijuana is at risk, but studies have shown that if an individual who has the higher chance of developing schizophrenia at some point in their life time (i.e family history of mental illness) using the cannabis on a regular basis for long periods of time can increase the likelihood of psychotic symptoms occurring and them later being diagnosed with schizophrenia.

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