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[[Image:Marijuana.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A ''[[Cannabis sativa]]'' plant]]

{{ wiktionarypar |marijuana}}
The [[psychoactive drug|psychoactive '''drug''']] '''cannabis''' is known by many nicknames (some pertaining to certain preparations.) It is produced from parts of the ''[[Cannabis sativa]]'' [[plant]], primarily the cured [[flower]]s and gathered [[trichome]]s of the female plant ("bud") (as well as the less psychoactive remains of the plant, and its highly psychoactive resin.) The major active [[chemical compound]] Δ9-[[tetrahydrocannabinol]], commonly referred to as THC, has [[Psychoactive drug|psychoactive]] and [[medical cannabis|medicinal]] effects when consumed, usually by smoking or ingestion. Humans have been consuming cannabis since prehistory, though in the 20th century there was a rise in the use of cannabis for [[Recreational drug use|recreational]] and [[Religious use of cannabis|religious]] purposes. At the beginning of the 21st century, it is estimated that cannabis is used by four per cent of the world's adult population each year, making cannabis more popular than all other illicit drugs combined. <ref name="WDR2006_chap2">{{cite book | title=World Drug Report 2006, Volume I: Analysis| chapter= CANNABIS: WHY WE SHOULD CARE | author = United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime | publisher = United Nations | id=ISBN 92-1-148214-3| url=http://www.unodc.org/pdf/WDR_2006/wdr2006_chap2_biggest_market.pdf | format=PDF | accessdate = 2006-11-10 }} </ref> The possession, use, or sale of psychoactive cannabis products became [[Legal issues of cannabis|illegal in many parts of the world]] in the early 20th century. Since then, while some countries have intensified the enforcement of cannabis [[Prohibition (drugs)|prohibition]], others have reduced the priority of enforcement to the point of tolerating consumption. The supplying of cannabis remains illegal almost everywhere in the world through the [[1961]] [[Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs]], the [[1971]] [[Convention on Psychotropic Substances]], and the [[1988]] [[United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances]], while simple possession of small quantities is tolerated in a few countries.

== Ancient history ==
Biologists generally agree that the natural cannabis plant first grew somewhere in the [[Himalayas]]. Evidence of the smoking of cannabis can be found as far back as the [[Neolithic]] age, where charred hemp seeds were found in a ritual [[brazier]] at a burial site in present day [[Romania]]<ref name="Neolithic">{{cite book|author=Richard Rudgley|title=The Lost Civilizations of the Stone Age|date=1999}}</ref> .
The most famous users of cannabis were the ancient [[Hindu]]s. It was called ''ganjika'' in [[Sanskrit]] (''ganja'' in modern Indian languages).<ref name="ganjikaEB">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=HEMP|url=http://57.1911encyclopedia.org/H/HE/HEMP.htm|accessdate=2006-06-15|edition=11|year=1911}}</ref> According to legend, [[Shiva]], the destroyer of evil in the Hindu trinity, told his disciples to revere the plant. The ancient drug [[soma]], mentioned in the [[Veda]]s as a sacred intoxicating hallucinogen, was sometimes associated with cannabis. It has also been identified with a number of other plants and a mushroom, [[Amanita muscaria]], so the involvement of cannabis cannot be definitively quantified.

The citizens of the [[Persian Empire]] would partake in the ceremonial burning of massive cannabis bonfires, directly exposing themselves and neighboring tribes to the billowing fumes, oftentimes for over 24 hours. <ref name="persia1">{{cite|author=Abu Usaybia|title=Uyunu al-Anba fi Tabaquat al-Atibba|publisher= Berkeley: University of California Press |date=1965}}</ref><ref name="persia2">{{cite journal|coauthors=Edward Preble and Gabriel V. Laury|year=1967|month=Fall|title=Plastic Cement: The Ten Cent Hallucinogen|journal=International Journal of the Addictions|volume=2|pages=271-272}}</ref>

Cannabis was also well known to the [[Assyrians]], who discovered it from the [[Aryans]]. Using it in some religious ceremonies, they called it ''qunubu'', or ''the drug for sadness''. Also introduced by the [[Aryans]], the [[Scythia]]ns as well as the [[Thracians]]/[[Dacia]]ns used it, whose [[shamanism|shamans]] (the ''kapnobatai'' - "those who walk on smoke/clouds") burned cannabis flowers in order to induce trances. The cult of [[Dionysus]], which is believed to have originated in [[Thrace]], is also believed to have inhaled cannabis smoke.

== Religious and spiritual use ==
{{main|Spiritual use of cannabis}}

[[Cannabis]] has an ancient history of ritual use and is found in [[pharmacological cult]]s around the world. Hemp seeds discovered by archaeologists at [[Pazyryk]] suggest early ceremonial practices by the [[Scythians]] occurred during the 5th to 2nd century BCE, confirming previous historical reports by [[Herodotus]]. Some historians and etymologists have claimed that cannabis was used as a religious sacrament by ancient [[Jews]], early [[Christians]] and [[Muslims]] of the [[Sufi]] order. In [[India]], it has been used by wandering spiritual [[sadhu]]s for centuries, and in modern times the [[Rastafari movement]] has embraced it. Elders of the modern religious movement known as the [[Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church]] consider cannabis to be the [[eucharist]], claiming it as an oral tradition from [[Ethiopia]] dating back to the time of [[Christ]]. Like the Rastafari, some modern [[Gnostic]] Christian sects have asserted that ''Cannabis'' is the Tree of Life. Other organized religions founded in the past century that treat cannabis as a sacrement are the [[THC Ministry]], the [[Way of Infinite Harmony]], [[Cantheism]], the [[Cannabis Assembly]] and the [[Church of cognizance]]. Many individuals also consider their use of cannabis to be spiritual regardless of organized religion.

== Medicinal use ==
{{main|Medical cannabis}}

Medically, cannabis is most often used as an appetite stimulant and pain reliever for certain illnesses, including [[cancer]], [[AIDS]] and other diseases. It is used to relieve [[glaucoma]] and certain neurological illnesses such as [[epilepsy]], [[migraine]] and [[bipolar disorder]]. It has also been found to relieve nausea for [[chemotherapy]] patients. A recent study has also indicated that cannabis can be used to prevent [[Alzheimer's disease]][http://edition.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/10/05/pot.alzheimers.reut/index.html]. The medical use of cannabis is politically controversial, but physicians sometimes recommend it informally. A synthetic version of the major active chemical in cannabis, THC, is available in many countries in the form of a pill as the prescription drug [[dronabinol]] (Marinol). THC has also been found to reduce arterial blockages<ref name="BloodVessels">{{cite news|url=http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050404/full/050404-7.html|publisher=Nature (magazine)|title=Cannabis compound benefits blood vessels|date=[[2005-04-04]]}}</ref>. A sublingual spray derived from an extract of cannabis has also been approved for treatment of [[multiple sclerosis]] in [[Canada]] as the prescription drug [[Sativex]] <ref name="SativexC">{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-06-23-pot-spray_x.htm|org=USA Today|title=Spray alternative to pot on the market in Canada|date=[[2005-06-23]]}}</ref> - this drug may now be legally imported into the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Spain]] on prescription.<ref name="SativexEu">{{cite web|url=http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/411/sativex.shtml|title=Europe: Sativex Coming to England, Spain|accessdate=2006-03-25}}</ref>



== New breeding and cultivation techniques ==
{{main|Cannabis (drug) cultivation}}

Advances in breeding and cultivation techniques have increased the diversity and potency of [[List of cannabis strains|cannabis strains]] since 1970, and these strains are now widely smoked all over the world. These advances are known as the [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Sinsemilla|''sinsemilla'' techniques]] of production; sinsemilla, Spanish for ''without seed'', are the dried, seedless female flowers of cannabis plants which have been grown in the absence of males to ensure no pollination takes place. Because [[tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] potency and production drops off once pollination takes place, various techniques such as [[Seedbank|seed banks]], [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Hydroponic cultivation|hydroponics]], [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Feminized seeds|cloning]], [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Lighting|lighting techniques]], and [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Sea of green|the sea of green method]] have been utilized, in part as a response to prohibition enforcement efforts which have made outdoor cultivation more risky; thus, efficient indoor cultivation has become more common. These same advances have led to fewer seeds being present in cannabis currently than were present 20 years ago.

Many opponents of cannabis use, both in and out of government, have exaggerated the increases in potency and ramifications thereof. In the United States, government advertisements encourage parents to disregard their own experience with cannabis when speaking to their children, on the premise that <!-- don't change this, it is intentionally -->pot<!-- like in the ads to which I refer --><!-- could you cite those ads? --> today is significantly stronger and thus more dangerous than that which they themselves might have smoked in the past.<ref name="More potent">{{cite press release|publisher=[[United States Department of Health and Human Services]]|date=[[2004-09-09]]|url=http://www.dhhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040909b.html|title=Nation's Youth Turning Away from Marijuana, as Perceptions of Risk Rise; Most Adults with Substance Abuse Problems Are Employed|accessdate=2006-05-30}}</ref> In a general pattern of proposing reverses in [[Cannabis reclassification in the United Kingdom|cannabis rescheduling]], the UK government is considering scheduling stronger cannabis (''skunk'', in local parlance) as a separate, more restricted substance. Many cannabis proponents disagree vehemently, reasoning that as one must smoke less cannabis to achieve the same effect, it actually is safer and less potentially carcinogenic in the long run than that which was smoked in earlier times.

== Preparations for human consumption ==

[[Image:Weed full.schmiddy.jpeg|thumb|250px|Cannabis flowers, or buds, in a plastic bag.]]

Cannabis is prepared for human consumption in several forms:

* ''Marijuana'' or ''buds'', the resin gland-rich flowering tops of female plants.
* ''[[Hashish]]'', a concentrated resin mostly comprised of trichomes that are extracted physically, as with ice hash, or chemically.
* ''Sinsemilla'' or ''sensemillia'', flowering tops which are free of [[seed]]s as a result of being grown in a [[pollen]]-free environment. Since no plant energy can go into seed formation, this version is higher in psychoactive components.
* ''[[Kief]]'' or ''kif'', a powder containing the resin glands (glandular [[trichome]]s, often incorrectly called "crystals" or "pollen"); it is produced by sifting marijuana and leaves.
* ''[[Charas]]'', hand-made hashish produced by hand-rubbing the resin from the resin gland-rich parts of the plant. Often thin dark rectangular pieces.
* ''[[Bhang]]'', prepared by the wet grinding of the leaves of the plant and used as a drink.
* ''[[Hash oil]]'', resulting from [[extraction]] or [[distillation]] of THC-rich parts of the plant with [[isopropyl]] or [[butane]].
* ''[[Budder]]'', processed hash oil. Ordinary hash oil is whipped to incorporate air, making it a foam. It has been marketed as being anywhere between 82% and 100% THC, though no actual lab tests have been done to validate this claim.
* ''[[Resin (disambiguation)|Resin]]'', when smoked through a pipe all of the above will cause black goo to create a film on the sides or collect in certain nooks depending on its shape. This can be collected and resmoked. This method is commonly referred to as scraping.
* Minimally potent leaves and detritus, called ''shake, brush, bush'', ''shwagg'', or ''leaf''.

These forms are certainly not exclusive and combinations of two or more different forms of cannabis are common. Mixing different forms is done mainly to obtain a different or more powerful effect. Between the many different strains of ''Cannabis'' and the various ways that it is prepared for consumption, there are innumerable types of blends or mixes, similar to the countless varieties of mixed alcoholic beverages that are available.

There are two recognized subspecies of ''Cannabis sativa'', ''Cannabis sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' and ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica''. <ref name="Plants"> {{cite web|author = USDA, NRCS | date=2006 | title=The PLANTS Database| publisher=National Plant Data Center| location=Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA | url=http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=CASA3&display=31 | accessdate=2006-11-01 }} </ref>


=== Smoking ===
{{main|Cannabis smoking}}

There are a wide variety of methods of smoking cannabis. The most popular include the [[Joint (cannabis)|joint]], the [[Blunt (cigar)|blunt]], the [[bong]], the [[smoking pipe (non-tobacco)|pipe]] more commonly called a "bowl" or "piece", the [[shotgun (cannabis)|shotgun]], and the [[dugout (smoking)|one-hitter]]. These are sometimes smoked inside a small closed area (such as a car) used to trap smoke so that it is inhaled with every breath. This is often referred to as "[[hotboxing]]", "fishbowling", "clam-baking", or "green-housing.". Smoking in a small enclosed area such as a car or under a blanket is commonly referred to in Australia as smoking in a "Dutch Oven".

[[Image:Cannabis-stuff.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Variety of cannabis-smoking paraphernalia.]]

To create a joint, cannabis is rolled up into a cigarette, using [[rolling paper]] (where available). Brown paper, newsprint, and other assorted paper products can be used, but these often contain harmful chemicals. Cannabis [[cigar]]s, or [[Blunt (cigar)|blunts]], can also be created by using the wrapper of a standard cigar.

A [[bong]] is a water pipe through which cannabis smoke is filtered. Variants include the [[gravity bong]], which consists of a cone atop a perforated or cut water bottle. This method of cannabis smoking is one of the most efficient, as the presence of a chamber and carburetor reduce smoke waste. One can consume massive amounts of cannabis in one "hit".

Pipes are usually made of [[Glassblowing|blown glass]], wood, or non-reactive metals. Metal pipes are often made of interchangeable pieces. Glass pipes often have a carburetor, colloquially referred to as a ''carb,'' ''rush,'' ''choke,'' ''shotgun,''or ''shooter'' (British use) that is covered for suction then released for inhalation. Some users also prefer vertically held pipes, or improvised pipes ("tinnies") made from aluminium foil (either constructed entirely from the foil or by using it as a gauze), small plumbing fittings, soda cans, crisp fruits or vegetables, or the cardboard from bathroom-tissue or aluminium foil rolls.

A "one-hitter" is a device that allows smaller amounts of cannabis to be smoked with equal suction. Cannabis buds are loaded into a compartment for combustion. The smoker then lights the compartment and the entire amount of cannabis is smoked. This is repeated for each hit. This method is also efficient in [[Titration|titrating]] the exact dose desired.
One-hitters are often disquised as actual cigarettes in order to mislead or deceive people into believing that the person is smoking an authentic cigarette.

[[Image:Glassbonggreen.jpg|thumb|100px|right|A glass bong- a method of smoking cannabis]]

=== Oral consumption ===

Cannabis may be orally consumed. In order to release its psychoactive properties [[hashish]] can be eaten raw or mixed with water but marijuana will only be absorbed into the bloodstream by blending it with [[ethanol]] or [[lipid]]s. The effects of the drug take longer to begin, but last longer and may be perceived as more physical rather than mental, though there are claims to the contrary. A dose of oral cannabis is often considered to give a stronger experience than the equivalent dose of smoked cannabis. A common belief holds that smoking cannabis leads to a large amount of the active compounds being lost in the exhaled smoke or simply decomposing on burning, whereas ingested cannabis results in 100% consumption of the active compounds, an assertion which cannot be confirmed without objective analysis. It is thought that the active component of cannabis, Δ9-THC, is converted to the more psychoactive [[11-hydroxy-THC]] in the liver.<ref name="11-hydroxy">

{{cite journal| author=Paulo Borini; Romeu Cardoso Guimarães; Sabrina Bicalho Borini| year=2004| month=May| title= ''Possible hepatotoxicity of chronic marijuana usage''| journal=Sao Paulo Medical Journal| volume=122| issue=3| doi=10.1590/S1516-31802004000300007| url=http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1516-31802004000300007&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en| accessdate=2006-05-02}}</ref> Titration is much more complex than through inhalation. Common preparations involve blending with [[butter]], to create [[Cannabutter]] that is used in preparing [[Alice B. Toklas brownie|Brownies]], [[fudge]], [[hash cookie|cookies]], [[ganja goo ball]]s or [[space cake]]s. When blended with melted butter, the drug is finely minced almost into powder form. However there are some preparations that do not contain butter in them and therefore fall into a slightly different category; these include the [[Leary biscuit]], which requires less preparation than more "conventional" recipes. Infusion in drinks containing [[milk]] and flavoring [[herb]]s is also possible, and more common in India. Hollowed-out gumballs filled with the drug, wrapped and distributed labeled as [[Greenades]], were identified in 2006 as being used by high school students in the United States.<ref name="Greenades">{{cite news|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/7/prweb414446.htm|title=Greenades, Marijuana Gumballs, Identified by Maryland Police, Used by High School Students|publisher=[[PR Web]]|date=[[2006-07-22]]|accessdate=2006-09-15}}</ref>

As with other drugs that are taken orally, it is sometimes customary to [[fasting|fast]] before taking the drug to increase the effect, possibly because an empty stomach will absorb the drug faster so it 'hits' stronger. However, some people do eat before consuming the drug because eating it on an empty stomach makes them feel sick. Still, time to effect onset is an hour or sometimes more, as opposed to smoking, where effects can be almost immediate.

Cannabis can also be [[leaching|leached]] in high-percentage [[ethanol]] (often [[neutral grain spirit|grain alcohol]]) to create [[Green Dragon]]. This process is often used to utilize otherwise low-quality stems and leaves.

Cannabis can also be consumed as a [[tea]]. THC is lipophilic and only slightly [[water]] [[solubility|soluble]], with a solubility of only 2.8 grams per litre,<ref name="water solubility">{{cite web|url=http://lib1.bmcc.cuny.edu/studres/projectsakinde.html|title=The Medical Applications of Cannabinoids|author=Akinde Omotayo|publisher=[[Borough of Manhattan Community College]]|accessdate=2006-09-15}}</ref> but enough to make a tea effective. Water-based infusion is generally considered to be inefficient.

The seeds of the plant, high in [[protein]] and [[fatty acid]]s, are appreciated by many species of birds. Many countries, including the United States, make the possession of viable cannabis seeds illegal<ref name="DEA">{{cite web | url=http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/agency/csa.htm|title=Controlled Substances Act|work=21 USCS § 801|publisher=United States Drug Enforcement Agency|accessdate=November 4|accessyear=2005}}</ref>, although they can be openly bought and sold legally in much of Europe, including the [[UK]].{{fact}}

=== Vaporization ===

With a ''[[vaporizer]]'', cannabis can be heated to a temperature of about 365 °F (185 °C), at which the active ingredients are released into [[gas]]eous form with little or no burning of the plant material. With this method, the user does not inhale as many (or any) toxic chemicals depending on the quality of the vaporizer. Scientific studies by MAPS/NORML have yielded varied results on the effectiveness of vaporizing as a method of cannabis consumption. One particular study by MAPS/NORML found 95% THC and no toxins delivered in the vapor.<ref name="norml1">{{cite web|url=http://www.maps.org/mmj/Gieringer-vaporizer.pdf|title=Cannabis Vaporizer Combines Efficient Delivery of THC with Effective Suppression of Pyrolytic Compounds|last=Gieringer|first=Dale|coauthors=Joseph St. Laurent, Scott Goodrich|accessdate=2006-04-21}}</ref> However, an older study by MAPS/NORML showed minimal reduction of toxins.<ref name="norml2">{{cite web|url=http://www.maps.org/news-letters/v06n3/06359mj1.html|title=Marijuana Water Pipe and Vaporizer Study|last=Gieringer|first=Dale|accessdate=2006-04-21}}</ref>

==== Hot-knifing (Blades) ====
{{main|Knifers}}
Hot-knifing, [[spots]], ''blasting'' or ''doing blades'' is a process in which the tips of two knives are heated to a very high temperature, often by inserting them into the heating element of an electric or gas stove. The cannabis is then pressed between the heated knife-tips, rapidly combusting, or vaporising it depending upon the amount of heat used. The vaporized cannabis is funneled into the mouth of the smoker through the use of a glass or plastic bottle, empty pen, or other hollow tube or funnel or free handed.

In [[New Zealand]] and [[Australia]], this is known as "spots". "Spots" can refer to both the activity of hot-kniving (aka "spotting") and the small, rolled balls of cannabis consumed in the process. Spots are much more efficient than bongs or joints; as the amount of cannabis required to constitute a hit is less and the dosage is easily controlled. This method is most commonly employed with high quality cannabis or hashish.

Another method of "[[spotting (marijuana)|spotting]]" uses knife blades heated to a much lower temperature, only hot enough to [[vaporization|vaporise]] the active ingredients, leaving the organic material scorched, rather than burnt to ash, thus decreasing potential harmful consequences of the smoke itself.

== Immediate effects of consumption ==

[[Image:ST-3-bud.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A dried flowered bud of the ''Cannabis sativa'' plant.]]

The nature and intensity of the immediate effects of cannabis consumption vary according to the dose, the species or hybridization of the source plant, the method of consumption, the user's mental and physical characteristics (such as possible tolerance), and the environment of consumption. This is sometimes referred to as set and setting. Smoking the same cannabis either in a different frame of mind (set) or in a different location (setting) can alter the effects or perception of the effects by the individual. Effects of cannabis consumption may be loosely classified as cognitive and physical. Anecdotal evidence suggests that drug varieties of ''Cannabis sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' tend to produce more of the cognitive or perceptual effects, while ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' tends to produce more of the physical effects.

=== Active ingredients, metabolism, and method of activity ===

Of the approximately 315<ref name=chemicals>{{cite web|title=Urban Legends Reference Pages: Language (420)|url=http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/420.htm|accessdate=2006-05-11}}</ref> different psychoactive chemicals found in ''Cannabis'', the main active ingredient is [[tetrahydrocannabinol]] (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, '''THC'''). THC can degrade to other [[cannabinoids]], such as [[cannabidiol]] or [[cannabinol]], which can make one feel sleepy and disoriented. Different cannabis products have different ratios of these and other cannabinoids. Depending on the ratio, the quality and nature of the "high" will vary.

THC has an effect on the modulation of the [[immune system]], which may have an effect on malignant cells, but there is insufficient scientific study to determine whether this might promote or limit [[cancer]]. Cannabinoid receptors are also present in the human [[reproductive system]], but there is insufficient scientific study to conclusively determine the effects of cannabis on reproduction. Mild [[allergy|allergies]] to cannabis may be possible in some members of the population.

A study has shown that holding cannabis smoke in one's lungs for longer periods of time does not conclusively increase THC's effects on psychological test performance.<ref name="Time Study">{{cite journal|author=Block RI, Farinpour R & Braverman K.|title=Acute effects of marijuana on cognition: relationships to chronic effects and smoking techniques|journal=Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behaviour|year=1992|volume=43(3)|pages=907 &ndash; 917}}</ref> However, a more recent study by the same authors indicates that a longer breath-holding duration increases the subjective ratings of ones' "high."<ref name="Time Study 2">{{cite journal|author=Block RI, Erwin W, Farinpour R & Braverman K.|title=Sedative, Stimulant, and Other Subjective Effects of Marijuana: Relationships to Smoking Techniques|journal=Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behaviour|year=1997|volume=59(2)|pages=405 &ndash; 412}}</ref> This latter study also found that a long breath-holding duration decreased subjects' subjective ratings of "calmness" more than a short breath-holding duration. Additionally, subjects who held cannabis smoke in their lungs for a long duration felt slightly less "relaxation" while subjects who held the smoke for a short period gave higher "relaxation" ratings.

=== List of effects ===
{{Expert}}

Cannabis has a broad spectrum of possible cognitive, behavioral, and physiological effects, the occurrence of which vary from user to user. Some of these are the intended effect desired by users, some may be considered desirable depending on the situation, and others are generally considered undesirable. Users of cannabis report that these kinds of effects are more often produced by material derived from ''Cannabis sativa'' subsp. ''sativa''.

Cannabis also has effects that are predominantly physical or sensory, widely believed to be more common with material derived from ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica''.

==== Cognitive effects ====

* Short or long-term [[psychosis]]/[[Schizophrenia|schizophrenic disorders]] that begin in some young users <ref name="psychosis&quot;>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3561-1565337,00.html|title=One in four at risk of cannabis psychosis

| publisher=London Times |accessdate=2006-09-05}}</ref>

* Varying amounts of [[paranoia]] and [[anxiety]] in some users (usually when overdosed or anxious before use)<ref name="paranoia and anxiety">{{cite web|url=http://www.guide4living.com/drugabuse/cannabis-effects.htm|title=Effects of Cannabis|publisher=Guide4Living |accessdate=2006-05-30}}</ref>
* Some studies report the loss of coordination and distorted sense of time in some users<ref name="Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets - Cannabis / Marijuana (D 9 - Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC)">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/PEOPLE/INJURY/research/job185drugs/cannabis.htm|title=Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets - Cannabis / Marijuana (D 9 - Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC)|publisher=National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |accessdate=2006-06-08}}</ref>, while others fail to find effects on time perception and reaction time. <ref>[http://www.qmc.ufsc.br/qmcweb/artigos/maconha/papers/comparative_effects_alchool_marijuana.pdf Comparitive Effects of Alcohol and Marijuana]</ref>
* Impairment of [[short-term memory]] in some heavy users (7 cigarettes a week and more) <ref>H. G. Pope Jr and D. Yurgelun-Todd, The residual cognitive effects of heavy marijuana use in college students, Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 275 No. 7, February 21, 1996</ref>
* [[Sound|Auditory]] or visual [[hallucinations]] at high doses in some users<ref>[http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/hallucinations.htm Symptom: Hallucinations]</ref>
* Increased mental activity, like [[metacognition]] and [[Introspection|introspective]] or [[meditation|meditative]] states of mind in most users<ref>[[Joseph Owens]], ''Dread, The Rastafarians of Jamaica'', 1974</ref>
* [[Relaxation]] or [[stress (medicine)|stress]] reduction in some users{{fact}}
* [[Entheogen|Entheogenesis]] (e.g. per [[Rastafarian]] users, more "[[Jah]]-Vibrations") in some users<ref>Joseph Owens, ''Dread, The Rastafarians of Jamaica'', 1974</ref>

Additionally, cannabis use was observed to affect blood flow to the brain, by narrowing blood vessels analogous to how heart disease affects blood flow, though blood flow was shown to improve again after one month's abstinence in light to moderate users. <ref name="effect duration">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4244489.stm|title=Marijuana Affects Blood Cells|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2006-10-18}}</ref>

==== Behavioral effects ====

* Varying degrees of [[euphoria]] (though usually mild) and feelings of well-being<ref>Hall W, Solowij N, Lemon J. 1994. ''The Health and Psychological Consequences of Cannabis Use.'' Department of Human Services and Health, Monograph Series, No. 25. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.</ref>

==== Physiological effects ====

Extreme well-being, and a floating feeling.

=== Lethal dose ===

According to the [[Merck Index]], 12th edition, the [[LD50|LD<sub>50</sub>]], the lethal dose for 50% of rats tested by inhalation, is 42 mg/kg of body weight. That is the equivalent of a 165 lb (75 kg) man ingesting all of the [[Tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] in 21 one-gram cigarettes of high-potency (15% THC) cannabis buds at once, assuming no THC was lost through burning or exhalation. For oral consumption, the LD<sub>50</sub> for rats is 1270&nbsp;mg/kg and 730&nbsp;mg/kg for males and females, respectively, equivalent to the THC in about a pound of 15% THC cannabis. Only with [[intravenous]] administration may such a level be even theoretically possible. <ref name="Erowid">{{cite web|url=http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_chemistry.shtml|title=
Cannabis Chemistry|accessdate=2006-03-20|author=Erowid}}</ref> The ratio of cannabis required to saturate cannaboid receptors to the amount of cannabis required to have a fatal over dose is 1:40,000.

There has only ever been one recorded instance of an alleged fatal overdose due to cannabis. In January 2004, [[Lee Maisey]] of [[Pembrokeshire]], [[Wales]] was found dead. The coroner's report stated "Death due to probable cannabis toxicity". It had been reported that Maisey smoked about six joints a day. Mr. Maisey's blood contained 130 [[nanogram]]s per [[milliliter]] (ng/ml) of the THC metabolite THC-COOH. However, the validity of the finding did not stand up well under review. As reported on [[2004-01-28]] in the ''[[Neue Züricher Zeitung]]'', the Federal Health Ministry of [[Switzerland]] asked Dr. Rudolf Brenneisen, a professor at the department for clinical research at the [[University of Bern]], to review the data of this case. Dr. Brenneisen said that the data of the toxicological analysis and collected by autopsy were "scanty and not conclusive" and that the conclusion "death by cannabis intoxication" was "not legitimate."<ref name="brenneisen">{{cite web|year=2004|url= http://www.cannabis-med.org/english/bulletin/ww_en_db_cannabis_artikel.php?id=166#2|title= Switzerland/UK: Death was not caused by cannabis|publisher=IACM-Bulletin| accessdate=2006-05-01}}</ref>

=== Psychiatric Effects ===
Studies have found that the use of cannabis can relieve tics in patients suffering from [[OCD]] and/or [[Tourette syndrome]]. Patients treated with marijuana reported a significant decrease in both motor and vocal tics, some of 50% or more. <ref name="ocd-ts-99">{{cite journal|author=K.R. Muller, U. Schneider, H. Kolbe, H.M. Emrich|title=''Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome With Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol''|journal=American Journal of Psychiatry|year=1999|volume=156|issue=3|url=http://www.marijuana.org/AmJoPsychMarch99.html}}</ref> <ref name="ocd-ts-02">{{cite journal|author=K.R. Muller, U. Schneider, A. Koblenz, M. Jöbges, H. Kolbe, T. Daldrup, H.M. Emrich|title=''Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome with Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): A Randomized Crossover Trial''|journal=Pharmacopsychiatry|year=2002|volume=35|issue=2|url=http://www.thieme-connect.com/ejournals/abstract/pharmaco/doi/10.1055/s-2002-25028}}</ref> <ref name="ocd-ts-88">{{cite journal|author=R. Sandyk, G. Awerbuch|title=''Marijuana and Tourette's Syndrome''|journal=Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology|year=1988|volume=8|issue=6|url=http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/mjtouret.htm}}</ref> Some decrease in obsessive-compulsive behavior were also found. <ref name="ocd-ts-99">{{cite journal|author=K.R. Muller, U. Schneider, H. Kolbe, H.M. Emrich|title=''Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome With Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol''|journal=American Journal of Psychiatry|year=1999|volume=156|issue=3|url=http://www.marijuana.org/AmJoPsychMarch99.html}}</ref>




[[Image:4 ounces of marijuana.JPG|thumb|200px|Four bags of cannabis]]

== Health issues and the effects of cannabis ==
{{main|Health issues and the effects of cannabis}}<!-- #######HIATEOC####### -->
{{NPOV-section}}
There is some conclusive scientific evidence about the long-term effects of human cannabis consumption.<ref>[http://www.mth.kcl.ac.uk/~streater/cannabis.html The Dangers of Cannabis] by Professor [[Ray Streater]]</ref>

The most significant confounding factor is the use of other drugs, including [[alcohol]] and [[tobacco]], by test subjects in conjunction with cannabis. When subjects using only cannabis were combined in the same sample with subjects using other drugs as well, researchers could not reach a conclusion as to whether their findings were caused by cannabis, other drugs, or the interaction between them. In addition, research using cannabis is heavily restricted in many countries, making it difficult to get new studies funded or approved. Since there are so many different compounds in cannabis, it is difficult to predict or accurately measure its effects. Some conclusions established with some degree of certainty that cannabis is less likely to cause [[emphysema]] or cancer than tobacco<ref name="Tobacco">{{cite news|url=http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1106/a09.html?275821|title=Marijuana Smoking Does Not Cause Lung Cancer|org=Anderson Valley Advertiser|author=Fred Gardner|date=[[2006-07-06]]}}</ref><!-- #######need better citation from HIATEOC####### -->; that it is unlikely to cause birth defects or developmental delays in the children of users,<ref name="BirthDefects">{{cite journal|author=J.S. Hayes, R. Lampart, M.C. Dreher, L. Morgan|title=''Five-year follow-up of rural Jamaican children whose mothers used marijuana during pregnancy''|journal=West Indian Medical Journal|year=1991|volume=40|issue=3|pages=120-3}}</ref><ref name="BirthDefects2">{{cite journal|author=M.C. Dreher, K. Nugent, R. Hudgins|title=''Prenatal Marijuana Exposure and Neonatal Outcomes in Jamaica: An Ethnographic Study''|journal=Pediatrics|year=1994|volume=93|issue=3|pages=254-260}}</ref> and in a study done by the University of California Los Angeles in 2006, that even heavy cannabis smokers do not increase their risk for lung cancer.<ref name="UCLA study">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729_pf.html|title=Study finds no marijuana-lung cancer link|publisher=[[Washington Post]]|date=[[2006-05-26]]|accessdate=2006-07-13}}</ref> According to a United Kingdom government report, using cannabis is less dangerous than both tobacco and alcohol in social harms, physical harm and addiction.<ref name="UK government report">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/31_07_06_drugsreport.pdf|title=UK government report|publisher=House of Commons Science and Technology Committee|date=[[2006-07-18]]|accessdate=2006-08-29}}]</ref>

Newer research has also shown that cannabis use is generally higher among sufferers of schizophrenia, but causality has not been established<ref name="Causality">{{cite journal|author=Cécile Henquet, Lydia Krabbendam, Janneke Spauwen, Charles Kaplan, Roselind Lieb, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen and Jim van Os|title=''Prospective cohort study of cannabis use, predisposition for psychosis, and psychotic symptoms in young people''|journal=British Medical Journal|year=2004|volume=330|issue=11}}</ref><ref name ="Causality2">{{cite journal|author=G C Patton, Carolyn Coffey, J B Carlin, Louisa Degenhardt, Micheal Lynskey and Wayne Hall|title=''Cannabis use and mental health in young people: cohort study''|journal=British Medical Journal|year=2005|volume=325|issue=1195}}</ref> and confirmed that sustained early-adolescent cannabis use among certain genetically predisposed individuals has an elevated correlation with certain mental illness outcomes, ranging from [[psychotic]] episodes to clinical [[schizophrenia]].<ref name="Dunedin">{{cite journal|author=Louise Arseneault, Mary Cannon, Richie Poulton, Robin Murray, Avshalom Caspi, Terrie E Moffitt|title=Cannabis use in adolescence and risk for adult psychosis: longitudinal prospective study|journal=British Medical Journal|year=2002|url=http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/325/7374/1212.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Dunedin2">{{cite journal|author=Avshalom Caspi, Terrie E. Moffitt, Mary Cannon, Joseph McClay, Robin Murray, HonaLee Harrington, Alan Taylor, Louise Arseneault, Ben Williams, Antony Braithwaite, Richie Poulton, and Ian W. Craig|title=''Moderation of the Effect of Adolescent-Onset Cannabis Use on Adult Psychosis by a Functional Polymorphism in the catechol-O-Methyltransferase Gene:Longitudinal Evidence of a Gene X Environment Interaction''|journal=Society of Biological Psychiatry|year=January 2005|url=http://www.ukcia.org/research/COMTgene.pdf}}</ref>

== Legality ==
[[Image:World-cannabis-laws.png|right|thumb|400px|World laws on [[cannabis]] possession (small amount). Data is from multiple sources including erowid.com, norml.org, and Wikipedia. This map is a work in progress, please give corrections and additions [[:en:User_talk:CL8|here]].]]
{{main|Legal issues of cannabis}}
Since the 20th century, most countries have enacted laws against the cultivation, use, possession, or transfer of cannabis for recreational use. Naturally, these laws impact adversely on the cannabis plant's cultivation for non-recreational purposes, but there are many regions where, under certain circumstances, handling of cannabis is legal or licensed, and others where laws against its use, possession, or sale are not enforced. Many jurisdictions have also ''decriminalized'' possession of small quantities of cannabis, so that it is punished by [[confiscation]] or a [[fine]], rather than [[imprisonment]]. By effectively removing the user from the criminal justice system, decriminalization focuses more on those who [[trafficking|traffic]] and sell the drug on the [[black market]]. However, this does not solve the problem of how a user will obtain the "legal amount" of cannabis, since buying or growing cannabis is still illegal. Increasingly, many jurisdictions also permit cannabis use for medicinal purposes. Some countries allow the sale through drug companies.{{fact}} However, simple possession can carry long jail sentences in some countries, particularly in [[East Asia]], where the sale of cannabis may lead to a sentence of life in prison or even execution.
[[Image:Killerdrug.jpg|right|thumb|400px|U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics public service announcement used in the late 1930s and 1940s.]]

=== Recent history ===
Under the name ''cannabis'', 19th century medical practitioners sold the drug, (usually as a [[tincture]]) popularizing the word amongst English-speakers. It was rumoured to have been used to treat [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]]'s [[menstrual]] pains as her personal physician, Sir John Russell Reynolds, was a staunch supporter of the benefits of cannabis.<ref name="Reynolds">{{cite web|url=http://jnnp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/75/8/1148|title=Positive and negative cerebral symptoms: the roles of Russell Reynolds and Hughlings Jackson|accessdate=2006-03-25}}</ref> Cannabis was also openly available from shops in the US. By the end of the 19th century, its medicinal use began to fall as other drugs like [[aspirin]] took over its use as a pain reliever.

In 1894, the ''Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission'' commissioned by the UK Secretary of State and the government of India, was instrumental in the decision not to criminalize the drug in those countries. The ''Report'', which at over 500 pages remains one of the most complete collections of information on cannabis in existence, shows the stark contrast in the way that the American and British governments went about deciding whether to criminalize cannabis.<ref>Kaplan, J. (1969) "Introduction" of the ''Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission'' ed. by The Honorable W. Mackworth Young, ''et al.'' (Simla: Government Central Printing Office, 1894) LCCN 74-84211, pp. v-vi.</ref>

The name ''marijuana'' ([[Mexican Spanish]] ''marihuana'', ''mariguana'') is associated almost exclusively with the plant's psychoactive use. The term is now well known in English largely due to the efforts of American drug prohibitionists during the 1920s and 1930s, which deliberately used a [[Mexican]] name for cannabis in order to turn the populace against the idea that it should be legal. (''See [[1937 Marihuana Tax Act]]'')

Although cannabis has been used for its psychoactive effects since ancient times, it first became well known in the United States during the [[jazz]] music scene of the late 1920s and 1930s. [[Louis Armstrong]] became a prominent and life-long devotee. It was popular in the blues scene as well, and eventually became a prominent part of 1960s counterculture.

=== Decriminalization and legalization ===
{{main|Legal issues of cannabis}}
[[Image:Map-of-US-state-cannabis-laws.png|thumb|400px|United States cannabis laws. Blue represents states with [[medical cannabis]] laws; red represents states with [[decriminalization]] laws; purple represents states with both.]][[Image:420 9.jpg|right|thumb|300px|A large scale anti-prohibition demonstration in [[Vancouver]], Canada [[April 20]], 2005]]

In recent decades, a movement to [[Decriminalization|decriminalize]] cannabis has arisen in several countries {{fact}}. This movement seeks to make simple possession of cannabis punishable by only confiscation or a fine, rather than prison. In the past several years, the movement has started to have some successes. These include [[Denver, Colorado]] legalizing possession of up to an ounce of cannabis<ref name="Denver">{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-11-03-pot_x.htm|title=Denver votes to legalize marijuana possession|author=Patrick O'Driscoll|publisher=USA Today|date=[[2005-11-03]]|accessdate=2006-03-11}}</ref>, a broad coalition of [[political party|political parties]] in [[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]] unveiling a pilot program to allow farmers to legally grow it,<ref name="NLfarming">{{cite web|url=http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/breaking_news/13313479.htm|title=Dutch Politicians Seek Marijuana Rules|accessdate=2006-02-25}}</ref> and [[Massachusetts]] voting in favor of a bill to decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis<ref name="Mass">{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldnews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16135095|title=Marijuana fight nears|accessdate=2006-02-17}}</ref>. Also, in Alaska, cannabis was decided legal for in-home, personal use under the Raven vs. State ruling in 1975. This ruling allowed up to four ounces of cannabis for these purposes. In a response to former Governor Frank Murkowski's successive attempt to re-criminalize cannabis, the [[ACLU]] filed a lawsuit against the state and on July 17, 2006, Superior Court Judge Patricia Collins awarded the Case Summary judgement to the ACLU. However she said, "No specific argument has been advanced in this case that possession of more than 1 ounce of cannabis, even within the privacy of the home, is constitutionally protected conduct under Ravin or that any plaintiff or ACLU of Alaska member actually possesses more than 1 ounce of cannabis in their homes.", at first glance it appears that possession has been reduced to one ounce when in fact this was a mere case summary review filed by the ACLU, and she even said "A lower court cannot reverse the State Supreme Court's 1975 decision in Ravin v. State" and "Unless and until the Supreme Court directs otherwise, Ravin is the law in this state and this court is duty bound to follow that law". The law regarding possession of cannabis has not changed in Alaska, and the Supreme Court has rejected to review the case, therefore the law still stands at 4 ounces.{{fact}} In 2002, Nevada voters defeated a ballot question which would legalize up to 3 ounces for adults 21 and older by 39% to 61%. In 2006, a similar Nevada ballot initiative, which would have legalized and regulated the cultivation, distribution, and possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana by adults 21 and older, was defeated by 44% to 56%. In 2001 in the United Kingdom, it was announced that cannabis would become a Class C drug, rather than a Class B, this change took effect on January 29th, 2004. Since then there has recently been some controversy amongst UK politicians about the message this sends out, with some calling for its reclassification to Class B. <ref name="Blunkett">{{cite web|url=http://www.idmu.co.uk/homeoffpr.htm|title=Home Office- Class B to Class C|accessdate=2006-03-27}}</ref> The [[Government of Mexico]] voted to legalize the possession of cannabis under 5 grams on [[April 28]], [[2006]]. <ref name="mexicolegal"> {{cite news|first=Noel|last=Randewich|Author=Noel Randewich|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060428/ts_nm/mexico_drugs_dc|title=Mexico to decriminalize pot, cocaine and heroin|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=[[2006-04-28]]|accessdate=2006-04-28}}</ref> However, as of [[May 3]], [[2006]], Mexican President
[[Vicente Fox]] has said that he will not sign this proposed law until Congress removes the parts that would decriminalize the possession of small quantities of drugs<ref name="mexicoillegal">{{cite news|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060504/ts_nm/mexico_drugs_dc_3|title=Mexico's Fox won't sign drug law|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=[[2006-05-03]]|accessdate=2006-05-04}}</ref> and vetoed the bill on [[May 4]], [[2006]],<ref name="veto">{{cite news|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20060504-9999-1n4fox.html|title=Mexican legal drug proposal rejected|publisher=Sign On San Diego|date=[[2006-05-04]]|accessdate=2006-05-13}}</ref> sparking broad controversy over the bill.<ref name="deniespressure">{{cite news|url=http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=13096|title=Mexico denies drug law veto result of US pressure|publisher=Dominican Today|date=[[2006-05-04]]|accessdate=2006-05-13}}</ref><ref name="consulateprotest">{{cite news|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00095.htm|title=Protest at Mexican Consulate in New York, Friday|publisher=Scoop|date=[[2006-05-05]]|accessdate=2006-05-13}}</ref><ref name="smokein">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,194552,00.html|title=Drug Bill Veto Sparks Mexico City Marijuana Smoke-In|publisher=[[Fox News]]|date=[[2006-06-05]]|accessdate=2006-05-13}}</ref> In the early summer of 2006 Fox and the Mexican congress came to an agreement and legalized possession of small amounts (and also measured amounts of other drugs). On July 17th, 2006, [[Italy|Italian]] Social Solidarity Minister [[Paolo Ferrero]], speaking of the urgent need for depenalising the consumption of light drugs, said that "a joint is less harmful than a litre of [[wine]]." <ref name=Paolo>{{cite news|url=http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200607171332-1085-RT1-CRO-0-NF82&page=0&id=agionline-eng.italyonline|accessdat2--6-07-26|title=DRUG: FERRERO DECRIMINALIZE CONSUMPTION OF LIGHT DRUGS|date=[[2006-07-17]]|publisher=Agenzia Giornalistica Italia}}</ref>
In The Australian state of South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, two plants both less than 6 ft tall are allowed for personal use.

=== Legality in the United States ===
{{main|Legality of cannabis in the United States}}
{{seealso|Cannabis rescheduling in the United States}}

The United States federal government has illegalized the sale, transport, and possession of cannabis since 1937. Federal law in the United States preempts conflicting state and local laws. Nevertheless, some states and local governments have established laws attempting to decriminalize cannabis. Other state and local governments ask law enforcement agencies to limit enforcement of drug laws with respect to cannabis.

==See Also==
*[[Illegal drug trade]]
*[[Psychoactive drugs]]

== References ==
=== Notes ===

<div class="references-small">
<references/>
</div>

=== Bibliography ===

* {{cite news|url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10E1FFB35580C748EDDA90994DA404482|author=Howard Markel|title=For Addicts, Relief May Be an Office Visit Away|publisher=New York Times|date=[[2002-10-27]]}}
* {{cite journal|url=http://www.ukcia.org/research/CannabisUseInAdolescenceAndRiskForAdultPsychosis.pdf|author=Louise Arsenault, Mary Cannon, Richie Poulton, Robin Murray, Avshalom Caspi, and Terrie E. Moffitt|title=Cannabis use in adolescence and risk for adult psychosis: longtudinal prospective study|year=2002|journal=British Medical Journal|volume=325|pages=1212 &ndash; 1213}}
* {{cite journal|url=http://www.ukcia.org/research/COMTgene.pdf|Author=|title=Moderation of the effect of adult-onset cannabis use on adult psychosis by a functional polymorphism in the Catchol-O-Methyltransferase gene: Longitudinal evidence of a gene X environment interaction|author=Avshalom Caspi, Terrie E. Moffitt, Mary Cannon, Joseph McClay, Robin Murray, HonaLee Harrington, Alan Taylor, Louise Arsenault, Ben Williams, Antony Braithwaite, Richie Poulton, and Ian W. Craig|year=2005|journal=Biol Psychiatry|volume=25|pages=1117 &ndash; 1127}}
* {{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3561-1565337,00.html|title=One in four at risk of cannabis psychosis|first=Mark|last=Henderson|publisher=The Times|date=[[2005-04-12]]}}
* Bruce Mirken and Neel Makwana (Aston Birmingham): {{cite news|url=http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/21436/|date=[[2005-03-07]]|title=Psychosis, Hype And Baloney|publisher=AlterNet}}
* {{cite journal|url=http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2000/108-10/correspondence.html#thc|title=Antitumor Effects of THC|journal=Environmental Health Perspectives|volume=108(10)|year=October 2000|pages=Correspondence|author=James Huff and Po Chan | id=PMID 11097557}}
* ''Cannabis: A History'' (2005). Martin Booth - ISBN 0-312-32220-8

{{Cannabis resources}}

<!-- currently unused, need to merge back into the article

== History ==

[[Image:Seed_close_up.jpg|right|thumb|A close up picture of a cannabis seed]]

Cannabis was known as a medicinal and psychoactive compound in some early societies, and has been used continuously in many parts of the world. Other societies have developed a social [[stigma]] surrounding the drug. <!-- repression in various Islamic centuries (11th, 13th, and others), early modern (ex-Ottoman) Greece, Egypt under Mehemet Ali (19th century), need sections -->

[[Category:Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants]]
[[Category:Cannabis]]

{{Link FA|ru}}

[[bg:Марихуана]]
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[[fr:Cannabis]]
[[ko:대마초]]
[[is:Kannabis]]
[[it:Cannabis]]
[[he:קנאביס]]
[[hu:Kender]]
[[ms:Ganja]]
[[nl:Marihuana]]
[[no:Cannabis]]
[[pl:Konopie siewne]]
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[[ru:Марихуана]]
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Revision as of 18:58, 29 November 2006

its fun to smoke marijuana

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