Street Names: 420, Acapulco gold, BC bud, Buddha, Cheeba, Chronic Dope, Ganja, Green goddess, Herb, Homegrown Hydro, Indo, KGB (killer green bud), Kindbud, Locoweed, Mary Jane, Shake, Sinsemilla, Skunk, Wacky tabacky, weed, pot

Using marijuana is not a new idea. Cannabis cultivation is found in Chinese records as far back as 28 BC, and traces of THC have been found in Egyptian mummies. The marijuana plant has many uses apart from drug use including hemp (rope, fabric and paper). The leaves, resin and flowers are the only parts of the plant that contain enough THC to get high off of.

How it works

The active ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahyrdrocannabinol). THC targets specific receptors in our brains in three key areas which affect memory and learning, balance and coordination, and movement control. The initial effect of THC wears off after an hour or two, but the chemical remains in the brain for days. Marijuana also increases dopamine levels (the 'feel-good' chemical that's released in our brain when we feel pleasure).

How is it used?

Typically marijuana is smoked as a cigarette (joint or nail), in a pipe, a bong or in a cigar (blunt). Marijuana has a very distinctive smell when being smoked, described by some as 'burning wet leaves'.

There is a long history of marijuana being used in a variety of baked goods, usually with the name 'space' or 'special' tacked onto it, ie: space cookies, special brownies. Marijuana is soluble in alcohol and can be infused into cooking brandy or rum and used that way also. "When infused in high-proof grain-based alcohol (such as vodka) it becomes what is commonly known as 'Green Dragon'."

Canadian Statistics

• About 1.5 million Canadians smoke marijuana recreationally - Canadian Medical Association
• Cannabis remains the most common drug of abuse in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
• Canada produces about 800 tons of illicit cannabis each year - International Narcotics Control Board.
• B.C. Bud (marijuana) crops generate an estimated $5 billion to $7 billion annually
• Only about 3,000 of the estimated 400,000 people who use medical marijuana in Canada are licenced

True or False?

1. Smoking marijuana is healthier than cigarettes.
2. Marijuana is not addictive.
3. People under the influence of marijuana drive slower.

Answers

1. FALSE. Marijuana smoke contains over 400 chemicals; many of these are the same harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Long-time users experience the same risks for emphysema, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis.
2. FALSE. Some users suffer withdrawal effects of marijuana and compulsively seek it out. Some estimates put that number at about 10% - roughly the same as for alcohol.
3. TRUE. Drivers under the influence of marijuana usually drive slower. However, their reaction time is longer, their reflexes slower, they drive more tentatively and they may not be able to handle unexpected situations.