BIOLOGY

INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

TOPIC:
EFFECTS OF
CANNABIS

NAME: Theodore Deepak

ROLL NO: 46
CLASS: 11TH SCIENCE
2022-2023
 CONTENT Page no.

DEFINITION 1

USES 2,3

MODES OF 3
CONSUMPTION

EFFECTS OF 4,5,6,7,8,9
CANNABIS

BIBLIOGRAPHY 10
 WHAT IS CANNABIS ?
Cannabis refers to a group of three plants with psychoactive properties,
known as Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.When
the flowers of these plants are harvested and dried, you’re left with one of
the most common drugs in the world. Some call it weed, some call it pot,
and others call it marijuana.

As weed becomes legal in more areas, names for it are evolving. Today,
more and more people are using the term cannabis to refer to weed.Some
argue that it’s a more accurate name. Others feel it’s more neutral
compared with terms like weed or pot, which some people associate with
its illegal use. Also, the term “marijuana” is falling out of favor due to
its racist history.

Cannabis is usually consumed for its relaxing and calming effects. In some
U.S. states, it’s also prescribed to help with a range of medical conditions,
including chronic pain, glaucoma, and poor appetite.Keep in mind that
while cannabis comes from a plant and is considered natural, it can still
have strong effects, both positive and negative.

Cannabis is a generic term used to denote the several psychoactive

preparations of the plant Cannabis sativa. The major psychoactive
constituent in cannabis is ∆-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Compounds
which are structurally similar to THC are referred to as cannabinoids. In
addition, a number of recently identified compounds that differ structurally
from cannabinoids nevertheless share many of their pharmacological
properties. The Mexican term 'marijuana' is frequently used in referring to
cannabis leaves or other crude plant material in many countries. The
unpollinated female plants are called hashish. Cannabis oil (hashish oil) is a
concentrate of cannabinoids obtained by solvent extraction of the crude
plant material or of the resin.
 USES OF CANNABIS
1. MEDICAL
Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana, refers to the use of cannabis
to treat disease or improve symptoms; however, there is no single agreed-
upon definition . The rigorous scientific study of cannabis as a medicine has
been hampered by production restrictions and by the fact that it is
classified as an illegal drug by many governments.
There is limited evidence suggesting cannabis can be used to reduce
nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy, to improve appetite in people
with HIV/AIDS, or to treat chronic pain and muscle spasms. Its use for other
medical applications is insufficient for drawing conclusions about safety or
efficacy. There is evidence supporting the use of cannabis or its derivatives
in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting,
neuropathic pain, and multiple sclerosis. Lower levels of evidence support
its use for AIDS wasting syndrome, epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, and
glaucoma.
So far, the medical use of cannabis is legal only in a limited number of
territories, including Canada, Belgium, Australia, the Netherlands, New
Zealand, Spain, and many U.S. states. This usage generally requires a
prescription, and distribution is usually done within a framework defined
by local laws.

2. SPIRITUAL
Cannabis has held sacred status in several religions and has served as
an entheogen – a chemical substance used in religious, shamanic,
or spiritual contexts– in the Indian subcontinent since the Vedic period. The
earliest known reports regarding the sacred status of cannabis in the Indian
subcontinent come from the Atharva Veda, estimated to have been
composed sometime around 1400 BCE. The Hindu god Shiva is described as
a cannabis user, known as the "Lord of bhang”.
In modern culture, the spiritual use of cannabis has been spread by the
disciples of the Rastafari movement who use cannabis as a sacrament and
as an aid to meditation.
3. RECREATIONAL
Being under the effects of cannabis is usually referred to as being
"high" or "stoned." Cannabis consumption has both psychoactive and
physiological effects. The "stoned" experience can vary widely, based
(among other things) on the user's prior experience with cannabis, and the
type of cannabis consumed.  When smoking cannabis, a euphoriant effect
can occur within minutes of smoking. Aside from a subjective change in
perception and mood, the most common short-term physical and
neurological effects include increased heart rate, increased appetite,
impairment of short-term and working memory, and psychomotor
coordination.
Additional desired effects from consuming cannabis include relaxation, a
general alteration of conscious perception, increased awareness of
sensation, increased libido and distortions in the perception of time and
space. At higher doses, effects can include altered body image, auditory
and/or visual illusions, pseudohallucinations and ataxia from selective
impairment of polysynaptic reflexes. In some cases, cannabis can lead to
dissociative states such as depersonalization and derealization.

Modes of Consumption
• Smoking, which typically involves burning and inhaling vaporized
cannabinoids ("smoke") from small pipes, bongs (portable versions
of hookahs with a water chamber), paper-wrapped joints or tobacco-leaf-
wrapped blunts, and other items.
• Vaporizer, which heats any form of cannabis to 165–190 °C (329–
374 °F), causing the active ingredients to evaporate into vapor without
burning the plant material (the boiling point of THC is 157 °C (315 °F) at
atmospheric pressure).
• Cannabis tea, which contains relatively small concentrations of THC
because THC is an oil (lipophilic) and is only slightly water-soluble (with a
solubility of 2.8 mg per liter). Cannabis tea is made by first adding a saturated
fat to hot water (e.g. cream or any milk except skim) with a small amount of
cannabis.
• Edibles, where cannabis is added as an ingredient to one of a variety of
foods, including butter and baked goods. In India it is commonly made into a
beverage, bhang.
• Tincture of cannabis, sometimes known as green dragon, is
an alcoholic cannabis concentrate.
• Capsules, typically containing cannabis oil, and other dietary
supplement products, for which some 220 were approved in Canada in 2018.
 Effects of Cannabis
Short-term
Acute negative effects may include anxiety and panic, impaired attention
and memory, an increased risk of psychotic symptoms, the inability to
think clearly, and an increased risk of accidents. Cannabis impairs a
person's driving ability, and THC was the illicit drug most frequently
found in the blood of drivers who have been involved in vehicle crashes.
Those with THC in their system are from three to seven times more likely
to be the cause of the accident than those who had not used either
cannabis or alcohol, although its role is not necessarily causal because
THC stays in the bloodstream for days to weeks after intoxication.
Some immediate undesired side effects include a decrease in short-term
memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills, reddening of the
eyes, dizziness, feeling tired and vomiting. Some users may experience
an episode of acute psychosis, which usually abates after six hours, but
in rare instances, heavy users may find the symptoms continuing for
many days.
Legalization has increased the rates at which children are exposed to
cannabis, particularly from edibles. While the toxicity and lethality of
THC in children is not known, they are at risk for encephalopathy,
hypotension, respiratory depression severe enough to require
ventilation, somnolence and coma.
Fatality
Cannabis is suspected of being a potential, and under-reported,
contributory factor or direct cause in cases of sudden death, due to the
strain it can place on the cardiovascular system. Multiple deaths have
been attributed to cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.
A 16-month survey of Oregon and Alaska emergency departments found
a report of the death of an adult who had been admitted for acute
cannabis toxicity.
Long Term
Psychological effects

A 2015 meta-analysis found that, although a longer period of abstinence

was associated with smaller magnitudes of impairment, both
retrospective and prospective memory were impaired in cannabis users.
The authors concluded that some, but not all, of the deficits associated
with cannabis use were reversible. A 2012 meta-analysis found that
deficits in most domains of cognition persisted beyond the acute period
of intoxication, but was not evident in studies where subjects were
abstinent for more than 25 days. Few high quality studies have been
performed on the long-term effects of cannabis on cognition, and the
results were generally inconsistent. Furthermore, effect sizes of
significant findings were generally small. One review concluded that,
although most cognitive faculties were unimpaired by cannabis use,
residual deficits occurred in executive functions. Impairments in
executive functioning are most consistently found in older populations,
which may reflect heavier cannabis exposure, or developmental effects
associated with adolescent cannabis use. One review found three
prospective cohort studies that examined the relationship between self-
reported cannabis use and intelligence quotient (IQ). The study following
the largest number of heavy cannabis users reported that IQ declined
between ages 7–13 and age 38. Poorer school performance and
increased incidence of leaving school early were both associated with
cannabis use, although a causal relationship was not
established. Cannabis users demonstrated increased activity in task-
related brain regions, consistent with reduced processing efficiency.
A reduced quality of life is associated with heavy cannabis use, although
the relationship is inconsistent and weaker than for tobacco and other
substances. The direction of cause and effect, however, is unclear.
The long-term effects of cannabis are not clear. There are concerns
surrounding memory and cognition problems, risk of addiction, and the
risk of schizophrenia in young people.
Cannabis Dependence
About 9% of those who experiment with marijuana eventually become
dependent according to DSM-IV (1994) criteria. A 2013 review estimates
daily use is associated with a 10–20% rate of dependence. The highest
risk of cannabis dependence is found in those with a history of poor
academic achievement, deviant behavior in childhood and adolescence,
rebelliousness, poor parental relationships, or a parental history of drug
and alcohol problems. Of daily users, about 50% experience withdrawal
upon cessation of use (i.e. are dependent), characterized by sleep
problems, irritability, dysphoria, and craving. Cannabis withdrawal is less
severe than withdrawal from alcohol.
Physical
Heavy, long-term exposure to marijuana may have physical, mental,
behavioral and social health consequences. It may be "associated with
diseases of the liver, lungs, heart, and vasculature". A 2014 review found
that while cannabis use may be less harmful than alcohol use, the
recommendation to substitute it for problematic drinking was
premature without further study.Various surveys conducted between
2015 and 2019 found that many users of cannabis substitute it
for prescription drugs (including opioids), alcohol, and tobacco; most of
those who used it in place of alcohol or tobacco either reduced or
stopped their intake of the latter substances.
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a severe condition seen in
some chronic cannabis users where they have repeated bouts of
uncontrollable vomiting for 24–48 hours. Four cases of death have been
reported as a result of CHS.
A limited number of studies have examined the effects of cannabis
smoking on the respiratory system. Chronic heavy marijuana smoking is
associated with respiratory infections, coughing, production of sputum,
wheezing, and other symptoms of chronic bronchitis. The available
evidence does not support a causal relationship between cannabis use
and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Short-term use of cannabis
is associated with bronchodilation. Other side effects of cannabis use
include cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a condition which
involves recurrent nausea, cramping abdominal pain, and vomiting.

Cannabis smoke contains thousands of organic and inorganic chemical

compounds.
 This tar is chemically similar to that found in tobacco smoke, and over
fifty known carcinogens have been identified in cannabis
smoke, including; nitrosamines, reactive aldehydes, and polycylic
hydrocarbons, including benz[a]pyrene. Cannabis smoke is also inhaled
more deeply than tobacco smoke.As of 2015, there is no consensus
regarding whether cannabis smoking is associated with an increased risk
of cancer. Light and moderate use of cannabis is not believed to increase
risk of lung or upper airway cancer. Evidence for causing these cancers is
mixed concerning heavy, long-term use. In general there are far lower
risks of pulmonary complications for regular cannabis smokers when
compared with those of tobacco. A 2015 review found an association
between cannabis use and the development of testicular germ cell
tumors (TGCTs), particularly non-seminoma TGCTs. Another 2015 meta-
analysis found no association between lifetime cannabis use and risk of
head or neck cancer. Combustion products are not present when using
a vaporizer, consuming THC in pill form, or consuming cannabis foods.
There is concern that cannabis may contribute to cardiovascular
disease, but as of 2018, evidence of this relationship was
unclear. Research in these events is complicated because cannabis is
often used in conjunction with tobacco, and drugs such as alcohol and
cocaine that are known to have cardiovascular risk factors. Smoking
cannabis has also been shown to increase the risk of myocardial
infarction by 4.8 times for the 60 minutes after consumption.
There is preliminary evidence that cannabis interferes with
the anticoagulant properties of prescription drugs used for treating
blood clots. As of 2019, the mechanisms for the anti-inflammatory and
possible pain relieving effects of cannabis were not defined, and there
were no governmental regulatory approvals or clinical practices for use
of cannabis as a drug.
Reproductive health
There is sufficient evidence of reproductive health harms from
cannabis that its use when trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and
while breastfeeding, is not advisable.
It has been recommended that cannabis use be stopped before and
during pregnancy as it can result in negative outcomes for both the
mother and baby, such as behavioral problems. However, maternal use
of marijuana during pregnancy does not appear to be associated with
low birth weight or early delivery after controlling for tobacco use and
other confounding factors.
RATIONAL HARM
ASSESSMENT
OF DRUGS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
⚫ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug)
⚫ https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-
cannabis
⚫ https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-
substance-use/alcohol-drugs-and-addictive-
behaviours/drugs-psychoactive/cannabis