Marijuana (also called grass, marijuana, pot, spliff, weed or hash in concentrated form) is an illegal Class C drug, in the same group as anabolic steroids and tranquillisers like valium, that is usually smoked as a ‘joint.’

Marijuana is made from dried Cannabis plants, and contains over 400 chemicals, including mind-altering substances. Its psychologically active chemicals are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, producing a feeling of being high and building up in fatty tissues throughout the body, causing it to remain in the body for up to 56 days.

It has an addictive quality, so users may find that they need to use increasingly more in order to achieve the same effect, and that it starts to negatively affect their social and work lives.

The immediate physical effects include a quickened heart rate, dry mouth, bloodshot eyes and inhibited coordination and reflexes. Marijuana can also cause severe paranoia and anxiety for several hours. In the long term, it can damage your short term memory, concentration, motivation, coordination and even fertility – and if used during pregnancy, can lead to low birth weights and premature births. Smoking marijuana also poses the same but heightened risks that ordinary cigarettes do, such as heart disease, lung cancer and emphysema risks.

There is also mounting proof linking long-term mental health problems, including depression and psychosis, to cannabis use. Habitual use of the drug doubles your risk of developing a psychotic episode or long-term schizophrenia. Research strongly suggests a clear relation between early cannabis use and later mental health problems – especially in teenagers, possibly because their brains are still developing.

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