What is cannabis?
Cannabis is a plant with psychoactive properties and is used as a common street, recreational, and medical drug.
Today, cannabis is the world’s most popular recreational drug, with approximately 147 million users of cannabis globally, according to WHO – making it a major area of interest and research.
In Canada, over 14% of the population has reported using cannabis, with nearly 60% of these individuals reporting daily or weekly use.
Cannabis and marijuana are both terms frequently used when referring to the leaves or other crude plant material from the cannabis plant. Other street names include weed, pot, kush, Mary Jane, dope, bud, devil’s lettuce, loud, green, and ganja, to name a few.
The flowering tops of the cannabis plant contain high levels of psychoactive substances called cannabinoids. It is primarily this part of the plant which is dried and then consumed in one of many different ways.
Cannabis can be:
- Smoked in the form of joints, pipes, or bongs
- Vaporized
- Ingested in edibles such as baked goods
Smoking cannabis: has a faster onset (within minutes) and lasts for about 1 – 3 hours
Eating foods with cannabis: has a delayed onset, usually an hour, but can linger slightly longer for up to 4 hours
After using cannabis, cannabinoids are absorbed into the bloodstream and travel to the brain, where they interact with receptors on nerve cells. This interaction causes the feeling of being “high” or “stoned”.
There are two major strains of cannabis:
- Cannabis indica
- Cannabis sativa
However, many modern growing techniques rely on a hybrid plant with properties of each strain.
Cannabinoids are an important part of cannabis. They are the chemical compounds secreted by the cannabis plant that provides the different mental and physical effects.
Different strains have varying levels of different cannabinoids.
The two most talked about cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). One of the major characteristics that define the many varieties of cannabis marketed to consumers are the concentration and ratio of cannabinoids found in the product, including CBD and THC. This is because THC and CBD have different effects on the body and mind, which may cause you to choose a strain with different levels of THC or CBD based on wants and needs – this is further explained and discussed in biology and mechanism.
History of cannabis
The cannabis plant has been in use world-wide for about 6000 years! Other uses for this plant include producing textiles, rope, paper, and oil.
However, until recently, cannabis had fallen out of of favour in the 20th century in response to socio-political concerns. With that, it made studying cannabis difficult. With cannabis now being legal in Canada, this provides an easier opportunity to study the effects, interactions, and mechanisms of cannabis.
Cannabis is now legal in Canada – check out our page on the facts of legalization in Canada.