Cannabis (drug)

"Marijuana" redirects here. For other uses, see Marijuana (disambiguation). For the plant genus, see Cannabis. Cannabis Dried flowers from the Cannabis sativa plant. Note the visible trichomes (commonly known as "crystals"), which contain large quantities of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids. Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Cannabaceae Genus: Cannabis Species: C. sativa Binomial name Cannabis sativa L.1 Cannabis indica Lam. (putative)1 Cannabis, also known as marijuana2 (sometimes spelled "marihuana"3) among many other names,a[›] refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug. The word marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish marihuana.4 According to the United Nations, cannabis "is the most widely used illicit substance in the world."5 The typical herbal form of cannabis consists of the flowers and subtending leaves and stalks of mature pistillate of female plants. The resinous form of the drug is known as hashish (or merely as 'hash').6 The major psychoactive chemical compound in cannabis is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (commonly abbreviated as THC). Cannabis contains more than 400 different chemical compounds, including at least 66 other cannabinoids (cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN) and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), etc.) which can result in different effects from those of THC alone.7 Cannabis use has been found to have occurred as long ago as the 3rd millennium BC8 In modern times, the drug has been used for recreational, religious or spiritual, and medicinal purposes. The UN estimated that in 2004 about 4% of the world's adult population (162 million people) use cannabis annually, and about 0.6% (22.5 million) use it on a daily basis.9 The possession, use, or sale of cannabis preparations containing psychoactive cannabinoids became illegal in most parts of the world in the early 20th centurycitation needed. Since then, some countries have intensified the enforcement of cannabis prohibition, while others have reduced it. Contents 1 History 2 Forms 2.1 Unprocessed 2.2 Processed 2.2.1 Kief 2.2.2 Hashish 2.2.3 Hash oil 2.2.4 Residue (resin) 3 Potency 3.1 Adulterants 4 Routes of administration 5 Mechanism of action 6 Effects 6.1 Classification 6.2 Medical use 6.3 Long-term effects 7 Detection of use 8 Gateway drug theory 9 Legal status 10 Price 11 Truth serum 12 Breeding and cultivation 13 In arts and literature 14 See also 15 Notes 15.1 Footnotes 15.2 Citations 16 Further reading 17 External links // History See also: Cannabis and War on Drugs The use of cannabis, at least as fiber, has been shown to go back at least 10,000 years in Taiwan.10 Má (Pinyin pronunciation), the Chinese expression for hemp, is a pictograph of two plants under a shelter.11 Cannabis is indigenous to Central and South Asia.12 Evidence of the inhalation of cannabis smoke can be found in the 3rd millennium B.C], as indicated by charred cannabis seeds found in a ritual brazier at an ancient burial site in present day Romania.8 Cannabis is also known to have been used by the ancient Hindus and Nihang Sikhs of India and Nepal thousands of years ago. The herb was called ganjika in Sanskrit (गांजा/গাঁজা ganja in modern Indic languages).1314 The ancient drug soma, mentioned in the Vedas, was sometimes associated with cannabis.15 Cannabis was also known to the ancient Assyrians, who discovered its psychoactive properties through the Aryans.16 Using it in some religious ceremonies, they called it qunubu (meaning "way to produce smoke"), a probable origin of the modern word "cannabis".17 Cannabis was also introduced by the Aryans to the Scythians and Thracians/Dacians, whose shamans (the kapnobatai—"those who walk on smoke/clouds") burned cannabis flowers to induce a state of trance.18 Members of the cult of Dionysus, believed to have originated in Thrace (Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey), are also thought to have inhaled cannabis smoke. In 2003, a leather basket filled with cannabis leaf fragments and seeds was found next to a 2,500- to 2,800-year-old mummified shaman in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.1920 Cannabis sativa from Vienna Dioscurides, 512 A.D. Cannabis has an ancient history of ritual use and is found in pharmacological cults around the world. Hemp seeds discovered by archaeologists at Pazyryk suggest early ceremonial practices like eating by the Scythians occurred during the 5th to 2nd century B.C., confirming previous historical reports by Herodotus.21 One writer has claimed that cannabis was used as a religious sacrament by ancient Jews and early Christians622 due to the similarity between the Hebrew word "qannabbos" ("cannabis") and the Hebrew phrase "qené bósem" ("aromatic cane"). It was used by Muslims in various Sufi orders as early as the Mamluk period, for example by the Qalandars.23 A study published in the South African Journal of Science showed that "pipes dug up from the garden of Shakespeare's home in Stratford-upon-Avon contain traces of cannabis."24 The chemical analysis was carried out after researchers hypothesized that the "noted weed" mentioned in Sonnet 76 and the "journey in my head" from Sonnet 27 could be references to cannabis and the use thereof.25 Cannabis was criminalized in various countries beginning in the early 20th century. It was outlawed in South Africa in 1911, in Jamaica (then a British colony) in 1913, and in the United Kingdom and New Zealand in the 1920s.26 Canada criminalized marijuana in the Opium and Drug Act of 1923, before any reports of use of the drug in Canada. In 1925 a compromise was made at an international conference in The Hague about the International Opium Convention that banned exportation of "Indian hemp" to countries that had prohibited its use, and requiring importing countries to issue certificates approving the importation and stating that the shipment was required "exclusively for medical or scientific purposes". It also required parties to "exercise an effective control of such a nature as to prevent the illicit international traffic in Indian hemp and especially in the resin".2728 In the United States the first restrictions for sale of cannabis came in 1906 (in District of Columbia).29 In 1937, the Marijuana Transfer Tax Act was passed, and prohibited the production of hemp in addition to marijuana. The reasons that hemp was also included in this law are disputed. The Federal Bureau of Narcotics agents reported that fields with hemp were also used as a source for marijuana dealerscitation needed. Several scholars have claimed that the Act was passed in order to destroy the hemp industry,303132 largely as an effort of businessmen Andrew Mellon, Randolph Hearst, and the Du Pont family.3032 With the invention of the decorticator, hemp became a very cheap substitute for the paper pulp that was used in the newspaper industry.3033 Hearst felt that this was a threat to his extensive timber holdings. Mellon, Secretary of the Treasury and the wealthiest man in America, had invested heavily in the DuPont's new synthetic fiber, nylon, and considered its success to depend on its replacement of the traditional resource, hemp.3034353637383940 Forms Unprocessed Dried Cannabis flowers in natural herbal form The terms cannabis or marijuana generally refer to the dried flowers and subtending leaves and stems of the female cannabis plant. This is the most widely consumed form, containing 3% to 22% THC.4142 In contrast, cannabis strains used to produce industrial hemp contain less than 1% THC and are thus not valued for recreational use.43 Processed Kief Main article: Kief Kief is a powder, rich in trichomes, which can be sifted from the leaves and flowers of cannabis plants and either consumed in powder form or compressed to produce cakes of hashish.44 Hashish Main article: Hashish Hashish Hashish (also spelled hasheesh, hashisha, or simply hash) is a concentrated resin produced from the flowers of the female cannabis plant. Hash can often be more potent than marijuana and can be smoked or chewed.45 It varies in color from black to golden brown depending upon purity. Hash oil Main article: Hash oil Hash oil, or "butane honey oil" (BHO), is a mix of essential oils and resins extracted from mature cannabis foliage through the use of various solvents. It has a high proportion of cannabinoids (ranging from 40 to 90%).46 and is used in a variety of cannabis foods. Residue (resin) Residue collected from a pipe Because of THC's adhesive properties, a sticky residue, most commonly known as "resin", builds up inside utensils used to smoke cannabis. It has tar-like properties but still contains THC as well as other cannabinoids. This buildup has some of the psychoactive properties of cannabis but is more difficult to smoke without discomfort caused to the throat and lungs. This tar may also contain CBN, which is a breakdown product of THC. Cannabis users typically only smoke residue when cannabis is unavailable. Glass pipes may be water-steamed at a low temperature prior to scraping in order to make the residue easier to remove.47 Alcohol is an effective solvent for cleaning residue from paraphernalia. Potency According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), "the amount of THC present in a cannabis sample is generally used as a measure of cannabis potency."48 The three main forms of cannabis products are the herb (marijuana), resin (hashish), and oil (hash oil). The UNODC states that marijuana often contains 5% THC content, resin "can contain up to 20% THC content", and that "Cannabis oil may contain more than 60% THC content."48 A scientific study published in 2000 in the Journal of Forensic Sciences (JFS) found that the potency (THC content) of confiscated cannabis in the United States (US) rose from "approximately 3.3% in 1983 and 1984", to "4.47% in 1997". It also concluded that "other major cannabinoids (i.e., CBD, CBN, and CBC)" (other chemicals in cannabis) "showed no significant change in their concentration over the years".49 More recent research undertaken at the University of Mississippi's Potency Monitoring Project50 has found that average THC levels in cannabis samples between 1975 and 2007 have increased from 4% in 1983 to 9.6% in 2007. Australia's National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) states that the buds (flowers) of the female cannabis plant contain the highest concentration of THC, followed by the leaves. The stalks and seeds have "much lower THC levels".51 The UN states that the leaves can contain ten times less THC than the buds, and the stalks one hundred times less THC.48 After revisions to cannabis rescheduling in the UK, the government moved cannabis back from a class C to a class B drug. A purported reason was the appearance of high potency cannabis. They believe skunk accounts for between 70 and 80% of samples seized by police 52 (despite the fact that skunk can sometimes be incorrectly mistaken for all types of female herbal cannabis).53 It is noted that one of the earliest strains of skunk to appear was that of "SKUNK #1", which has been inbred since 1978,54 but high potency herbal cannabis has been around even longer. It is also worth noting that extracts such as hashish and hash oil can contain more THC than skunk or high potency herbal cannabis. According to the "Talk to FRANK" (UK) website: Recently, there has been an increased availability of strong herbal cannabis, containing on average 2-3 times the amount of the active compound, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, as compared to the traditional imported ‘weed’. This strong cannabis includes:‘sinsemilla’ (a bud grown in the absence of male plants and which has no seeds); ‘homegrown’; ‘skunk’, which has a characteristic strong smell; and imported ‘netherweed’... ...it may not be possible to tell whether a particular sample of 'skunk' or ‘homegrown’ or ‘sinsemilla’ will have a higher potency than an equal amount of traditional herbal cannabis. 55 Of course, "homegrown", "netherweed" and "sinsemilla" are not always "strong", and not every strain of cannabis with a "characteristic strong smell" can be accurately named "skunk". "Traditional herbal cannabis" or "weed", has on the whole, always been subjectively "strong". While commentators have warned that greater cannabis "strength" could represent a health risk, others have noted that users readily learn to compensate by reducing their dosage, thus benefiting from reductions in smoking side-hazards such as heat shock or carbon monoxide. Adulterants Adulterants in cannabis are less common than in other recreational drugscitation needed. Chalk (in the Netherlands) and glass particles (in the UK) have been used at times to make cannabis appear to be higher quality.565758 Increasing the weight of hashish products in Germany with lead caused lead intoxication in at least 29 users.59 In the Netherlands two chemical analogs of Sildenafil (Viagra) were found in adulterated marijuana.60 "Soap-Bar": according to both the "Talk to FRANK" website and the UKCIA website, "perhaps the most common type of cannabis found in the UK" can contain turpentine, tranquillizers, boot polish, henna and animal faeces - amongst several other things.5561 One small study of five "soap-bar" samples seized by UK Customs in 2001 found huge adulteration by many toxic substances, including soil, glue, engine oil and animal faeces.62 Routes of administration Main article: Cannabis consumption A forced-air vaporizer. The balloon (top) fills with vapors that are then inhaled A conduction vaporizer, with flexible extension tube ("whip"). The cannabis is heated on a metal platform (center) The midwakh, a narrow, screened single-toke utensil A joint, with European-style "roach" (paper-roll mouthpiece) Cannabis is consumed in many different ways, most of which involve inhaling smoke from small pipes, bongs (portable version of hookah with water chamber), paper-wrapped joints or tobacco-leaf-wrapped blunts. Cannabis has also been used as an active ingredient in tablets, extracts, tinctures and compound medicines that were professionally formulated, manufactured, and sold to physicians and hospitals, as discussed below in 'Medical use'. A vaporizer heats herbal cannabis to 365–410 °F (185–210 °C), causing the active ingredients to evaporate into a gas without burning the plant material (the boiling point of THC is 390.4 °F (199.1 °C) at 760 mmHg pressure).63 A lower proportion of toxic chemicals is released than by smoking, depending on the design of the vaporizer and the temperature at which it is set. This method of consuming cannabis produces markedly different effects than smoking due to the flash points of different cannabinoids; for example, CBN has a flash point of 212.7 °C (414.9 °F)64 and would normally be present in smoke but might not be present in vapor. As another alternative to smoking, cannabis may be consumed orally. However, the cannabis or its extract must be sufficiently heated or dehydrated to cause decarboxylation of its most abundant cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), into psychoactive THC.65 Cannabinoids can be leached from cannabis plant matter using high-proof spirits (often grain alcohol) to create a tincture, often referred to as Green Dragon. Cannabis can also be consumed as a tea. THC is lipophilic and only slightly water-soluble (with a solubility of 2.8 mg per liter),66 so tea is made by first adding a saturated fat to hot water (i.e. cream or any milk except skim) with a small amount of cannabis, green or black tea leaves and honey or sugar, steeped for approximately 5 minutes. Mechanism of action Initial metabolism of cannabinoids in marijuana smoke occurs in the lungs, whereas orally administered cannabinoids are metabolized in the G.I. tract and by the liver. There are more than 30 metabolites of THC and over 20 each of cannabinol and cannabidiol. Many of these metabolites are also psychoactive. One of the principal psychoactive metabolites is 9-carboxy-THC, which crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily than THC, and therefore may be more active than THC. What is quite apparent about cannabinoids is that their extremely high lipid-solubility results in their persisting in the body for long periods of time. Even after a single administration of THC, detectable levels of THC can be found in the body for weeks or longer (depending on the amount administered and the sensitivity of the assessment method). A number of investigators have suggested that this is an important factor in marijuana's effects, perhaps because cannabinoids may accumulate in the body, particularly in the lipid membranes of neurons.67 Until recently, little was known about the specific mechanisms of action of THC at the neuronal level. This is in part due to the high lipid solubility of THC (which leads to absorption in practically all tissues at high concentrations). However, researchers have now confirmed that THC exerts its most prominent effects via its actions on two types of cannabinoid receptors, the CB1 receptor and the CB2 receptor, both of which are G-Protein coupled receptors. The CB1 receptor is found primarily in the brain as well as in some peripheral tissues, and the CB2 receptor is found exclusively in peripheral tissues.68 THC appears to alter mood and cognition through its agonist actions on the CB1 receptors, which inhibit a secondary messenger system (adenylate cyclase) in a dose dependent manner. These actions can be blocked by the selective CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A (rimonabant), which interestingly has been shown in clinical trials to be an effective treatment for smoking cessation, weight loss, and as a means of controlling or reducing metabolic syndrome risk factors.69 Recent physiological, pharmacological, and high-resolution anatomical studies indicate that endocannabinoids (endogenous cannabinoids, or neurotransmitters produced by the body that activate cannabinoid receptors) serve as retrograde neurotransmitters. That is, following the release of classical neurotransmitters from a presynaptic terminal and the activation of receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, the postsynaptic neuron releases endocannabinoids from its membranes. These endocannabinoids then travel "backwards" across the synaptic cleft where, 1 or 2 seconds later, they activate CB1 receptors on the presynaptic terminal, which reduces Ca2+ influx into presynaptic terminals and inhibits the release of neurotransmitters from the presynaptic terminal for up to several seconds.70 Endocannabinoids then undergo reuptake into neurons and glial cells and are degraded by intracellular enzymes. Numerous neurotransmitters are affected by this process, including the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and the excitatory transmitter glutamate. Thus endocannabinoids induce a mixture of excitatory and inhibitory effects on neurons (i.e. they inhibit the release of both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters). THC appears to work in the same fashion, except that THC exerts longer actions and suppresses neurotransmitter release without the first step, i.e., postsynaptic receptor activation. In other words, rather than postsynaptic neurons signaling the presynaptic neurons that a message has been received, indicating that no further neurotransmitter needs to be released, THC signals the presynaptic neurons that they have sent a message when in reality they have not. The fact that THC exerts both excitatory and inhibitory effects (by inhibiting the release of both the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate) is now thought to account for its ability to induce a variety of excitatory and depressant physiological effects, e.g. sedation and euphoria. Effects Main article: Effects of cannabis Main short-term physical effects of cannabis Cannabis has psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed. The minimum amount of THC required to have a perceptible psychoactive effect is about 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight.71 Aside from a subjective change in perception and, most notably, mood, the most common short-term physical and neurological effects include increased heart rate, lowered blood pressure, impairment of short-term and working memory,72 psychomotor coordinationcitation needed, and concentrationcitation needed. Long-term effects are less clear.7374 Classification Main article: Psychoactive effects While many drugs clearly fall into the category of either stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen, cannabis exhibits a mix of all properties, perhaps leaning the most towards hallucinogenic or psychedelic properties, though with other effects quite pronounced as well. Though THC is typically considered the primary active component of the cannabis plant, various scientific studies have suggested that certain other cannabinoids like CBD may also play a significant role in its psychoactive effects.757677 Medical use Main article: Medical cannabis Cannabis used medically does have several well-documented beneficial effects. Among these are: the amelioration of nausea and vomiting, stimulation of hunger in chemotherapy and AIDS patients, lowered intraocular eye pressure (shown to be effective for treating glaucoma), as well as general analgesic effects (pain reliever).b[›] Cannabis was manufactured and sold by U.S. pharmaceutical companies from the 1880s through the 1930s, but the lack of documented information on the frequency and effectiveness of its use makes it difficult to evaluate its medicinal value. In 1915, one medical supply house, the Frank S. Betz Co. of Hammond, Indiana, offered "Cannabis Indica (Cannabis sative)" as one of about 70 "Crude Drugs" for $2.25 per lb., and offered a 10 percent discount for the purchase of 5 lbs.78 The same company advertised "Tincture Cannabis Indica, U.S.P.," for 80 cents per lb.79 Cannabis in the form of a tincture and a fluid extract is documented in a 1929-30 Parke Davis & Co catalog,80 and is listed as an active ingredient in ten products for cough, colic, neuralgia, cholera mordus and other medical conditions, as well as a "narcotic, analgesic, and sedative". The catalog also lists compound medications containing cannabis that in some cases were apparently formulated by medical doctors, in its Pills and Tablets section. As cannabis is further legalized for medicinal use, it is possible that some of the foregoing compound medicines, whose formulas have been copied exactly as published, may be scientifically tested to determine whether they are effective medications. Less confirmed individual studies also have been conducted indicating cannabis to be beneficial to a gamut of conditions running from multiple sclerosis to depression. Synthesized cannabinoids are also sold as prescription drugs, including Marinol (dronabinol in the United States and Germany) and Cesamet (nabilone in Canada, Mexico, the United States and the United Kingdom).b[›] Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved smoked marijuana for any condition or disease in the United States, largely because good quality scientific evidence for its use from U.S. studies is lacking; however, a major barrier to acquiring the necessary evidence is the lack of federal funding for this kind of research.81 Regardless, fourteen states have legalized cannabis for medical use.8283 Canada, Spain, The Netherlands and Austria have also legalized cannabis for medicinal use.8485 Long-term effects Main article: Long-term effects of cannabis The smoking of cannabis is the most harmful method of consumption, as the inhalation of smoke from organic materials can cause various health problems.86 By comparison, studies on the vaporization of cannabis found that subjects were "only 40% as likely to report respiratory symptoms as users who do not vaporize, even when age, sex, cigarette use, and amount of cannabis consumed are controlled."87 Another study found vaporizers to be "a safe and effective cannabinoid delivery system."8889 Cannabis is ranked one of the least harmful drugs by a study published in the UK medical journal, The Lancet.90 Systematic reviews of medical literature have found no evidence of a relationship between cannabis use and cancer.91 While a study in New Zealand of 79 lung-cancer patients suggested daily cannabis smokers have a 5.7 times higher risk of lung cancer than non-users,9293 another study of 2252 people in Los Angeles failed to find a correlation between the smoking of cannabis and lung, head or neck cancers.9495 Some studies have also found that moderate cannabis use may protect against head and neck cancers,96 as well as lung cancer.97 Some studies have shown that cannabidiol may also be useful in treating breast cancer.98 These effects have been attributed to the well documented anti-tumoral properties of cannabinoids, specifically tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol.citation needed Cannabis use has been assessed by several studies to be correlated with the development of anxiety, psychosis, and depression.99100 A 2007 meta-analysis estimated that cannabis use is statistically associated, in a dose-dependent manner, to an increased risk in the development of psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia.101 No causal mechanism has been proven, however, and the meaning of the correlation and its direction is a subject of debate that has not been resolved in the scientific community. Some studies assess that the causality is more likely to involve a path from cannabis use to psychotic symptoms rather than a path from psychotic symptoms to cannabis use,102 while other studies assess the opposite direction of the causality, or hold cannabis to only form parts of a "causal constellation", while not inflicting mental health problems that would not have occurred in the absence of the cannabis use.103104 Though cannabis use has at times been associated with stroke, there is no firmly established link, and potential mechanisms are unknown.105 Similarly, there is no established relationship between cannabis use and heart disease, including exacerbation of cases of existing heart disease.106 Though some fMRI studies have shown changes in neurological function in long term heavy cannabis users, no long term behavioral effects after abstinence have been linked to these changes.107 Detection of use THC and its major (inactive) metabolite, THC-COOH, can be quantitated in blood, urine, hair, oral fluid or sweat using chromatographic techniques as part of a drug use testing program or a forensic investigation of a traffic or other criminal offense. The concentrations obtained from such analyses can often be helpful in distinguishing active use from passive exposure, prescription use from illicit use, elapsed time since use, and extent or duration of use. These tests cannot, however, distinguish authorized cannabis smoking for medical purposes from unauthorized recreational smoking.108 Commercial cannabinoid immunoassays, often employed as the initial screening method when testing physiological specimens for marijuana presence, have different degrees of cross-reactivity with THC and its metabolites. Urine contains predominantly THC-COOH, while hair, oral fluid and sweat contain primarily THC. Blood may contain both substances, with the relative amounts dependent on the recency and extent of usage.108109110111 The Duquenois-Levine test is commonly used as a screening test in the field, but it cannot definitively confirm the presence of marijuana, as a large range of substances have been shown to give false positives. Despite this, it is common in the United States for prosecutors to seek plea bargains on the basis of positive D-L tests, claiming them definitive, or even to seek conviction without the use of gas chromatography confirmation, which can only be done in the lab.112 Gateway drug theory Further information: Gateway drug theory Some claim that trying cannabis increases the probability that users will eventually use "harder" drugs. This hypothesis has been one of the central pillars of anti-cannabis drug policy in the United States,113 though the validity and implications of these hypotheses are hotly debated.114 Studies have shown that tobacco smoking is a better predictor of concurrent illicit hard drug use than smoking cannabis.115 No widely accepted study has ever demonstrated a cause-and-effect relationship between the use of cannabis and the later use of harder drugs like heroin and cocaine. However, the prevalence of tobacco cigarette advertising and the practice of mixing tobacco and cannabis together in a single large joint, common in Europe, are believed to be cofactors in promoting nicotine dependency among young persons trying cannabis.116 A 2005 comprehensive review of the literature on the cannabis gateway hypothesis found that pre-existing traits may predispose users to addiction in general, the availability of multiple drugs in a given setting confounds predictive patterns in their usage, and drug sub-cultures are more influential than cannabis itself. The study called for further research on "social context, individual characteristics, and drug effects" to discover the actual relationships between cannabis and the use of other drugs.117 A new user of cannabis who feels there is a difference between anti-drug information and their own experiences will apply this distrust to public information about other, more powerful drugs. Some studies state that while there is no proof for this gateway hypothesis, young cannabis users should still be considered as a risk group for intervention programs.118 Other findings indicate that hard drug users are likely to be "poly-drug" users, and that interventions must address the use of multiple drugs instead of a single hard drug.119 Another gateway hypothesis is that while cannabis is not as harmful or addictive as other drugs, a gateway effect may be detected as a result of the "common factors" involved with using any illegal drug. Because of its illegal status, cannabis users are more likely to be in situations which allow them to become acquainted with people who use and sell other illegal drugs.120121 By this argument, some studies have shown that alcohol and tobacco may be regarded as gateway drugs.115 However, a more parsimonious explanation could be that cannabis is simply more readily available (and at an earlier age) than illegal hard drugs, and alcohol/tobacco are in turn easier to obtain earlier than cannabis (though the reverse may be true in some areas), thus leading to the "gateway sequence" in those people who are most likely to experiment with any drug offered.114 A 2010 study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found that the main factors in users moving on to other drugs were age, wealth, unemployment status, and psychological stress. The study found there is no "gateway theory" and that drug use is more closely tied to a person's life situation, although marijuana users are more likely to use other drugs.122 Legal status Main article: Legality of cannabis See also: Prohibition of drugs and Drug liberalization Cannabis propaganda sheet from 1935 Since the beginning of the 20th century, most countries have enacted laws against the cultivation, possession or transfer of cannabis. These laws have impacted 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. Many jurisdictions have lessened the penalties for possession of small quantities of cannabis, so that it is punished by confiscation and sometimes a fine, rather than imprisonment, focusing more on those who traffic the drug on the black market. In some areas where cannabis use has been historically tolerated, some new restrictions have been put in place, such as the closing of cannabis coffee shops near the borders of the Netherlands,123 closing of coffee shops near secondary schools in the Netherlands and crackdowns on "Pusher Street" in Christiania, Copenhagen in 2004.124125 Some jurisdictions use free voluntary treatment programs and/or mandatory treatment programs for frequent known users. Simple possession can carry long prison terms in some countries, particularly in East Asia, where the sale of cannabis may lead to a sentence of life in prison or even execution. More recently however, many political parties, non-profit organizations and causes based on the legalization of medical cannabis and/or legalizing the plant entirely (with some restrictions) have emerged. Price The price or street value of cannabis varies strongly by region and area. In addition, some dealers may sell potent buds at a higher price.126 In the United States, cannabis is overall the #4 value crop, and is #1 or #2 in many states including California, New York and Florida, averaging $3,000/lb.127128 It is believed to generate an estimated $36 billion market.129 Most of the money is spent not on growing and producing but on smuggling the supply to buyers. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime claims in its 2008 World Drug Report that typical U.S. retail prices are 10-15 dollars per gram (approximately $290 to $430 per ounce). Street prices in North America are known to range from about $150 to $250 per ounce, depending on quality.130 The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction reports that typical retail prices in Europe for cannabis varies from 2€ to 14€ per gram, with a majority of European countries reporting prices in the range 4–10€.131 In the United Kingdom, a cannabis plant has an approximate street value of £300,132 but retails to the end-user at about £160/oz. Truth serum Cannabis was used as a truth serum by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a US government intelligence agency formed during World War II. In the early 1940s, it was the most effective truth drug developed at the OSS labs at St. Elizabeths Hospital; it caused a subject "to be loquacious and free in his impartation of information."133 In May 1943, Major George Hunter White, head of OSS counter-intelligence operations in the US, arranged a meeting with Augusto Del Gracio, an enforcer for gangster Lucky Luciano. Del Gracio was given cigarettes spiked with THC concentrate from cannabis, and subsequently talked openly about Luciano's heroin operation. On a second occasion the dosage was increased such that Del Gracio passed out for two hours.133 Breeding and cultivation Main article: Cannabis cultivation Maturing female Cannabis plant It is often claimed by growers and breeders of herbal cannabis that advances in breeding and cultivation techniques have increased the potency of cannabis since the late 1960s and early '70s, when THC was first discovered and understood. However, potent seedless marijuana such as "Thai sticks" were already available at that time. Sinsemilla (Spanish for "without seed") is the dried, seedless inflorescences of female cannabis plants. Because THC production drops off once pollination occurs, the male plants (which produce little THC themselves) are eliminated before they shed pollen to prevent pollination. Advanced cultivation techniques such as hydroponics, cloning, high-intensity artificial lighting, and the sea of green method are frequently employed as a response (in part) to prohibition enforcement efforts that make outdoor cultivation more risky. These intensive horticultural techniques have made it possible to grow strains with fewer seeds and higher potency. It is often cited that the average levels of THC in cannabis sold in United States rose dramatically between the 1970s and 2000, but such statements are likely skewed because of undue weight given to much more expensive and potent, but less prevalent samples.134 "Skunk" refers to several named strains of potent cannabis, grown through selective breeding and sometimes hydroponics. It is a cross-breed of Cannabis sativa and C. indica (although other strains of this mix exist in abundance). Skunk cannabis potency ranges usually from 6% to 15% and rarely as high as 20%. The average THC level in coffee shops in the Netherlands is about 18–19%.135 In arts and literature Les paradis artificiels by Charles Baudelaire The Hasheesh Eater by Fitz Hugh Ludlow See also Cannabis plant Bhang Hemp oil Marijuana strains One hitter (smoking) Cannabis health Smoking cessation (cannabis) Cannabis legality Cannabis political parties Global Marijuana March Legal and medical status of cannabis Legal history of cannabis in the United States Legality of cannabis by country Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act Marijuana Policy Project National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Cannabis use demographics Adult lifetime cannabis use by country Annual cannabis use by country Notes Footnotes ^ a: Weed, pot, buddha or bud, Mary Jane, grass, herb, schwag, and reefer, are among the many other nicknames for marijuana or cannabis as a drug.136 ^ b: Sources for this section and more information can be found in the Medical cannabis article Citations ^ a b John H. 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Archived from the original on 2008-06-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20080622204803/http://www.mpp.org/about/faq.html.  ^ "Risk of marijuana's 'gateway effect' overblown, new research shows". Sciencedaily.com. 2010-09-02. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100902073507.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-20.  ^ "Many Dutch coffee shops close as liberal policies change, Exaptica, 27/11/2007". Expatica.com. http://www.expatica.com/nl/leisure/arts_culture/many-dutch-coffee-shops-close-as-liberal-policies-change-46376.html. Retrieved 2010-09-20.  ^ EMCDDA Cannabis reader: Global issues and local experiences, Perspectives on Cannabis controversies, treatment and regulation in Europe, 2008, p. 157. ^ "43 Amsterdam coffee shops to close door", Radio Netherlands, Friday 21 November 2008dead link ^ "UNODC.org" (PDF). http://www.unodc.org/pdf/WDR_2005/volume_2_chap7_cannabis.pdf. Retrieved 2010-09-20.  ^ "Report on U.S. Domestic Marijuana Production". NORML. http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4444. Retrieved 2010-01-02.  ^ "Marijuana Crop Reports". NORML. http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4414. Retrieved 2010-01-02.  ^ "Marijuana Called Top U.S. Cash Crop". 2008 ABCNews Internet Ventures. http://abcnews.go.com/business/story?id=2735017&page=1.  ^ United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2008) (PDF). World drug report. United Nations Publications. p. 264. ISBN 978-92-1-148229-4. http://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr/WDR_2008/WDR_2008_eng_web.pdf.  ^ European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (2008) (PDF). Annual report: the state of the drugs problem in Europe. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. p. 38. ISBN 978-92-9168-324-6. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attachements.cfm/att_64227_EN_EMCDDA_AR08_en.pdf.  ^ Dearne Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) recovers cannabis with a street value of approximately £9,000 ^ a b Cockburn, Alexander; Jeffrey St. Clair (1998). Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs and the Press. Verso. pp. 117–118. ISBN 1859841392. http://books.google.com/?id=s5qIj_h_PtkC&printsec=frontcover#PPA118,M1.  ^ Daniel Forbes (November 19, 2002). "The Myth of Potent Pot". Slate.com. http://www.slate.com/id/2074151.  ^ "World Drug Report 2006". United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/WDR-2006.html.  Ch. 2.3. ^ "Marijuana Dictionary". http://www.marijuanadictionary.com/.  Further reading Booth, Martin (2005). Cannabis: A History. Macmillan Publishers & Random House, Inc. ISBN 978-0-312-42494-7. http://books.google.com/?id=O7AoY6ljSygC&printsec=frontcover.  External links Look up Marijuana in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Media related to Cannabis at Wikimedia Commons Wiktionary Appendix of Cannabis Slang Erowid Cannabis (Marijuana) Vault "Cannabis: a health perspective and research agenda", Programme on Substance Abuse, World Health Organization, 1997 v · d · eCannabis General Cultivation · Legality (by country) · Plant (Indica · Sativa · Ruderalis) Preparations Bhang · Cannabis foods · Cannabis tea · Green Dragon · Hashish (Charas) · Hash oil · Kief Usage Industrial use (hemp) · Medical cannabis · Recreational use · Religious and spiritual use of cannabis Effects Short-term · Long-term (dependence · withdrawal · respiratory disease) · Cannabidiol · Cannabinoids · Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) · Endocannabinoid system Notable strains Acapulco Gold · BC Bud · Holland's Hope · G-13 · Kush · Netherlands Weed · Northern Lights · Panama Red · Purple Haze · Quebec Gold · Skunk · White Widow Organizations AAMC · AMMA · ASA · BLCC · Buyers Club · CCRMG · CRC · DPA · FCA · GMM · LCA · LEAP · MAPS · MPP · NORML · OUNORML · Political Parties · POT · SAFER · SSDP · Therapeutics Alliance Culture 4/20 · Films · Magazines (Cannabis Culture · High Times) · Music Cannabis portal v · d · eCannabinoids Plant cannabinoids CBCV · CBD · CBDV · CBGM · CBGV · CBN · CBG · CBV · CBL · THC · THC-C4 · THCV Cannabinoid metabolites 8,11-DiOH-THC · 11-COOH-THC · 11-OH-THC Endogenous cannabinoids Arachidonoyl ethanolamide (Anandamide or AEA) · 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) · 2-Arachidonyl glyceryl ether (noladin ether) · Virodhamine · Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) · N-Arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA) · Oleamide · RVD-Hpα Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists Classical cannabinoids (Dibenzopyrans) A-40174 · A-41988 · A-42574 · Ajulemic acid · AM-087 · AM-411 · AM-855 · AM-905 · AM-906 · AM-919 · AM-938 · AM-4030 · AMG-1 · AMG-3 · AMG-36 · AMG-41 · Dexanabinol (HU-211) · DMHP · Dronabinol · HHC · HU-210 · JWH-051 · JWH-133 · JWH-139 · JWH-161 · JWH-229 · JWH-359 · L-759,633 · L-759,656 · Levonantradol (CP 50,5561) · Nabazenil · Nabidrox (Canbisol) · Nabilone · Nabitan · Naboctate · O-806 · O-823 · O-1057 · O-1125 · O-1238 · O-2545 · O-2694 · Parahexyl · Perrottetinene · Pirnabine · THC-O-acetate · THC-O-phosphate Nonclassical cannabinoids Cannabicyclohexanol · CP 47,497 · CP 55,244 · CP 55,940 · HU-308 · HU-331 · HU-336 · Nonabine · SPA-229 · Tinabinol · 2-Isopropyl-5-methyl-1-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-nonylphenyl)cyclohex-1-ene Benzoylindoles 1-Pentyl-3-(4-methoxybenzoyl)indole · AM-630 · AM-679 · AM-694 · AM-1241 · AM-2233 · GW-405,833 (L-768,242) · Pravadoline Naphthoylindoles AM-1220 · AM-1221 · AM-2201 · JWH-007 · JWH-015 · JWH-018 · JWH-019 · JWH-073 · JWH-081 · JWH-098 · JWH-116 · JWH-122 · JWH-149 · JWH-164 · JWH-182 · JWH-193 · JWH-198 · JWH-200 · JWH-210 · JWH-398 · WIN 55,212-2 Naphthylmethylindoles JWH-175 · JWH-184 · JWH-185 · JWH-192 · JWH-194 · JWH-195 · JWH-196 · JWH-197 · JWH-199 Phenylacetylindoles 1-(2-Cyclohexylethyl)-3-(2-methoxyphenylacetyl)indole · JWH-167 · JWH-203 · JWH-249 · JWH-250 · JWH-251 · JWH-302 Naphthoylpyrroles JWH-030 · JWH-147 · JWH-307 Eicosanoids AM-883 · Arachidonyl-2'-chloroethylamide · Arachidonylcyclopropylamide · Methanandamide · O-585 · O-689 · O-1812 · O-1860 · O-1861 Others A-796,260 · A-834,735 · A-836,339 · Abnormal cannabidiol · AZ-11713908 · BAY 38-7271 · BAY 59-3074 · CB-13 · GW-842,166X · JWH-171 · JWH-176 · Leelamine · O-1918 · O-2220 · Org 28312 · Org 28611 · SER-601 · VSN-16 Allosteric modulators of cannabinoid receptors Org 27569 · Org 27759 · Org 29647 Endocannabinoid activity enhancers AM-404 · CAY-10401 · CAY-10402 · JZL184 · N-arachidonoyl-serotonin · O-1624 · PF-04457845 · PF-622 · PF-750 · PF-3845 · URB-597 · URB-602 · URB-754 · Genistein · Arvanil · Olvanil · Kaempferol · Biochanin A Cannabinoid receptor antagonists and inverse agonists AM-251 · AM-281 · AM-630 · BML-190 · CAY-10508 · CB-25 · CB-52 · Drinabant · Hemopressin · Ibipinabant · JTE-907 · LY-320,135 · MK-9470 · NESS-0327 · O-1184 · O-1248 · O-2050 · O-2654 · Otenabant · Rimonabant · SR-144,528 · Surinabant · Taranabant · VCHSR v · d · eRecreational drug use Major recreational drugs Opioids Diacetylmorphine (heroin) • Oxycodone • Hydrocodone • Codeine • Morphine (Opium)  • Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) • Methadone • Buprenorphine (Subutex, Suboxone) • Propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet) • Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom) Depressants Barbiturates • Benzodiazepines • Ethanol (Alcoholic beverages) • GHB • Nonbenzodiazepines • Kava Stimulants Amphetamine • Arecoline (Areca) • Betel • Caffeine (Coffee - Tea) • Cathinone (Khat) • Cocaine (Coca) • Ephedrine (Ephedra) • Mephedrone • Methamphetamine • Methylphenidate • Nicotine (Tobacco) • Theobromine (Cocoa) Entactogens MDA • MDMA (Ecstasy) Hallucinogens Psychedelics Bufotenin (Yopo • Vilca • Psychoactive toads) • DMT (Ayahuasca) • LSD-25 • Mescaline (Peyote • San Pedro • Peruvian Torch) • Psilocybin & Psilocin (Psilocybin mushrooms) Dissociatives DXM • Inhalants (Nitrous oxide • alkyl nitrites – poppers such as amyl nitrite) • Ketamine • PCP • Salvinorin A (Salvia divinorum) Deliriants Datura • Deadly Nightshade • Henbane • Mandrake Cannabinoids THC (Cannabis • Hashish • Hash oil) Culture and related topics Cannabis 420 • Stoner film • Spiritual use of cannabis • Medical cannabis • Cannabis cultivation • Cannabis smoking • Legality of cannabis • Legal history of cannabis in the United States • Marijuana Policy Project • NORML Psychedelic Art • Drug • Experience • Literature • Music Other Counterculture of the 1960s • Club drug • Dance party • Drug tourism • Drug paraphernalia • Hippie • Party and play • Poly drug use • Rave • Self-medication • Sex and drugs • Spiritual use of drugs Problems with drug use Abuse • Addiction (Prevention • Opiate replacement therapy • Rehabilitation • Responsible use) • Drug-related crime • Illegal trade • Overdose Legality of drug use International 1961 Narcotic Drugs • 1971 Psychotropic Substances • 1988 Drug Trafficking State level Drug policy (Prohibition • Supply reduction • Decriminalization) • Policy reform (Liberalization • Harm reduction • Demand reduction • Drug Policy Alliance • Law Enforcement Against Prohibition • Students for Sensible Drug Policy • Transform Drug Policy Foundation) Drug policy by country Australia • Canada • Germany • Netherlands • Portugal • Sweden • Switzerland • Soviet Union • United States (Office of National Drug Control Policy • School district drug policies • Just Say No • California • Colorado • Maryland • Virginia) Other Arguments for and against drug prohibition • Designer drug • Drug court • Drug possession • Drug test • Hard and soft drugs • Mexican Drug War • Narc • Politics of drug abuse • War on Drugs • Zero tolerance Lists of countries by... Alcohol consumption • Cannabis legality (Annual use • Lifetime use) • Cocaine use • Opiate use • Cigarette consumption