Alcohol Rehab

Marijuana, or cannabis, has been used as a psychoactive substance since prehistoric times, whether smoked, eaten, or used as tea. It is considered a “quasi-psychedelic” because it is not strictly a hallucinogen but provides hallucinatory effects to some users. Because of those cases, it has often been made part of spiritual practices. The main active chemical is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, abbreviated THC, which triggers brain cells to release the chemical dopamine. Marijuana is the dried leaves and flower tops of the cannabis hemp plant, grown throughout the world. “Pot” is a common nickname for marijuana. In fact, there are hundreds of slang terms for marijuana, including ganja, weed, grass, herb, Mary Jane, gangster, and sinsemilla. Hashish is a stronger version of marijuana, made from concentrated resins of the cannabis plant and smoked as cigarettes or in pipes called bongs. While widely used, it is an illegal controlled substance in most parts of the world.

Marijuana makes people feel high because of its effect on dopamine levels, but the drug is characterized more as a hallucinogen because it can create varieties of hallucinations. Marijuana’s effects on the user depend on its strength, related to the amount of THC it contains. The THC content of marijuana has been increasing since the 1970s, so what was once considered a mild substance now has more potentially ill effects. Short-term effects include euphoria, slowed thinking and reaction time, confusion, and impaired balance and coordination. Longer-term effects can include memory and learning problems, distorted perception, and difficulty thinking. Cannabis can cause physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms.