Effects of cannabis

 

The effects of any drug vary from person to person.  It depends on many factors including an individual's size, weight and health, how the drug is taken, how much is taken, whether the person is used to taking it, the person's mood and whether other drugs are taken.  The effects also depend on the environment in which the drug is used - for example, whether the person is alone, with others, or in a social setting.  The quality and purity of the drug used will also influence its effects.

Immediate effects

Small quantities of cannabis can have effects that last 2-3 hours after smoking and may include:   

• relaxation and loss of inhibition
• drowsiness
• increased appetite (the munchies)
• increased awareness and altered perception of colour, sound, vision, time and space
• impaired coordination
• loss of short-term memory
• altered perception of thought processes (may believe they've experienced profound ideas or insights)
• increased heart rate, low blood pressure, faintness and reddened eyes

In greater quantities

Larger quantities of marijuana make the above effects stronger, and also tend to distort a person's perceptions.   Very large quantities of marijuana can produce:

• confusion
• restlessness
• feelings of excitement
• hallucinations
• anxiety or panic, or detachment from reality
• decreased reaction time
• paranoia

Long-term effects

• traces of THC can remain detectable in urine samples for days, even weeks, after use
• respiratory illness
• reduced motivation
• reduced brain function
• hormonal imbalances leading to lowered libido and infertility