Cannabis, Hemp and Marijuana (Dagga)

There is a general misconception that hemp and marijuana are one and the same. The fact is that there are huge differences between the two. Though they are related and of the same family, Cannabis sativa L., hemp and marijuana (pot) are not the same plant.

Hemp is a fibrous plant that is farmed for making many products such as textiles, construction materials, oil, food and of course paper. There are many other uses for it, but these are the most common ones. Another thing you should be aware of is that hemp is closely associated with marijuana. Many people think that they're the same plant, when in fact they are not.

The first major and most notable difference between hemp and marijuana is their chemical composition. The marijuana plant is very high in THC, a psychoactive ingredient that is desirable to people who smoke it for recreation. Hemp contains very small amounts of THC; it would be impossible to smoke enough to feel any mind altering effects.

The second quality that differentiates between the two plants is that hemp grows a large amount of fibrous material, and marijuana does not. This material is useful and has many applications in industry; it can be used to make textiles, building materials, paper, rope and oil, to name just a few. The seeds of the hemp plant are also a highly nutritious food source that is gaining in popularity, especially for people that are interested in eating whole, natural foods.

When comparing the two plants, it is easy to see that hemp is more versatile and useful for us. It has a long history of use by people that goes back ten to twelve thousand years. Since around the 1950's it has been illegal to grow in the United States, and has been compared to marijuana unfairly since that time. It is good for people to be made aware of the difference between the two, because hemp can benefit the entire planet; it requires very little pesticides to grow successfully and it can be used to make environmentally friendly products.

Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative varieties, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.

This illegal drug is known as cannabis or marijuana (dagga, in South Africa)

Marijuana

Marijuana refers to the flowers clusters/buds of the Cannabis Sativa. It may include leaves, stems and seeds. Higher quality marijuana is made using only the dried flowering buds of the plant, while other marijuana may include leaves, stems,and seeds.

Marijuana belongs to the Cannabis Sativa; a plant containg tetrahydracannibonol, more commonly known as THC, the active ingredient which provides an existential like state of cosmic interaction known as being high. Several different varieties exist, including Sativa and Indica. The bud's physical qualities include tiny red/brown hairs and a white crystalline powder coating.

Marijuana is usually grown, dried and then rolled and smoked or used in a pipe or bong. It can also be eaten; it is usually cooked and added to brownie or cookie mixtures. It is sold according to its dried weight in either ounces or grams. The price will vary depending on the quality, amount and/or your dealer. Marijuana is illegal in most western countries, but has currently been decriminalized in Britain. Amsterdam is one country in which the controlled and moderated use of marijuana is not illegal. It can also be cultivated in a solid resinous form known as Hashish or Hash.

Images. 1) Cannabis Sativa flowering phase and 2) Sativa bud/flower

Leaves from the cannabis plant are bright green and have a distinctive shape with five or seven leaflets.

The flowering tops and upper leaves are covered in a sticky resin.

Images. 1) Marijuana and 2) Marijuana seeds.

Images. 1) Bubba_Kush. one high-quality bud nugget of marijuana and Cannabis sativa bud. 2) Some Dutch green.

Images. 1)Trichomes on Cannabis, rich in cannabinoids. Trichomes ("Trikhoma meaning hair") are fine outgrowths or appen dages on plant and certain protists.

These are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. 2) Volcano vaporizer filling up a bag of dank vapor.

Hemp

Hemp is a natural, long-lasting, as well as gentle fiber of cannabis plants. It is collected from the strain of Sativa kind of plants. These plants develop 15-20 feet in height. These types of plants do not have recreational value since it has small psychoactive compound levels. Here are just a few examples of the hemp plants many uses. Paper that is made from hemp fibers can be recycled up to ten times; tree paper can only be recycled twice.

It would be wonderful if we never had to cut down another tree to make sticky notes or toilet paper to flush down the toilet ever again. Another benefit is that hemp produces more useable material per acre than cotton crops and requires less water to grow. Its fibers are also stronger, more durable and resistant to mold. France grows hemp and uses it to make building materials such as concrete and plaster. Ireland uses it for insulation and hemp boards. And this is just the beginning, as there are so many other benefits that we can reap from this misunderstood plant.

Hemp plant and Hemp seeds.

Street names for Cannabis and Marijuana

Grass, pot, hash, weed, reefer, dope, herb, mull, buddha, ganja, joint, stick, buckets, cones, skunk, hydro, yarndi, smoke, hooch, bud, Mary Jane, cheeba, Ganja, shake, chronic, hemp, green gold.

Smoking marijuana

Marijuana are usually smoked, either in a pipe (metal, glass, ceramic, stone, wood pipes) or a water pipe (bongs), cigarettes (joints), or cigars (blunts). Blunts are cigars that are emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana. Spliff - A joint (marijuana cigarette)sometimes rolled with half weed, half tobaco, or sprinkled along the bud.

Cannabis smoking is the inhalation of vapors released by heating the flowers, leaves, or extracts of the Cannabis plants, known as marijuana. Smoking releases the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), also known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which is absorbed into the bloodstream via the lungs.

"Weed is weed don't matter how you smoke as long as you get that great high going." (weed smoker)

"The best way to get high is a joint of hard weed u can roll it big, small, plain or not and you can take it

anywhere" (weed smoker)

A Joint and a glass bong and glass pipes

Sub products of Cannabis

Kief

A) Kief

This is a powdered compound full of trichomes. It is prepared from the leaves and flowers of cannabis plants. It can be consumed either in powdered form/compressed form. These cakes are known as hashish. Kief/ keef sometimes called kef/kif. This means "Well-being or Pleasure." It is the resin, known as trichomes, accrued from cannabis. From loose, dried up, cannabis buds; it accumulates inside containers via a net or filter. Concentration of THC is high in kief. It is easy to store and to deliver. Kief is vaporized and inhaled in its powder form.

Hash. Hash or Hashish, Consisting of the main Cannabinoids THC/THCA. The main forms of hashish, bubble hash,

and hash oil are produced from Psychoactive Cannabinoids for recreational use to get "high" or for medical use to treat

the pain involved with many illnesses and conditions, such as Cancer and HIV/AIDS, etc. Photo by Mullaways

B) Hashish

Hashish, hasheesh, hashisha, or simply hash. It is a resin in concentrated form. It is extracted from cannabis plant. It has strong effect than marijuana. User devour in either ways, through smoking or by chewing. Based on limpidness, shade differs from Dark to golden brown. It is a preparation of cannabis by compressing stalked resin known as trichomes. This is obtained from the buds, which are unfertilized, from the cannabis plants. It also contains THC but in much concentrated form, compared to unseperated buds or leaves.

Hashish, a cake/paste-like substance, varies in hardness and malleability. Common color is light and dark brown. Other shades could vary towards green, yellow, black, or red. Hashish is blended with cannabis buds or tobacco then warmed and smoked. It is popularly smoked with glass-pipe/hookah/ bong/ bubbler/vaporizer/hot knife and or with joints.

C) Hash-Oil

It is popular as BHO (butane honey oil). Hash-Oil is actually a mixture of essential oils and resins. Mature cannabis plants are processed by mixing various solvents to extract resin. It contains higher percentage of cannabinoids i.e., 40% to 90%, THC may differ in between 70% to 90%. Hence, hash-oil is a highly concentrated product. It is usually used in variety of cannabis foods. Nevertheless, honey oil is a particular type of hash-oil produced from the more effective areas of the cannabis plant. Hash oil is conventionally a dark, sticky fluid.

Hash oils can be consumed in various ways. Such as via smoking, vaporizing method, or may be orally. Evidence is there that Hash-oil too has anti-carcinogenic properties. Mind that it is classified as a "schedule 1 controlled substance" in the US Federal law. Hence, it is a crime to possess such kind of compound. The UNODC details that 1) Marijuana - 5% THC content, 2) Resin - THC content is 20% and 3) THC content is 60% in Hash-oil.

Negative effects of Marijuana

Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in United States and is obtained from dried flower, stem, leaves, and seeds of female cannabis plant. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug and abused as it gives a sense of high or euphoria and relaxation. Marijuana contains 400 chemicals, of which 60 are cannabinoids. The most active psychoactive cannabinoid in Marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC that leads to harmful health effects like increased heart rate, low blood pressure, respiratory and immune system problems, anxiety, and can even cause cancer.

Effect on Brain

When Marijuana is smoked, THC, the active chemical ingredient in Marijuana gets immediately dissolves in blood and carried to brain and other parts of body. The THC affects the activity of brain by binding to the cannabinoid receptors in brain. Since cannabinoid receptors have higher density in parts of brain that control concentration, pleasure, memory, coordinated movements and more, the person abusing Marijuana suffers from memory loss, lack of coordination, distorted perception, problems in cognitive abilities, thinking and problem solving difficulties etc due to affected receptors. Chronic Marijuana use is also associated with increase in anxiety, suicidal tendency, depression, and schizophrenia.

Effect on Heart

Smoking Marijuana can increase the heart rate suddenly and this effect can last for 3-4 hours. The increased heart rate further increases the chances of heart attack in the first hour after smoking Marijuana. The risk of Marijuana abuser suffering from heart attack also increases due to disturbances in heart rhythms that lead to palpitations and arrhythmias. The aged people having heart complications stand at greater risk of suffering from heart attack due to Marijuana abuse.

Effect on Lungs

Smoking Marijuana can deposit 4 times more tar in lungs than smoking normal cigarettes. Marijuana smoke is damaging to lungs as it also contains more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Carcinogens are chemical substances that can cause cancer. Marijuana smokers normally inhale the smoke deeply and hold their breath for longer time. Thus, the carcinogenic smoke remains in contact with epithelial lining of lungs for longer time and damages it. Also, Marijuana smokers suffer from other respiratory ailments like cough and phlegm production, acute chest illness, increased risk of lung infections, and other respiratory illnesses.

Effect on Liver

The effects of Marijuana abuse on liver are still being researched. Marijuana alone can not be credited to cause liver damage but the impurities and other plant residues that come along with Marijuana can be detrimental to the liver. Marijuana abuse can severely affect the liver function if the person is suffering from ailments like Hepatitis C infection, HIV, Cirrhosis, Hepatomegaly and more.

Effect on Daily Life

Marijuana abuse has severe implications on health, mental well-being, family life, social relations, and on career of the indivi- dual. Marijuana abuse can disturb the daily life as the person suffers from memory loss, health complications, decreased thinking and problem solving abilities etc. Marijuana abuse leads to increased absenteeism, inability to concentrate, accidents, tardiness, job turnover, cognitive impairment and more.

Marijuana abuse especially among college students and adolescents needs to be curbed as it can lead to abuse of more severe illicit drug and act as a gateway drug. Dependence on Marijuana can be effectively treated through proper behavioral interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational incentives.

Sources.

Wikipedia

Dispelling Myths About Hemp and Marijuana by Lanie Robinson.

Information of Cannabis by Reuel Sarkar


	Home Cannabis, Hemp and Marijuana (Dagga) Illegal Drugs Date Rape Drugs Crack Addiction An Analysis of Crystal Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth) Addiction The Truth About Ecstasy What You Need To Know About LSD Side Effects of Cocaine Abuse on Health Cannabis, Hemp and Marijuana (Dagga) There is a general misconception that hemp and marijuana are one and the same. The fact is that there are huge differences between the two. Though they are related and of the same family, Cannabis sativa L., hemp and marijuana (pot) are not the same plant. Hemp is a fibrous plant that is farmed for making many products such as textiles, construction materials, oil, food and of course paper. There are many other uses for it, but these are the most common ones. Another thing you should be aware of is that hemp is closely associated with marijuana. Many people think that they're the same plant, when in fact they are not. The first major and most notable difference between hemp and marijuana is their chemical composition. The marijuana plant is very high in THC, a psychoactive ingredient that is desirable to people who smoke it for recreation. Hemp contains very small amounts of THC; it would be impossible to smoke enough to feel any mind altering effects. The second quality that differentiates between the two plants is that hemp grows a large amount of fibrous material, and marijuana does not. This material is useful and has many applications in industry; it can be used to make textiles, building materials, paper, rope and oil, to name just a few. The seeds of the hemp plant are also a highly nutritious food source that is gaining in popularity, especially for people that are interested in eating whole, natural foods. When comparing the two plants, it is easy to see that hemp is more versatile and useful for us. It has a long history of use by people that goes back ten to twelve thousand years. Since around the 1950's it has been illegal to grow in the United States, and has been compared to marijuana unfairly since that time. It is good for people to be made aware of the difference between the two, because hemp can benefit the entire planet; it requires very little pesticides to grow successfully and it can be used to make environmentally friendly products. Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative varieties, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. This illegal drug is known as cannabis or marijuana (dagga, in South Africa) Marijuana Marijuana refers to the flowers clusters/buds of the Cannabis Sativa. It may include leaves, stems and seeds. Higher quality marijuana is made using only the dried flowering buds of the plant, while other marijuana may include leaves, stems,and seeds. Marijuana belongs to the Cannabis Sativa; a plant containg tetrahydracannibonol, more commonly known as THC, the active ingredient which provides an existential like state of cosmic interaction known as being high. Several different varieties exist, including Sativa and Indica. The bud's physical qualities include tiny red/brown hairs and a white crystalline powder coating. Marijuana is usually grown, dried and then rolled and smoked or used in a pipe or bong. It can also be eaten; it is usually cooked and added to brownie or cookie mixtures. It is sold according to its dried weight in either ounces or grams. The price will vary depending on the quality, amount and/or your dealer. Marijuana is illegal in most western countries, but has currently been decriminalized in Britain. Amsterdam is one country in which the controlled and moderated use of marijuana is not illegal. It can also be cultivated in a solid resinous form known as Hashish or Hash. Images. 1) Cannabis Sativa flowering phase and 2) Sativa bud/flower Leaves from the cannabis plant are bright green and have a distinctive shape with five or seven leaflets. The flowering tops and upper leaves are covered in a sticky resin. Images. 1) Marijuana and 2) Marijuana seeds. Images. 1) Bubba_Kush. one high-quality bud nugget of marijuana and Cannabis sativa bud. 2) Some Dutch green. Images. 1)Trichomes on Cannabis, rich in cannabinoids. Trichomes ("Trikhoma meaning hair") are fine outgrowths or appen dages on plant and certain protists. These are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. 2) Volcano vaporizer filling up a bag of dank vapor. Hemp Hemp is a natural, long-lasting, as well as gentle fiber of cannabis plants. It is collected from the strain of Sativa kind of plants. These plants develop 15-20 feet in height. These types of plants do not have recreational value since it has small psychoactive compound levels. Here are just a few examples of the hemp plants many uses. Paper that is made from hemp fibers can be recycled up to ten times; tree paper can only be recycled twice. It would be wonderful if we never had to cut down another tree to make sticky notes or toilet paper to flush down the toilet ever again. Another benefit is that hemp produces more useable material per acre than cotton crops and requires less water to grow. Its fibers are also stronger, more durable and resistant to mold. France grows hemp and uses it to make building materials such as concrete and plaster. Ireland uses it for insulation and hemp boards. And this is just the beginning, as there are so many other benefits that we can reap from this misunderstood plant. Hemp plant and Hemp seeds. Street names for Cannabis and Marijuana Grass, pot, hash, weed, reefer, dope, herb, mull, buddha, ganja, joint, stick, buckets, cones, skunk, hydro, yarndi, smoke, hooch, bud, Mary Jane, cheeba, Ganja, shake, chronic, hemp, green gold. Smoking marijuana Marijuana are usually smoked, either in a pipe (metal, glass, ceramic, stone, wood pipes) or a water pipe (bongs), cigarettes (joints), or cigars (blunts). Blunts are cigars that are emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana. Spliff - A joint (marijuana cigarette)sometimes rolled with half weed, half tobaco, or sprinkled along the bud. Cannabis smoking is the inhalation of vapors released by heating the flowers, leaves, or extracts of the Cannabis plants, known as marijuana. Smoking releases the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), also known as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which is absorbed into the bloodstream via the lungs. "Weed is weed don't matter how you smoke as long as you get that great high going." (weed smoker) "The best way to get high is a joint of hard weed u can roll it big, small, plain or not and you can take it anywhere" (weed smoker) A Joint and a glass bong and glass pipes Sub products of Cannabis Kief A) Kief This is a powdered compound full of trichomes. It is prepared from the leaves and flowers of cannabis plants. It can be consumed either in powdered form/compressed form. These cakes are known as hashish. Kief/ keef sometimes called kef/kif. This means "Well-being or Pleasure." It is the resin, known as trichomes, accrued from cannabis. From loose, dried up, cannabis buds; it accumulates inside containers via a net or filter. Concentration of THC is high in kief. It is easy to store and to deliver. Kief is vaporized and inhaled in its powder form. Hash. Hash or Hashish, Consisting of the main Cannabinoids THC/THCA. The main forms of hashish, bubble hash, and hash oil are produced from Psychoactive Cannabinoids for recreational use to get "high" or for medical use to treat the pain involved with many illnesses and conditions, such as Cancer and HIV/AIDS, etc. Photo by Mullaways B) Hashish Hashish, hasheesh, hashisha, or simply hash. It is a resin in concentrated form. It is extracted from cannabis plant. It has strong effect than marijuana. User devour in either ways, through smoking or by chewing. Based on limpidness, shade differs from Dark to golden brown. It is a preparation of cannabis by compressing stalked resin known as trichomes. This is obtained from the buds, which are unfertilized, from the cannabis plants. It also contains THC but in much concentrated form, compared to unseperated buds or leaves. Hashish, a cake/paste-like substance, varies in hardness and malleability. Common color is light and dark brown. Other shades could vary towards green, yellow, black, or red. Hashish is blended with cannabis buds or tobacco then warmed and smoked. It is popularly smoked with glass-pipe/hookah/ bong/ bubbler/vaporizer/hot knife and or with joints. C) Hash-Oil It is popular as BHO (butane honey oil). Hash-Oil is actually a mixture of essential oils and resins. Mature cannabis plants are processed by mixing various solvents to extract resin. It contains higher percentage of cannabinoids i.e., 40% to 90%, THC may differ in between 70% to 90%. Hence, hash-oil is a highly concentrated product. It is usually used in variety of cannabis foods. Nevertheless, honey oil is a particular type of hash-oil produced from the more effective areas of the cannabis plant. Hash oil is conventionally a dark, sticky fluid. Hash oils can be consumed in various ways. Such as via smoking, vaporizing method, or may be orally. Evidence is there that Hash-oil too has anti-carcinogenic properties. Mind that it is classified as a "schedule 1 controlled substance" in the US Federal law. Hence, it is a crime to possess such kind of compound. The UNODC details that 1) Marijuana - 5% THC content, 2) Resin - THC content is 20% and 3) THC content is 60% in Hash-oil. Negative effects of Marijuana Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in United States and is obtained from dried flower, stem, leaves, and seeds of female cannabis plant. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug and abused as it gives a sense of high or euphoria and relaxation. Marijuana contains 400 chemicals, of which 60 are cannabinoids. The most active psychoactive cannabinoid in Marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC that leads to harmful health effects like increased heart rate, low blood pressure, respiratory and immune system problems, anxiety, and can even cause cancer. Effect on Brain When Marijuana is smoked, THC, the active chemical ingredient in Marijuana gets immediately dissolves in blood and carried to brain and other parts of body. The THC affects the activity of brain by binding to the cannabinoid receptors in brain. Since cannabinoid receptors have higher density in parts of brain that control concentration, pleasure, memory, coordinated movements and more, the person abusing Marijuana suffers from memory loss, lack of coordination, distorted perception, problems in cognitive abilities, thinking and problem solving difficulties etc due to affected receptors. Chronic Marijuana use is also associated with increase in anxiety, suicidal tendency, depression, and schizophrenia. Effect on Heart Smoking Marijuana can increase the heart rate suddenly and this effect can last for 3-4 hours. The increased heart rate further increases the chances of heart attack in the first hour after smoking Marijuana. The risk of Marijuana abuser suffering from heart attack also increases due to disturbances in heart rhythms that lead to palpitations and arrhythmias. The aged people having heart complications stand at greater risk of suffering from heart attack due to Marijuana abuse. Effect on Lungs Smoking Marijuana can deposit 4 times more tar in lungs than smoking normal cigarettes. Marijuana smoke is damaging to lungs as it also contains more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Carcinogens are chemical substances that can cause cancer. Marijuana smokers normally inhale the smoke deeply and hold their breath for longer time. Thus, the carcinogenic smoke remains in contact with epithelial lining of lungs for longer time and damages it. Also, Marijuana smokers suffer from other respiratory ailments like cough and phlegm production, acute chest illness, increased risk of lung infections, and other respiratory illnesses. Effect on Liver The effects of Marijuana abuse on liver are still being researched. Marijuana alone can not be credited to cause liver damage but the impurities and other plant residues that come along with Marijuana can be detrimental to the liver. Marijuana abuse can severely affect the liver function if the person is suffering from ailments like Hepatitis C infection, HIV, Cirrhosis, Hepatomegaly and more. Effect on Daily Life Marijuana abuse has severe implications on health, mental well-being, family life, social relations, and on career of the indivi- dual. Marijuana abuse can disturb the daily life as the person suffers from memory loss, health complications, decreased thinking and problem solving abilities etc. Marijuana abuse leads to increased absenteeism, inability to concentrate, accidents, tardiness, job turnover, cognitive impairment and more. Marijuana abuse especially among college students and adolescents needs to be curbed as it can lead to abuse of more severe illicit drug and act as a gateway drug. Dependence on Marijuana can be effectively treated through proper behavioral interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational incentives. Sources. Wikipedia Dispelling Myths About Hemp and Marijuana by Lanie Robinson. Information of Cannabis by Reuel Sarkar