HOW IS IT USED?

Marijuana consists of dried leaves, stems, flowers and seeds of the cannabis plant. It is usually green, brown or gray.

Hashish is tan, brown or black resin that is dried and formed into bars, sticks or balls. When smoked, both marijuana and hashish give off a distinctive odor.

Marijuana can be smoked as a cigarette (called a joint), in a dry pipe or in a water pipe (called a bong). Chemically extracted and genetically modified molecules from the cannabis plant can be vaped. Sometimes users open up cigars and replace the tobacco with marijuana (called a blunt). It can also be mixed into food (called edibles) or brewed as tea. Edibles are covered in detail later in this booklet.¹

When a person inhales marijuana smoke, they usually feel the effects within minutes. THC quickly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, reaching the brain and other organs. THC overactivates parts of the brain, causing a high. Immediate sensations—such as increased heart rate, reduced coordination and balance and a “dreamy” state—peak within 30 minutes. These effects typically last two to three hours or longer, depending on the amount taken and the THC’s potency.²

As the typical user inhales more smoke and holds it longer than he would with a cigarette, smoking marijuana creates a severe impact on the lungs.³ Researchers have found that marijuana smokers inhale similar toxins to those inhaled by cigarette smokers, but marijuana reduces the blood’s oxygen-carrying ability five times more than cigarettes.⁴