Cocaine is a Narcotic drug that is made from a coca plant. It is highly addictive.
Diazepam: This is a narcotic drug commonly known as Valium
Fact Files: This is a leaf of Cannabis
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CANNABIS A DANGER TO YOUR LIFE……!
What is cannabis?
Cannabis is a plant grown in most parts of the world and it is in three families. These are:
Cannabis Indica
Cannabis Ruderalis
Cannabis Sativa
The one which is grown in our country is Cannabis Sativa because it suits all the Zambian climatic conditions.
Cannabis’s effects mainly fall into three and these are depressants, hallucinogen and stimulants. These effects will differ from an individual to an individual because these effects can be influenced by the weight, age, the quantity of cannabis and how often is used per day etc.
On the street cannabis is known as
Draw
Blow
Weed
Ganja
Hash
Kansimbi
Dope
Puff
Dagga
Maryjane
Dobo
The drug contains about 421 Cancer causing cannabinoids in it’s raw form, when heated the number of cannabinoids increases from 421 to 2,000 chemicals. It’s major psychoactive ingredient is the delta -9 tetrahydro cannabinol (THC)
The THC found in cannabis imbeds itself in the fatty tissues of the body, which makes it take time to leave the body. The concentration of the THC in a pull can last for as long as six hours. The drug is in three forms:
Marijuana
This is the dried leaves, flowers or stems of the cannabis plant.
Hashish cake
This is the dried dark secretion of the flowering tops of the cannabis plant, which is made into powder and is compressed into slabs or cakes.
Hashish oil
This is a liquid extracted from either the dried plant or the resin.
Marijuana is usually smoked.
Hashish oil is usually laced with ordinary cigarettes and smoked.
Hashish cake is usually mixed with any beverage and drank.
EFFECTS OF ABUSING CANNABIS
It distorts the senses, especially when it comes to color, taste, vision and hearing and imagining objects/ things which do not exist.
It can leave people feeling drowsy and lacking energy.
Hashish may cause craving for certain foods.
Can cause Bronchitis/Bronchial Asthma
Affects short- term memory and ability to concentrate.
Affects co-ordination, increasing the risk of accidents
Impaired motor skills.
It can make the user paranoid and anxious, depending on their mood, experiences and expectations.
It can affect the reproductive system in a man by reducing the sperm count. In a female, cannabis can make them experience irregular menstrual cycles, which affects the reproductive system, and suppresses the immune system.
Long term use may increase the risk of respiratory disorders, including lung cancer.
