(45%) Cannabis (Marijuana, Weed, Hemp, Hash, THC, CBD)

Cannabis Sativa

As a more formal name for Marijuana or Weed, Cannabis Sativa is one of the first added to this list. As there is much to say regarding this particular plant, a proper table of contents for Cannabis related needs is below.

*To look up
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High CBD straings 4% or higher

OUTLINE

-Basic Introduction to Cannabis

     -An introduction to Cannabis

-Cannabis and Hemp History

      -History of Cannabis consumption throughout time.

-Cannabis Scheduling and Legal Status

     -Scheduling and legal status of Cannabis

-Psychological and Physiological Effects

      -What is the biological effect in the brain and body?

-Cannabis Concentrates

          -Details about concentrates such as hash, hash oil, or other THC tinctures
-Cannabis and Exercise

-Personal Experience

-Experiences of Close Friends

-Other Notable Experiences

-Detection in bodily fluids

     -Detection in biological fluids, drug testing, etc.

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-Basic Introduction to Cannabis

     What is cannabis? How is it consumed? Where does it come from? Why is it consumed? Where is it popular? Having a partiality as a favorite drug, there may be some bias present.*** I quite like posing a series of questions to get thinking before addressing more relevant information.

For reference, some other names for cannabis are marijuana, weed, green, bud, piff, chronic, shwag, headies, heads, beasters, and several others***

In other languages: Mota (Spanish), ma (Chinese), asa (Japanese),

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-Cannabis and Hemp History     

One source states that there was an ancient village unearthed over 10,000 years ago with evidence of cannabis usage in hemp fiber [HempHis 1980]. The fiber was used in twisting and spinning strands innovations ending reliance on animals for fibers in clothing. Hemp was so highly regarded in ancient China that it found it's way into many areas of lifestyle from paper to shoes, and even as a symbol of power over evil [HempHis 1980]. An early form of magical medicinal use of hemp was to have a stick shaped like a snake made of hemp fibers and it would be banged on a bed in order to scare the demons out of a sick person. Although this was widely practiced from ancient China through the Middle Ages, it rarely had positive effects if the illness was organic. Occasionally a patient would recover if the illness was psychosomatic [HempHis 1980].

Although magical uses of marijuana continued to be used, the first usages of hemp as a curative medicine dates back to Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung in the 2700's BCE  [HempHis 1980]. He was an excellent farmer and he had good knowledge of plants. He was also alleged to be able to see through his abdominal wall into his stomach! Choosing himself as his own subject he sampled poisons and herbs on himself to determine curative powers and is said to have written Pen Ts’ao. This book listed hundreds of drugs derived from plant, animal, and mineral sources [HempHis 1980].  Further stated is the fact that no written version of this appeared until the first century CE. As it is unknown where the first reference comes from, what is relevant is that this book from the first century contains reference to ma the Chinese word for cannabis [HempHis 1980].

The source DEA Museum in Virginia further state early use in Ancient China when saying the oldest written record of cannabis use was Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2727 BCE [DeaMus xxxx].

In the second century CE, a newfound use of the drug spawned. Famous Chinese Surgeon Hua To is accredited for making an infusion of cannabis and wine to perform complicated surgical procedures without inflicting pain on the patient. In the tenth century CE some Chinese physicians made claims that it helped to clear blood, cool temperature, undoes rheumatism, and discharges pus [HempHis 1980].

While the Chinese were initially famous for a series of other uses for cannabis, including clothing, writing materials, and early forms of medicine, they were also the first known peoples on record to use cannabis as a psychedelic [HempHis 1980]. As some of the early Chinese viewed cannabis as a yin and yang type of plant, many did not approve of its intoxicating effects. As the growth of Taoism began happening in the 600 BCE era, anything containing yin, such as marijuana was viewed as negative, and only things with yang, the invigorating principal should be partaken. By the first century CE, Taoists began gaining interest in alchemy and magic [HempHis 1980]. Eating cannabis seeds would sometimes produce vivid spiritual hallucinations. Seeds were also added to incense burners to produce highly valued hallucinations used as a means to achieve a feeling of advancement to immortality [HempHis 1980]. Those who enjoyed marijuana as a “giver of delight” was never beyond a small number of the population however, and it was enjoyed infrequently.

While China is the earliest documented use, other regions also indicate early usage. Hemp fibers were used as clothing and in early marriage ceremonies in Japan. When the Aryans first settled in India, they were primarily a nomadic people. In this period intermarriage occurred with natives and invaders and over time Sanskrit, one of human’s earliest languages was invented. In a collection of four holy books, the Vedas, there is a telling how their god Siva brought the marijuana plant down from the Himalayas for their use and enjoyment [HempHis 1980]. The earliest known usage of bhang (a concentrate of cannabis) was indicated in the fourth book of the Vedas, the Atharaveda. It was written sometime in 2000-1400BCE and referenced the herb as one of the five kingdoms of plants that release us from anxiety [HempHis 1980].

By the 10^th century CE, it was extolled in India as a “food of the gods” and by the fifteenth century it was described in a document as “joyful”, “light-hearted”, “speech-giving”, and “inspirational”. Sixteenth century CE lead way to a printing where a judge concluded that "it produces a healthy appetite, sharpens the wits, and acts as an aphrodisiac”. Through the years in India it was rarely used as a pleasure giver but more as a spiritual-religious device [HempHis 1980].

As far west as Turkey, marijuana fibers have been found. Sifting through artifacts dating back to the time of the Phrygians, Aryans found evidence of hemp fiber [HempHis1980]. There is little evidence that cannabis was used during the time of the Pharohs and Egypt as there was a text of the time indicating hundreds of drugs and herbs and their effects but with no mention of cannabis.

 "The preparations of Cannabis Sativa L., including marijuana and hashish, represent the most widely used group of illicit drugs in the world; they are consumed by an estimated 300 million people. A recent poll by the National Institude of Drug Abuse indicated that 53% of the population in the US between ages of 18 and 25 have tried marijuana and that percentage is increasing" [CannAnal 1979 p. ix]

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-Cannabis Scheduling and Legal Status

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Medical Cannabis Use

From Cancer.gov
"Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory"

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-Psychological and Physiological Effects

What is the biology behind what happens in the body and brain?

One source in particular takes a look at the physiology and psychology behind cannabis, and although it is from 1993 it contains an expansive collection of sources from then-recent times. Delta-9 THC (D9THC) dissipates rapidly from blood plasma and is stored in fat cells where it has an approximate half-life of 5-7 days.

In the brain D9THC had very dense binding affinity in the flobus pallidus, substantia nigra pars reticulate (SNr), molecular levels in the cerebrum and hippocampal dentate gyrus. Dense binding was found in the cerebral cortex and other parts of the hippocampal formation.

They conclude that when D9THC binds to these sites, loosening of association, fragmentation of thought, and short-term memory deficits. Dense binding at the basal ganglia is partially responsible for effects in motor control. Involvement in the ventromedial striatum suggests dopamine circuitry involvement. The expected reinforcement pathways of dopamine interference are not easily distinguished with cannabis [BioPhyCan 1993]. Further information on neurotransmitter interaction between drugs can be found in the neurotransmitters section.

There are over 60 known cannabinoids [known of at this time] and most of them are not known to be psychoactive, but may also have some other effect. Although cannabinoids can still be traced in chronic users for long periods of time, intoxication is difficult to trace over extended periods of time [BioPhyCan1993].

When looking at the pulmonary effects within in the lungs at the time of this study, no single case of lung cancer can be attributed to cannabis smoking, but the possibility there being a relation cannot be ignored. The book goes further to state that combusted plant matter may be retained in the lungs even though the effects of this are also unknown [BioPhyCan 1993].

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One of my favorite aspects of cannabis that I enjoy discussing is how different ratios of cannabinoids with in cannabis can produce different effects, particularly cannabidiol.

In one study done by the BBC in a documentary “Should I Smoke Dope?” (dope referring to cannabis) the researcher actively participates in cannabis consumption on camera for the audience [BBCcan 2008]. I recommend the documentary as another point of view on the topic of cannabinoids. Near the end of the study the journalist, Nicky Taylor is presented with an intravenous shot of Delta-9 TetrahydraCannabinol (THC) and the experience is overall unenjoyable. At one point she described feelings of being at a funeral or worse… it’s described as depressing, morbid, and frightening. She felt she almost had a panic attack. She had a look of fear on her face and felt other unpleasant feelings. However, when a 50% THC 50% Cannabidiol (CBD) mixture was injected she was seen bursting into a fit of giggles. She can hardly take the experiment seriously. Scientists are trying to measure the major effects of THC on psychosis. Nicky Taylor had an increased score of psychosis on a test when having just an intravenous THC injection [BBCcan 2008].

Branching off from here,

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Sources

DeaMus xxxx

Cannabis, Coca, and Poppy: Nature's Addictive Plants

http://www.deamuseum.org/ccp/index.html

CannAnal 1979

Cannabinoid Analysis in Physiological Fluids

Library of Congress Data, American Chemical Society

Joe A. Vinson

HempHis 1980

Marijuana - The First 12,000 years

http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/history/first12000/abel.htm

Ernest L. Abel, Date Updated: (written 1980), Date Accessed: 9 March 2015

BioPhyCan 1993

A Critical review of the research literature concerning some biological and psychological effects of cannabis.

http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/nelson1.htm

Author: Peter L. Nelson, Date: 1993

BBCcan 2008

Should I Smoke Dope, BBC Documentary

Journalist: Nicky Taylor