Cannabis use: context and controversy

ABSTRACT

Cannabis and its most active ingredient delta-9 tetrahdrocannabinol (THC) are derived from the plants cannabis indica and cannabis sativa which were transported to Trinidad during the indentureship period. Locally referred to as marijuana, ganja, hashish, pot and weed, the substance was originally intended for medicinal purposes but due to its hallucinatory and euphoric effects has found a place in creativity, religion and as a street drug of abuse. The lethality of this drug is increased when the smoke is inhaled directly, facilitating easy entry into the blood stream and quick absorption into the brain. Commercial cannabis is compressed, soaked in embalming oil and spices for removal of the scent in order to facilitate smuggling and these preservatives in themselves may have adverse effects. Despite reports of its use as a drug associated with artistic creativity in the 1970's, cannabis remains today a serious drug of abuse both by adolescents and adults and a major problem in the educational system. This chapter reviews the clinical effects of marijuana use, its relationship with suicide, mood disorders, psychoses and other mental disorders and discusses controversies associated with the decriminalization and de-legalization. Those who support the latter have not looked far enough.