One commonly used drug is cannabis (marijuana), which consists of dried parts of the plant Cannibis sativa or Cannibis indica. The main psycho-active ingredient in this plant is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol.
Many people either smoke or use vaporizers when using this drug. People can also mix the plant into food (commonly called edibles). There are several short-term (e.g. altered senses, changes in mood) and long-term effects (e.g. impairment in memory, thinking, and learning) from the use of cannabis. Health risks include breathing problems, lower birth weight in infants if used during pregnancy, and mental health problems.
There have been several research studies looking at medical uses for cannabis, in particular two drugs within it which are THC and CBD. The Food and Drug Administration does not currently consider cannabis to be a medicine, however, several laws around the US has made it legal to use cannabis for medical reasons. This may include managing nausea when on chemotherapy for cancer, or for treatment of epilepsy.
Some US states have also started to allow recreational cannabis use – see the map here – https://www.cbsnews.com/news/legal-weed-map-states/. In New York, cannabis has been legalized for medical and recreational use, though there are limits to how much one person can possess, and where people should buy cannabis. However, this drug is still considered illegal on the federal level. This puts cannabis in a strange position in terms of enforcement. If the federal government decides to enforce their laws, people in the states with legalized cannabis may be at risk. Additionally, many states still have people serving prison sentences for cannabis offenses, even though the drug has been legalized.
As with most psychoactive drugs, people can abuse cannabis and can develop cannabis use disorder. There are behavioral treatments available.
