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CANNABIS |
ALCOHOL |
TOBACCO |
Official
Names |
Cannabis, Marijuana, Cannabis resin (of Afghanistan or Pakistan), Hashish (of Morocco, Lebanon, Turkey etc). Sinsemelia (non seed bearing plant).
Active ingredient = THC (Tetra-hydro-cannabinol). |
Spirits - Whisky, Gin, Vodka, Rum.
Beers - Ale, Bitter, Lager.
Wines - Red, White, Rose.
Fortified Wines - Port, Sherry, etc.
Active ingredient - Alcohol |
Cigarette, Cigar
Rolling tobacco, pipe tobacco
Snuff for nasal snorting
Chewing tobacco
Active ingredient - Nicotine |
Other
Names |
Smoke, Dope, Pot, Shit, Gear, Hash, Leb, Rocky, Black, Weed, Grass, Skunk, Bush, (of plant's dried leaves, flower tops etc). |
Booze, Hooch, Plonk.. |
Weed, Fag, Snout, Coffin Nail. |
Amount &
How Taken |
Small amounts smoked in joints, pipes or bongs. Imbibed in cakes or tea. Nowadays can also be vaped, that is, used in a vaporizer instead of smoking. |
Spirits - as short measures, usually a single or double at a time. Beer - in pints, usually a half or one pint at a time. Wines etc - Usually one small glass at a time. Drunk. |
One cigarette or cigar, or pipe load of tobacco, or if chewed, a 'pinch' at a time. Now can also be vaped or nicotine vapour can be inhaled by using electronic cigarettes. |
Effect
Duration |
On one drink, smoke, cake etc - 2 to 4 hours depending on type and quality of gear. Over indulging the occasion causes nausea, sometimes causing one to 'crash out' - sleep. |
On a mild drink usually 2 to 4 hours. Longer if drinking is heavier in amount or stronger in alcoholic content, as in spirits etc. |
Variable 20 mins or so, for a heavy smoker, 2 - 4 hrs for a light or non-smoker. |
Short Term
Effects |
Relaxation, euphoria, often, increased appetite (munchies), alteration of perception, impairment of judgement and co-ordination. Some people, especially female, sometimes feel tiredness. |
Central nervous system depressant, relaxation, sometimes euphoria, drowsiness, impaired judgement, co-ordination, reaction time, and emotional control, frequent aggressive behaviour. Cause of accidents. |
Central Nervous System stimulant, relaxation, calming of nerves. |
Long Term
Effects |
Usually none if used sparingly, although with persistent and heavy daily use over a long period (months to years), loss of short term memory and impairment to clarity of thought. |
Possible obesity with chronic excessive use, irreversible damage to brain and liver, addiction with severe withdrawal illness (DTs), habituation. |
Lung and other cancer. Heart & blood vessel disease. Bronchial trouble, cough etc. Habituation. |
Medical
Uses |
Treatment of depression, tension (also PMT), loss of appetite, nervous disorders, sexual maladjustment and narcotic addiction. Relief for multiple sclerosis sufferers. Widely recognised & used for thousands of years. |
Rare, sometimes used as a sedative. Studies show that moderate use can have some medicinal benefits including lowering risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, common, cold, gallstones and dementia |
Used externally in the past to treat a variety of problems including skin rashes, toothache, rattlesnake and insect bites, rheumatism, pain relief, etc |
Other
Uses |
Relaxation, recreation, listening to music etc, highly social drug inspiring friendship and good behaviour can be used to get 'out of it' for fun or as an escape if so desired. |
To get high, to relax, to escape from tensions and various problems, to rid inhibitions. Social events and parties. Accompaniment with meals. |
For a pick up or stimulation, to calm nerves, sometimes we smoke to pass time, relieve boredom etc, whilst waiting for an event to take place. |
Dependence
Potential |
Slight for average regular users. Can become habitual as people look forward to enjoying and relaxing. |
Slight for average regular users. People start to look forward to having a drink and unwinding. |
Very high for anyone as they soon reach a state of addiction where it becomes very hard to go without. |
Psychological
Dependence
Potential |
Moderate, possible social habit forming as it becomes the custom to get stoned as part of one's lifestyle |
Moderate, possible social habit forming as it becomes the custom to have a drink as part of one's lifestyle |
High for regular users because of the body's addiction and dependence on nicotine to redress the chemical imbalance and feel at ease.
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Physical
Dependence
Potential |
Yes for regular users. |
Yes for regular users. |
Yes for regular users. |
Possible
Withdrawal
Symptoms |
For regular daily users can include insomnia, vivid dreams, anxiety, feelings of nervousness, depression, moodiness, irritability, loss of appetite, abdominal pains, nausea, headaches, sweating, fever, chills, restlessness and marijuana cravings. |
For serious alcoholic addiction can include trembling hands, sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, lack of appetite. Severe physical side effects can include convulsions, confusion, fever and even hallucinations. |
Can include irritability, temper tantrums, feelings of dependency, insomnia, mental confusion, vagueness, anxiety, depression, tingling in the hands and feet, sweating, intestinal disorders (cramps, nausea), headache, cold symptoms, sore throats and coughing as the lungs begin to clear.
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Tolerance
Potential |
Yes, for regular users. |
Yes, for regular users. |
Yes, for regular users. |
Abuse
Potential |
Open to abuse and over use. |
Open to abuse and over use. |
Moderate but regular as it is so habitually addictive. |
Overdose
Potential |
No fatal overdose potential but over indulgence can make you feel ill. |
Fatal overdose potential through alcoholic poisoning if enough drunk and will certainly make you feel ill. |
No fatal overdose potential through smoking, chewing, or snorting, but over indulgence can make you feel ill. |
Legal
Regulation |
Used to be available on prescription, then replaced by Valium & Librium, etc. Now illegal to possess, sell or cultivate in many but not all countries. Lumped in with hard drugs. |
Available in many forms without limitation to anyone over the age of eighteen. Regulations on drinking and driving and licensing on the sale of and opening hours. |
Available without limit, with some restrictions on advertising and proviso of printing of a Government health warning on packets and adverts, etc.
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Other
Remarks |
Can be hallucinogenic in larger amounts. Widely misunderstood by many. Not as problematic as alcohol or as addictive as tobacco. All too often lumped in with heroin and other hard drugs. Renowned for love & peace etc. Highly social, good fun and non-violent. Although illegal it is still widely used by people of all ages and professions. |
Perhaps more problematic and habit forming than currently recognised or admitted to. Not wise to drink too heavily or everyday. Highly socially habit forming as many people drink in pubs with friends on a regular basis and at home in the evenings. Too much and too often can also contribute to significant weight gain. |
More dangerous and addictive than we have previously been led to believe. If one tiny pin prick of nicotine was to get into the blood stream it would kill without fail. Doctors and surgeons now understand more of the effects of smoking tobacco and many can but wonder why cannabis is a criminal offence but tobacco is allowed. |
Personal
Opinion |
Naturally occurring in many parts of the world. Not right that adult use is a criminal offence. Long overdue for decriminalisation and differentiation from heroin. Many people would like to be honest but can hardly do so as the law stands. Ignorance still prevails over truth. Cannabis use does not lead on to harder drugs, but ignorance, mixing in unlawful circles and non-differentiation between the facts does. If society doesn't accurately discriminate, how can young people? It is also worth noting that the latest generation of genetically strained, man-cultured weed, i.e. 'Skunk', is extremely potent compared to natural cannabis and is the difference between having a few beers and drinking potent spirits. It has consequently caused some psychological problems for people and should not be considered the same! However, society has engineered a situation where skunk is virtually all that is available here in England. |
Causes a lot of problems in society, being especially responsible for a large percentage of crime and violent incidents. Good fun to be merry, not a very nice feeling to be too drunk, especially if sick. Alcohol causes many more problems than natural cannabis and some other currently illegal drugs. It is therefore hypocritical and unfair to penalise cannabis users, or the users of some other controlled substances, when alcohol is legally on sale and yet is a more problematic drug. Very dangerous to drink and drive, more so than many people realise and can too easily catch people out. Alcohol catches many people unawares. Drinking too much can result in alcoholic poisoning and death. Many people become and are alcoholics without perhaps realising or wanting to admit to it. Be wary of it, best not to drink everyday if you can help it and not to drink too much at any one time. |
Everybody likes to smoke if they acquire the taste and it soon becomes an essential part of one's daily life and routine. Now that we have a better understanding with regard to smoking tobacco, we realise that the best way to give it up, as with heroin and Valium, etc, is not to start in the first place. Just as with heroin, people who try tobacco soon become addicted. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs and some say it can be harder to give up than heroin! Tobacco smoking in the UK is reported to be responsible for 100,000 deaths annually. It is interesting just how long it took society to ban smoking in public places and protect people from having to imbibe carcinogenic fumes against their will. It just goes to show that what we are led to be accustomed to becomes the socially acceptable norm and can take some considerable time to put right when wrong! |