MARIJUANA: HERE'S THE FACTS ABOUT THE HIGH LIFE

Marijuana is common in New Zealand, and many people think it's healthier
than cigarettes. But is it? Rosemarie North reports in this Waikato Times'
series on substances we crave.

*How does cannabis work?

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in dried leaves or flowers, hashish (compressed
blocks of resin), skunk (more potent and from dwarf plants) or other forms
can relax you and give a feeling of euphoria.

Smoked or eaten, it can make it difficult to concentrate, give you the
munchies, impair balance and co-ordination, increase the heart rate and
make the eyes bloodshot, says the New Zealand Drug Foundation.

Cannabis can also affect your perception of time and produce feelings of
paranoia and even hallucinations.

*Who takes it?

A 2001 survey found cannabis was the most popular illegal drug and the
third most popular drug in New Zealand (after alcohol and tobacco). More
than half of New Zealanders said they had tried it and 15 per cent said
they were current users.

An ounce, which can last a regular user for months, costs about $250.

*Are there any health benefits?

Used for thousands of years for pain relief, marijuana may help with
chronic diseases like multiple sclerosis.

*What's the down side?

Cannabis contains more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco. Cannabis
smokers generally inhale more smoke for longer, leaving four times as much
tar on their lungs as cigarette smokers. But they smoke fewer joints and
less frequently.

Smoking cannabis is linked to diseases like acute and chronic bronchitis.
The risk goes up a lot if you mix cannabis with tobacco.

There is also an increased risk of getting lung cancer and other cancers
such as cancer of the mouth, throat and upper respiratory tract.

It can decrease sexual response and fertility.

Heavy long term use is also associated with mental illness, especially
among people predisposed to such conditions as schizophrenia.

Dope can make people with paranoid schizophrenia more violent.

The drug is also linked to depression.

There are no recorded deaths from cannabis overdoses, nor any compelling
evidence that it leads to other drugs, says the Drug Foundation.

*Cannabis and kids

In anyone, the drug can cause a reduced ability to learn and a reduction in
energy, concentration and motivation.

That can be critical for young people, who can turn up at school stoned and
unable to concentrate and learn, says Health Waikato Public Health Unit
health protection adviser Ross Henderson.

"We're concerned about young people missing out on learning opportunities
through the use of cannabis," he says.

Pregnant women shouldn't use cannabis, which can have similar effects on
the foetus as tobacco, including lowered birth weight.

The drug can be passed on in breast milk.

There are dangers with exposing young children to cannabis smoke, as there
are with tobacco smoke.

*Healthier than cigarettes?

It's a myth that weed is better for your lungs than cigarettes, say Otago
Medical School researchers. They found smoking cannabis and tobacco
together narrowed airways more than just smoking one of the substances.

Cannabis has similar levels of tar to tobacco.

*Is it addictive?

Although not addictive like nicotine or alcohol, some researchers estimate
that about 9 per cent of cannabis users are hooked and can't give it up,
even though using it has negative consequences for them.

Giving it up can cause restlessness, irritability, mild agitation,
insomnia, nausea, sleep disturbance, sweats, and intense dreams.

These symptoms, however, are mild and short-lived, lasting two to four days.

For more information see: www.nzdf.org.nz If you think you have a problem,
contact the Alcohol and Drug Helpline 0800 787-797.