Page 4 - Cannabis... is it just a drink? DEN + ALDAF 2019
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What are the effects?  How long does Cannabis stay       Pregnancy

 Cannabis causes a wide range of effects:   in the body?  The total effects of THC exposure
                                                          during  pregnancy  are unclear,
                                                          but  THC during  pregnancy  is
 •  Feeling relaxed and sleepy   THC is fat soluble: it is absorbed  and  ‘stored’   linked to low birth weight. It is
 •  Spontaneous laughter  in  the fats  of  the body. This  means it  takes a   safest for a pregnant person not
 •  Increased appetite  longer time  to  leave the body than water-  to  use  cannabis until after  the
 •  Dry mouth  soluble drugs like alcohol. 1              baby has stopped breastfeeding.
 •  Quiet reflective mood  An infrequent user can expect  THC to be   Mental Illness
 •  Trouble concentrating  removed from the body after about 3 days.  Cannabis does not  cause mental illness, but  using
 •  Slower reflexes                                       cannabis can trigger schizophrenia in people at risk
 •  Bloodshot eyes  A frequent user can expect THC to be removed   of developing the mental health condition.  It can
 •  Mild anxiety and paranoia  from the body after about 10 to 27 days. 2  also trigger  psychosis for  some people. These  risks
                                                          increases with repeated use .
                                                                                     3
 •  Increased risk taking
    Cannabis can be detected in blood tests for up        People  who  have experienced  psychosis, who  are
 When smoked, these effects start within several minutes   to four weeks, possibly longer.  diagnosed with schizophrenia, or have a family
 and last about 1 to 3 hours. If eaten, the effects start   history of schizophrenia, should avoid using cannabis.
 between 30 minutes and 2 hours after swallowing, and
 may last several hours longer.                           The Law

                         Risks                                          Driving

   Cannabis use is associated with some risks to health:               ‘Stoned’

   Driving and Machinery                                            It is illegal to
                                                                 drive whilst under
 How   Cannabis makes a person’s reflexes slower, and affects            the influence of
 is it used?  their ability to concentrate. A person who has smoked        cannabis.
   cannabis should not drive or operate any heavy
   machinery until after the effects have passed.
 Cannabis is typically
 smoked, in a ‘joint’ (a hand-rolled   Tolerance and Dependency
 cigarette), in a smoking pipe, or in a   Repeated use of cannabis over a period of time can   It  is illegal in  Australia  to  use,  possess, grow,
 water-pipe known as a ‘bong’.   cause tolerance – meaning the body needs a higher   or  sell cannabis.  The  penalties for  cannabis
    dose of the drug to achieve the same desired effect.   offences  vary from  state to  state.  Check  with
 It can also be heated to a vapor and   Repeated use can also cause dependency, where a   your  local state government  or  community  law
   person has a very strong desire to continue using the
 inhaled, or eaten by mixing the oils or   drug (even if there are negative consequences), and   organisation for   specific information.
 dry plant matter into cookies or   may have difficulty stopping.   There are exemptions for medicinal use and medicinal
 other sweets.                                            growers through a small number of schemes. These
   A person who has  a  cannabis  dependency may          processes are tightly regulated.
   experience withdrawal effects, such as irritability and
   loss of sleep if they try to stop.                     The Narcotic Drugs Amendment Bill (2016) deals with
                                                          the national licensing scheme to allow a legal and
                                                          safe supply of medicinal cannabis.
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