Cannabis

Flowers of the cannabis plant: marihuana, ganja, weed, grass, …
Pressed resin of the cannabis plant: hashish, hash, shit, …

Cannabis is a plant genus belonging to the hemp family. Hemp is one of mankind’s oldest crops and cultivated plants. Hemp has been cultivated for numerous purposes for several thousand years (e.g. for producing textiles, ropes, paper). Moreover, cannabis has always been used as a medicine and drug.

Good to know …

Alongside alcohol and tobacco, cannabis is one of the most widely consumed drugs in Europe.

The THC content in cannabis products can differ greatly and is typically between 13–30%.

As there is no official quality control, the consumer is unaware of cannabis products’ THC content and the desired and undesired effects are difficult to predict.

Anyone consuming cannabis should not drive. There is a heightened risk of accident, and the driving licence is at risk. Cannabis can be detected by a saliva test during a road check.

Depending on consumption frequency and intensity, cannabis (and its metabolites) can still be detected in the body days, weeks or even months after last being consumed.

THC is the cannabinoid primarily responsible for cannabis intox­i­ca­tion. But cannabis contains numerous other cannabi­noids as well. Yet another cannabinoid is CBD (cannabidiol), a cannabinoid with scarcely any psy­choac­tive effect. Cannabis products containing CBD with less than 1% THC are permitted in Luxembourg.

Is cannabis a natural product?

• Whether a drug is a natural product or laboratory-made says nothingabout the danger it poses. It is how it is used that is critical.
• Moreover, nowadays cannabis is so genetically manipulated that it is no longer possible to call it a natural drug.

Does cannabis consumption induce passivity and reduce motivation?

• During intox­i­ca­tion, cannabis certainly can reinforce symptoms such as apathy, lower motivation, reduced resilience, or passivity, but does not necessarily induce them.
• Depending on the quantity and frequency of consumption, some consumers may have a ​“can’t be bothered” attitude.
• As yet, there is no evidence of a persistent ​“can’t be bothered” attitude among consumers purely as a consequence of cannabis consumption..

Is cannabis a gateway drug?

• The assumption that cannabis users ​“auto­mat­i­cal­ly” move on to other illegal drugs after a while is deemed to have been refuted.
• Even if almost all heroin consumers started with cannabis as their first illegal drug, one cannot reverse the argument and deduce that all cannabis consumers necessarily consume other drugs.
• It is much more the case that the large majority do not consume any illegal drugs other than cannabis during their lives.

Can cannabis cause a psychosis?

• Depending on the personal disposition, the consumption of cannabis (as with many other legal and illegal drugs) can lead to a greater risk of succumbing to a psychosis than for non­con­sumers
• It is best not to consume cannabis if a family member suffers from a psychosis. Or if you have already noticed a pre­dis­po­si­tion in yourself such as the sensation of being followed, or being unable to control one’s thoughts.
• Be that as it may, psychotic states may occur during cannabis consumption – but these typically disappear again when the effect wears off.
• Also, the ratio of THC and CBD in the cannabis product plays a major role in the possible development of psychosis. High- THC cannabis strains with low CBD content have a drastically higher risk potential for triggering psychosis.

Can cannabis be used medicinally?

There have been reports to this effect time and again over the millennia and the therapeutic use of cannabis is cor­rob­o­rat­ed by modern science.

In addition to THC, the cannabidiol (CBD) contained in cannabis is a particular subject of med­ical­re­search.

Specially trained doctors in Luxembourg have been allowed to prescribe cannabis containing THC to alleviate particular ailments since 2018: muscle cramps in the case of multiple sclerosis (MS), nausea and vomiting in the case of chemother­a­py following cancer, and for serious illnesses and chronic pain.

But please be careful: although cannabis can have a medical benefit it is not a panacea.

Speak to your doctor!

There is no such thing as a risk-free consumption of legal and illegal drugs!

When consuming any legal and / or illegal drug, the sub­jec­tive­ly perceived effects depend on various factors (how consumed, dose, age, gender, environment, mood as well as experience and expectation).

Consumption of any drug can result in addiction.

The consumption of legal and illegal drugs is to be discouraged:

• During adolescence (physical and mental development)
• When driving and during other activities requiring a ​“clear head” (e.g. sport, when operating machinery, …)
• At the workplace / at school
• During pregnancy and breast­feed­ing
• If there are previous medical conditions

Particular care is also required:

• If the quality of the product is unknown and cannot be checked
• In the event of combined use, e.g. alcohol and other drugs
• When medication is taken at the same time