What is Cannabis

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Cannabis is a drug produced from the Cannabis sativa (commonly known as hemp) or Cannabis Indica plant, which is related to nettles and hops. It's believed to have originated in the mountainous regions of India, and grows wild in many parts of the world.

The plant contains more than 400 chemicals, including cannabidiolic acid, an antibiotic with similar properties to penicillin. The different chemical derivatives of the plant can be used for medicinal or recreational purposes.

The recreational drug cannabis comes in many forms – herbal (dried plant material), resin, powder and oil - and is known by many slang terms, including weed, pot, grass and hash. In the UK, cannabis is a Class B illegal drug.

  • Cannabis is naturally occurring - it is made from the cannabis plant.
  • The main active chemical in it is tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC for short).
  • THC is the ingredient in cannabis that can make you feel very chilled out, happy and relaxed.
  • THC can also make you hallucinate, meaning that it can alter your senses, so that you might see, hear or feel things in a different way to normal.

A big myth about cannabis is that it’s safe because it’s natural. Cannabis has some very real effects on your mood, as well as creating longer-term problems:

  • Cannabis can make you feel very anxious and even paranoid.
  • Using it has also been linked, in some people, to serious, long-term mental health problems.

Cannabis is still the most commonly used illegal drug. However, it isn’t as popular as it used to be: just 1 in 6 people aged 16-24 had tried it in 2010/11.


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The Have I Got A Problem website is a free online resource to help people better understand any issues or concerns they may have about mental health or addiction. The website includes resources specifically focused to; general Mental Health, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Insecurities, Self-harm Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Anger Management, Eating Disorders, Coping, general Addiction, Alcohol, Smoking, Gambling, Drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana (Cannabis) Ecstasy, PCP, Mephedrone, Ketamine & Crystal Meth.

The site was created to give the public information to help them understand mental health and addiction issues and to assist people in making better informed decisions about their life and personal choices.

www.haveigotaproblem.com was created and is run by 'Advising Communities’, which is a UK registered charity (Charity No. 1061055)

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