talk to frank cannabis

8/3/2019 Talk to Frank Cannabis

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cannabis

find out the facts



“Cannabis can’t be

harmful because itcomes from a plantso it’s natural.”

“It’s OK to smokecannabis in thestreet – you'll only

get a warning.”

“It’s no big deal. Most

people use cannabisthese days.”

“Smoking cannabis putsyou on a slippery slopeto using harder drugs.”

Some people seem tothink they know a lot

about cannabis…



02 call FRANK 0800 77 66 00

cannabis: the basics

Cannabis is a naturallyoccurring drug made romparts o the cannabis plant.

Cannabis plants grow ina variety o climates and

can reach up to 15 eet tall.Cannabis isn’t new. It’sbeen used throughouthistory or medicinal andsocial purposes. The Chinesefrst recorded the propertieso cannabis in texts dating

back to 2,700 BC.

The cannabis plant containstetrahydrocannabinol (THC)as its main active ingredient.Dierent orms o cannabistend to contain dierentamounts o

THC. The higher

the amount, the stronger theeects will be.

People use cannabis torelax and chill out. Mostpeople mix it with tobaccoand smoke it like a cigarettein a ‘joint’. Some people putit in a pipe or ‘bong’ andsmoke it that way. Othersmake tea with it or bake itin ‘hash cakes’ or cookies.



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See pages 4 – 5 for the lowdown on the differenttypes of cannabis.

“My mum ound out I wassmoking joints and she wentballistic. She was worriedthat I’d become a druggieand start taking other stu.She completely blew it all

out o proportion. I’ll havea spli every now and then,but it doesn’t control my lie.There’s no way I’d get intostu like coke or heroin.”

Kelly, 17

Some people use thecannabis plant to help withcertain medical problems (or example, medicalproblems that can developwith multiple sclerosis). It isstill illegal to possess cannabisno matter what you are usingit or. The development omedicinal cannabis productsmuch saer than herbalcannabis, which could havea benefcial use in certain

specifc disorders, continueto be researched.

With long term or heavy use,smoking cannabis can causelung disease and possibly

cancer, especially as it isoten mixed with tobacco.

It has also been linked withmental health problems. Regular cannabis use,especially when young, canlead to an increased risk o

later developing a psychoticillness like schizophrenia.



04 call FRANK 0800 77 66 00

what does it look like?

Cannabis comes in different formsand strengths:

Cannabis resin(hash or hashish) is a brown/black substance that isscraped rom the cannabisplant and pressed into lumps.

Cannabis oil is the leastcommon. It is dark and sticky andoten comes in a small jar.

Herbal cannabis(marijuana, grass or weed) is the dried leaves and foweringplants o the cannabis plant. It lookslike tightly packed dried garden herbs.



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Sinsemillais made using theowering tops ounertilised emalecannabis plants thatare usually grownindoors using intensivecultivation methods.

Skunk is a orm o cannabis that wasoriginally named or its strong smell. It canbe a lot stronger than other varieties andhas a more powerul eect on the mind.Skunk is grown using intensive breeding

techniques and is now the most commontype o cannabis used in the UK. The healthrisks associated with using cannabis couldbe worse i you smoke skunk.

Cannabis goes bya variety of termsincluding…

bhangblackblastblowbluntsBob Hopebushdopedraw

ganjageargrasshashhashishhempherbmarijuanapot

puffNorthern Lightsresinsensisinsemillashitskunksmokesoap

spliffwackybackyweed

Did you know?

The average amount of THC in stronger forms of herbal cannabis, suchas sinsemilla and skunk, is now more than double that of traditional grass.The average potency of THC is now around 16% (compared to 6% in 1995)while the levels in traditional grass and hash haven’t changed much atall. In recent years, these strong forms of cannabis have become the most

common types of herbal cannabis available. But you can still get verystrong batches of traditional grass and weak batches of skunk so you reallycan’t predict the actual effects before using.(TCH contents sourced rom Young People and Cannabis, Healthwise 2004 andthe Home Ofce Cannabis Potency Study 2008)



06 call FRANK 0800 77 66 00

what it does: short term

On the one hand...

> the eects o cannabisare airly immediate whensmoked and last roman hour to a ew hours

> cannabis can make peopleeel relaxed and happy

> others get the giggles andnd everything really unny

> hunger pangs are commonand are known as ‘gettingthe munchies’

> sometimes it can makepeople hallucinate. Coloursand sounds appear brighterand sharper

but...

> cannabis increases heartrate and can aect bloodpressure, which can be riskyor people with heart problems

> some people have one puand eel sick

> cannabis can makeasthma worse

> it aects some people'sco-ordination and theirreactions become slower

> some users – even hardcoresmokers – can get anxious,panicky, suspicious or evenacutely paranoid

> cannabis use may causea relapse o psychoticsymptoms in people who

have mental health problems> regular, heavy use can

cause short-lived paranoidor psychotic states that mayrequire hospital treatment.

Did you know?

Driving under the infuenceo drugs is dangerous. It is justas illegal as drink-driving andcarries the same penalties.



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Mixing it up> mixing cannabis with

other drugs is always risky

> it’s impossible to know forsure how a combinationof drugs will affect any

one person as everyonereacts differently

> using cannabis with alcoholcan make someone feeldizzy and disoriented. Takingcannabis after drinkingmakes some people sick

> sometimes, people usecannabis to help them‘come down’ after a highon drugs like ecstasy orcocaine. But it doesn’talways have the desiredeffect – it can make people

feel edgy and paranoidinstead of calm

For more information on cannabis and mentalhealth, see page 10.

“Sometimes cannabis isamazing and sometimesit’s a real downer. It dependson where I am, who I’m withand how I’m feeling. But it

also depends on how strongit is. Sometimes it can reallywipe me out.”

Jason, 16



08 call FRANK 0800 77 66 00

what it does: long term

> it can make it harder tolearn and concentrate

> it can be addictive

> it aects short-term memoryso can make people orgetul

> it can aect motivation

– users can lose interest inthings and lose touch withtheir riends

> smoking cannabis cancause lung disease, andpossibly lung cancer, in thelong term or with heavy use

> cannabis smoke containsmany o the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco

> requent use o cannabismay lead to ertility problemsin men and women

> regular use o cannabisis associated with anincreased risk o laterdeveloping psychotic illness,including schizophrenia

> around 10% o usersbecome dependent and

experience withdrawalsymptoms when theystop. They could lose theirappetite, become tiredand irritable, experiencemood swings and havedifculty sleeping

> people who smoke it withtobacco can also becomeaddicted to nicotine

The biggest risks from cannabis are associatedwith regular, long-term use. These risks couldbe worse if you smoke a lot, are young andsmoke strong cannabis, like skunk.



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“I smoked cannabis everyday or three years. At frst,it was great. I enjoyed justchilling out with my matesand having a laugh. Butater a while we were justsmoking out o habit and it

wasn’t even that much un.I got quite paranoid andI’d just sit there, not sayinga word. I became very anti-social. But I still carried ondoing it. Draw was runningmy lie, costing me a ortuneand it never occurred to

me I had a problem.

One day, I realised I wasn’tdoing much at all exceptwasting my money onsomething that was doingmy head in. I made a decisionto give up because I hatedwhat it was doing to me.

It wasn’t easy ‘cos I washooked on the tobaccoas well, but I’m glad I did it.”Sol, 18



10 call FRANK 0800 77 66 00

cannabis and

mental health

When they are stoned, peoplecan feel anxious or paranoid.

They may also experiencememory loss or panic attacks.

Cannabis use, particularlyheavy use, can send somepeople into an immediateacute paranoid or psychoticstate.

They might hallucinate (seethings that aren’t really there),

hear voices, have delusions (believe things that aren’t true)or behave very strangely.They may require hospitaltreatment and medicationfor a few days.

Some people use cannabis

because they have a mentalhealth problem, to ‘blockout’ their feelings or makethemselves feel better.

However, there is strongevidence that cannabis canactually make an existing

mental health problem worse.It is also possible that regularuse may contribute tothe risk of later developingpsychotic illnesses, includingschizophrenia. It is notcurrently known whether

the increased availability ofstronger forms of cannabiswill increase this risk.

Cannabis use has been linked to mentalhealth problems in a number of ways.



spotting the signs

Signs o use> bloodshot eyes and

a dry mouth

> becoming withdrawn or losing interest in personal

hygiene or appearance

> leaving paraphernaliaaround the house suchas torn cigarette packets,cigarette papers or pipes

> brown or burnt fngertips

Sometimes there may notbe any clear signs thatsomeone is using cannabis.And sometimes the thingsyou think are signs might beto do with something elsecompletely. Some ‘signs’are just those of a teenager

growing up.

Signs o dependency> When people are

dependent, they maybecome anxious andirritable without the drug.

There are other signs too.These are also oftenlinked to an addictionto smoking nicotine.

> using larger amounts than before or doingit more often

> trying to give up, but failing

> losing interest in otheractivities and in peoplewho aren’t using cannabisthemselves

> getting physical withdrawalsymptoms when trying to

give up. This can also includewithdrawal from nicotineif the cannabis was usuallysmoked with tobacco

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I you are worried about someone you know,

see page 14 or help.



12 call FRANK 0800 77 66 00

cannabis and the law

1. PossessionI someone is caught with cannabis, they can be arrested– even i it is the frst time that they have been caught. Whatthe police do will depend on the circumstances and howold the person is.

Adults who are 18 and overThe agreed police response is to:

> Give a cannabis warning i it is the frst time the oenderhas been caught with cannabis.

> Give a Penalty Notice or Disorder (PND) i it is the secondtime the oender has been caught with cannabis. This isan on-the-spot fne o £80. I the fne is paid, there will beno record o criminal conviction. However, PNDs will belogged on the Police National Computer and may be

disclosed as part o an enhanced criminal records check,i it is thought relevant.

> Arrest oenders i it is the third or more time they havebeen caught with cannabis.

Cannabis is illegal. It’s a Class B drug andif someone is caught with even a smallamount, the police will always take action.



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Young people between 10 and 17The agreed police response is to:

> Give a reprimand i it is the frst time the young person

has been caught with cannabis.> Give a fnal warning and reer the young person to a

Youth Oending Team i it is the second time they havebeen caught with cannabis.

> Arrest them i it is the third or more time they have beencaught with cannabis.

I the person is under 18, their parent or guardian will also be

contacted. They can also be reerred to a Youth OendingTeam at any stage

2. SupplyDealing is a very serious oence.

In the eyes o the law, this includes giving drugs to riends.

People who grow cannabis in their homes or carry largeamounts also risk being charged with intent to supply.

The maximum penalty or supply is14 years in prison plus an unlimited fne.

The maximum penalty or possession isfve years in prison plus an unlimited fne.

Did you know?

You might ace criminal charges i yourchild produces, gives away or sells illegal

drugs in your home. Allowing your child touse cannabis in your home is also illegal.



14 call FRANK 0800 77 66 00

worried?

I you’re worried about someone’scannabis use, the best starting pointis to talk to them. But frst…

1. Get the actsThe conversation will gobetter i you are confdentabout what you’re saying

2. Think about your reactionI they say they have usedcannabis, how will you eel?

3. Get the timing rightPick a time when you areboth calm and ready to talk

4. Look or openingsSuch as stories in themedia or storylines on TV

5. Avoid asking ‘why?’This puts people on thedeensive. Ask questionsthat start with how, when,what or where



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6. Focus on them, not the drugsYou need to explain how their behaviour isaecting you and your amily and what willhappen i they carry on

7. Stick by them

Listen to them and how they say they eel.Make some suggestions, but don't nag. I theysay they want help, oer to help them fnd it

And you can always talk to FRANK in confdenceon 0800 77 66 00 i you have any questions.

“I smoked most nights butI couldn’t remember things.When I decided to quitI made some rules to helpme start to cut down,like I’d only smoke on aSaturday night. I kept busyand when I ancied a joint,I took my dog out. Soundsstupid but it worked.”Carly, 18



know your stuff

BlazingSmoking a joint – particularlyinhaling and then exhalinga lot o smoke

Blunt

A hollowed-out cigarre-packed with marijuana

Bong A water-cooled pipe madeo a vertical tube partly lledwith liquid and a smaller tubewith a mouthpiece at the end.

Used to smoke cannabisBrick One kilogram o marijuana

BudThe fowers o the emalemarijuana plant, resh or dried

EighthAn eighth o an ounce – astandard quantity o cannabis.Other quantities include asixteenth or hal (ounce)

Hookah A traditional Middle Easternpipe, sometimes used tosmoke cannabis

JointA cannabis cigarette. Otenthe cannabis is mixed withtobacco. Goes by manyother names, or examplereeer or spli

MunchiesGetting the ‘munchies’ isa slang term or cravingood, oten as a result ousing cannabis

Roach

A piece o cardboard rolledup and placed at the butto a joint to act as a lter

Stoned The word used to describethe way you eel ater usingcannabis. Also known as

wasted or zonkedTokeTo inhale or pu on a joint

WhiteyOr ‘throwing a whitey’,means going pale ater usingcannabis and experiencing

nausea or vomiting

16 call FRANK 0800 77 66 00



help and advice

Useful organisations

AdfamSupport materials or peoplewith a amily member whotakes drugs. Can help youfnd local support groups.

email:[email protected]

Parentline PlusSupport and inormation oranyone parenting a child.tel: 0808 800 2222

www.parentlineplus.org.uk

Release Provides expert adviceand inormation on drugs,the law and human rights.tel: 0845 4500 215

email: [email protected]

I you’ve got questions or you’re worried aboutsomeone else, call FRANK on 0800 77 66 00 24 hours a day or riendly, confdential adviceand inormation. Or go to talktofrank.com

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0800 77 66 00

talktofrank.comFRANK is available in 120 languages,24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls areree rom landlines and some mobiles.You can talk to FRANK confdentially:

> on 0800 77 66 00

> by textphone [or the hardo hearing] 0800 917 8765

> by emailing [email protected]

> by going to www.talktofrank.com and adding the FRANK Bot as acontact on your instant messenger

FRANK can also tell you what servicesare available in your area.

talk to frank cannabis

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