Tetrahydrocannabinol

From Drug Rehab Wiki

Tetrahydrocannabinol (pronounced "te-truh-hahy-druh-kuh-nab-uh-nawl") is the active chemical in marijuana and hashish. It is made from Indian hemp plants or produced synthetically. Tetrahydrocannabinol is a psychoactive drug, which means it alters brain functions, perception, coordination, and mood.

When you smoke marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol passes from your lungs into your bloodstream, and gets carried to the brain and other organs of the body. Tetrahydrocannabinol acts in the brain to produce a "high" and feelings of intoxication and euphoria. It works on sites in the brain called cannabinoid receptors, which are mostly found in those areas linked to memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, pleasure, and coordinated movement. Tetrahydrocannabinol causes distortions in perception and difficulties in thinking, concentrating, problem-solving, memory, and learning. The effects can last four to six hours, and it is unsafe to drive or operate machinery during that time.

There is much evidence that most of the marijuana used today contains many times the amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol than it did in the 1960s, and therefore has stronger effects.

Tetrahydrocannabinol has some medical uses within a class of medications called cannabinoids. Dronabinol and nabilone are used to treat nausea in people undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Sativex is used for cancer-related pain or pain and spasticity from multiple sclerosis. Cannabinoids may be used someday to decrease pressure in the eyes and stimulate appetite in those suffering from anorexia and other eating disorders.