How Common Is Unintentional Cannabis Ingestion?

Discussion “[Cannabis] is a genus of flowering plant with three main varieties: sativa, indica and ruderalis.” It has been used for hundreds of years for hemp or fiber and also for psychoactive and medicinal effects. The active compounds are collectively called cannabinoids, of which delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most abundant. The floral buds or calyxes of the plant have the most cannabinoids, but other parts of the plant are also used such as leaves. Hash oil, hashish (or resin) and marijuana (dried leaves) are the common products from strongest to least strongest products. (Hash oil is not the same as Hemp oil. Hemp oil is often sold over the counter and contains little cannabinoids). Cannabis is smoked (like or with tobacco) or vaporized (like an e-cigarette) or ingested in drinks or food. Cannabis like many psychoactive drugs is lipophilic which allows it to easily cross the blood-brain or placental barriers and to remain within the fat tissue and therefore can be concentrated and its effects can last up to weeks. THC half-life is several days to a week. Cannabis’s “[a]cute effects include … Relaxation, euphoria, heightened perception, sociability, sensation of time slowing, increased appetite and decrease pain, and on the other hand paranoia, anxiety, irritability, impaired short-term memory, poor attention and judgment, and poor coordination and balance. Physiologic effects include tachycardia, hypertensi...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news