How can cannabis affect you?
As with all drugs, the effects of using cannabis are unpredictable. Cannabis affects people in different ways. It depends on their size and weight, whether they are used to taking it, their mood at the time, and whether they use it alone or in company.
So taking cannabis just because your friends do might not be such a good idea. Your experience of cannabis and their experience of cannabis could be very different.
Short term effects
The effects of smoking cannabis can begin within a few minutes and last for a few hours. These are some of the immediate effects cannabis can have:
- you may feel sick and want to throw up;
- your heart will beat faster and your blood pressure may increase;
- your blood pressure may also fall and you might faint;
- you can lose balance and coordination, which can lead to accidents, especially if attempting to drive or operate a machine;
- you can become giggly or very talkative – some people become thoughtful, subdued or sleepy;
- you might feel more relaxed and so more confident – or you might not;
- you might become more aware of sound, music and colour;
- your perceptions of time and space might change;
- you could feel very hungry (the ‘munchies’).
If you eat cannabis, rather than smoke it, the effects will not happen so quickly but could last longer or be stronger. This might not be what you want, especially if you are having a bad experience.
If you take a lot of cannabis it can make you:
- confused;
- restless;
- over excited;
- panicky;
- hallucinate;
- feel paranoid.
Some people find that after taking cannabis their memory is affected or they find it difficult to concentrate. Naturally. this would make it harder to study and learn.