What is Cannabis?
Weed, dope, grass, ganja, Mary Jane, Wacky Tobacky, Bud, Pot, Herb, Dope, Trees, and Dank. All different names for one thing: Marijuana. Cannabis, which is the genus of all the plants with the psychoactive drug marijuana is taken from, the actual weed itself is a dried flower from the plant which is a collection of hairs, leaves, and stems, also covered with a sticky residue called Trichomes. These trichomes contain a large quantity of THC and cannabinoids which are the main reason for the religious, recreational, and medicinal uses for the herb. Cannabis has been found to be used as far back as the third millennium B.C. and now the United Nations has come up with the statistic in 2004 that 4% of the World’s Population- about 162 Million people- use marijuana yearly.
The classification of this drug falls into various categories. Due to its versatile effect it can be considered a stimulant, depressant, and mild hallucinogen, though it is most often classified as the latter. There are many different forms of Cannabis, the obvious form being a dried flower. The next form is one that has been used throughout history is Hashish. Hashish is made through the resin or Trichomes of the cannabis being pressed together to create a sticky lie substance or sandy crusty rock. It usually has a higher potency due to it being almost entirely composed of trichomes which has the highest amounts of THC and other active chemicals. A combination of the two brings up the perceptual changes that are sought out by user. Another form similar to Hashish is Hail Oil, brought about through a complicated extraction process which is essentially honey oil. This method is commonly used to create medical marijuana edibles. The next form of Cannabis is Kief which is basically the actual Trichomes without being prepared then made into hashish.
The cannabis plant splits into two major strains that contain the psychoactive compounds: Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis India. Cannabis Sativa being one that produces more of an active state of mind which loans t the classification of stimulant. Cannabis India is more “couch-locked”, a term used to describe the “lazy” affects. Although these are the two main strains there are various different strains created by different breeders in the medical marijuana world all depending on how it is grown and the nutrients or methods used. The actual plant itself that yields the desired medical marijuana is female, as opposed to a male plant, which does not yield any marijuana fit for medical purposes due to the lack of THC or Cannabinoids. The Cannabis Sativa is a very tall plant usually about 8 to 12 feet in hight. This plant has long, thin branches which are a light green color and prone to attain a yellow pigment when shielding itself from intense light. The actual flowers are long, thin and turn red as they mature in warm environments, but turn purple if exposed to cold. The saliva plant is generally sweet-smelling and fruity, while being mildly harsh to smoke.
The Cannabis Indica, on the other hand, is a very bushy plant from 3 to 6 feet and has short, broad branches. The leaves are generally dark green with tints of purple despite the climate. As these plants mature the leaves continue to attain a slightly purple tinge and has a strong, skunk-like smell. The smoke tends to be thicker and harsher. This is the traditional plant used to create Hashish.
But wait! There is a third, controversial variety of Cannabis as well. Cannabis Ruderalis is generally found in Eurpoean Countries such as Poland and Russia. The Ruderalis plant has a much lower THC count in comparison to Indica or Sativa strains which makes it less useful in medicinal purposes. The plant is generally 4 to 6 feet and it’s use is still debated, though ultimately Sativa and india are agreed upon as the most effective strains.
Cannabis is grown out-doors or in-doors based on climate and can have several complicate methods of growth. Often the in-door cultivation consists of temperature control and extensive lighting to make sure the plants are warm. The lighting can only be applied for a certain time because of how sensitive these plants are. But still, Cannabis can occur naturally and is still grown throughout many different locations around the world.
