Drugs of Abuse (2017 Edition)

74 DRUGS OF ABUSE I A DEA Resource Guide: 2017 EDITION

VIII. Marijuana/Cannabis

What are common street names?

Common street names include:

• Aunt Mary, BC Bud, Blunts, Boom, Chronic, Dope,

Gangster, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Hydro, Indo, Joint,

Kif, Mary Jane, Mota, Pot, Reefer, Sinsemilla, Skunk,

Smoke, Weed, and Yerba

What does it look like?

Marijuana is a dry, shredded green/brown mix of ﬂowers,

stems, seeds, and leaves from the Cannabis sativa plant. The

mixture typically is green, brown, or gray in color and may

resemble tobacco.

How is it abused?

Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (called a joint) or

in a pipe or bong. It is also smoked in blunts, which are cigars

that have been emptied of tobacco and reﬁlled with marijuana,

sometimes in combination with another drug. Marijuana is also

mixed with foods or brewed as a tea.

What is its effect on the mind?

When marijuana is smoked, the THC passes from the lungs and

into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the organs

throughout the body, including the brain. In the brain, the THC

connects to speciﬁc sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve

cells and inﬂuences the activity of those cells.

Many of these receptors are found in the parts of the brain

that inﬂuence:

• Pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory and

time perception, and coordinated movement

The short-term effects of marijuana include:

• Problems with memory and learning, distorted percep-

tion, difﬁculty in thinking and problem-solving, and loss

of coordination

The effect of marijuana on perception and coordination are

responsible for serious impairments in learning, associative

processes, and psychomotor behavior (driving abilities).

Long term, regular use can lead to physical dependence and

withdrawal following discontinuation, as well as psychic

addiction or dependence.

Clinical studies show that the physiological, psychological,

and behavioral effects of marijuana vary among individuals

and present a list of common responses to cannabinoids, as

described in the scientiﬁc literature:

• Dizziness, nausea, tachycardia, facial ﬂushing, dry

mouth, and tremor initially

• Merriment, happiness, and even exhilaration at

high doses

• Disinhibition, relaxation, increased sociability, and

talkativeness

• Enhanced sensory perception, giving rise to increased

appreciation of music, art, and touch

WHAT IS MARIJUANA?

Marijuana is a mind-altering (psychoactive) drug, produced by the Cannabis sativa plant. Marijuana contains over

480 constituents. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is believed to be the main ingredient that produces the

psychoactive effect.

WHAT IS ITS ORIGIN?

Marijuana is grown in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Caribbean, and Asia. It can be cultivated

in both outdoor and indoor settings.

DRUGS OF ABUSE I A DEA Resource Guide: 2017 EDITION 75

Leaf of marijuana plant

• Heightened imagination leading to a subjective sense of

increased creativity

• Time distortions

• Illusions, delusions, and hallucinations are rare except

at high doses

• Impaired judgment, reduced coordination, and ataxia, which

can impede driving ability or lead to an increase in risk-

taking behavior

• Emotional lability, incongruity of affect, dysphoria, disor-

ganized thinking, inability to converse logically, agitation,

paranoia, confusion, restlessness, anxiety, drowsiness, and

panic attacks may occur, especially in inexperienced users or in

those who have taken a large dose

• Increased appetite and short-term memory impairment

are common

What is its effect on the body?

Short-term physical effects from marijuana use may include:

• Sedation, bloodshot eyes, increased heart rate, coughing

from lung irritation, increased appetite, and decreased

blood pressure

Marijuana smokers experience serious health problems such

as bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Extended

use may cause suppression of the immune system. Withdrawal

from chronic use of high doses of marijuana causes physical

signs including headache, shakiness, sweating, and stomach

pains and nausea.

Withdrawal symptoms also include behavioral signs such as:

• Restlessness, irritability, sleep difﬁculties, and de-

creased appetite

What are its overdose effects?

No deaths from overdose of marijuana have been reported.

Which drugs cause similar effects?

Hashish and hashish oil are drugs made from the cannabis plant

that are like marijuana, only stronger.

Hashish (hash) consists of the THC-rich resinous material of the

cannabis plant, which is collected, dried, and then compressed

into a variety of forms, such as balls, cakes, or cookie like sheets.

Pieces are then broken off, placed in pipes or mixed with tobacco

and placed in pipes or cigarettes, and smoked.

The main sources of hashish are the Middle East, North Africa,

Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Hashish Oil (hash oil, liquid hash, cannabis oil) is produced by

extracting the cannabinoids from the plant material with a solvent.

The color and odor of the extract will vary, depending on the

solvent used. A drop or two of this liquid on a cigarette is equal

to a single marijuana joint. Like marijuana, hashish and hashish

oil are both Schedule I drugs.

What is its legal status in the United States?

Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled

Substances Act, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, no

currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States,

and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

Although some states within the United States have allowed the

use of marijuana for medicinal purpose, it is the U.S. Food and

Drug Administration that has the federal authority to approve

drugs for medicinal use in the U.S. To date, the FDA has not ap-

proved a marketing application for any marijuana product for any

clinical indication. Consistent therewith, the FDA and DEA have

concluded that marijuana has no federally approved medical

use for treatment in the U.S. and thus it remains as a Schedule I

controlled substance under federal law.

Marinol, a synthetic version of THC, the active ingredient

found in the marijuana plant, can be prescribed for the control

of nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapeutic agents

used in the treatment of cancer and to stimulate appetite in

AIDS patients. Marinol is a Schedule III substance under the

Controlled Substances Act.

76 DRUGS OF ABUSE I A DEA Resource Guide: 2017 EDITION

WHAT ARE MARIJUANA CONCENTRATES?

A marijuana concentrate is a highly potent THC concen-

trated mass that is most similar in appearance to either

honey or butter, which is why it is referred to or known on

the street as “honey oil” or “budder.”

WHAT IS ITS ORIGIN?

Marijuana concentrates contain extraordinarily high THC

levels that could range from 40 to 80 percent. This form

of marijuana can be up to four times stronger in THC

content than high grade or top shelf marijuana, which

normally measures around 20 percent THC levels.

Many methods are utilized to convert or “manufacture”

marijuana into marijuana concentrates. One method is

the butane extraction process. This process is particularly

dangerous because it uses highly ﬂammable butane

to extract the THC from the cannabis plant. Given the

extremely volatile nature of butane, this process has

resulted in violent explosions. THC extraction labs are

being reported nationwide, particularly in the western

states and in states where local and state marijuana laws

are more relaxed.

What are common street names?

Common street names include:

• 710 (the word “OIL” ﬂipped and spelled backwards), wax,

ear wax, honey oil, budder, butane hash oil, butane honey oil

(BHO), shatter, dabs (dabbing), black glass, and errl.

What does it look like?

Marijuana concentrates are similar in appearance to honey or

butter and are either brown or gold in color.

Marijuana Concentrates

Also Known As: THC Extractions

Marijuana concentrate

VIII. Marijuana/Cannabis

DRUGS OF ABUSE I A DEA Resource Guide: 2017 EDITION 77

How is it abused?

One form of abuse occurs orally by infusing marijuana con-

centrates in various food or drink products; however, smoking

remains the most popular form of ingestion by use of water

or oil pipes. A disturbing aspect of this emerging threat is the

ingestion of concentrates via electronic cigarettes (also known

as e-cigarettes) or vaporizers. Many users of marijuana concen-

trates prefer the e-cigarette/vaporizer because it’s smokeless,

odorless, and easy to hide or conceal. The user takes a small

amount of marijuana concentrate, referred to as a “dab,” then

heats the substance using the e-cigarette/vaporizer producing

vapors that ensures an instant “high” effect upon the user. Using

an e-cigarette/vaporizer to ingest marijuana concentrates is

commonly referred to as “dabbing” or “vaping.”

What are the Effects of Using

Marijuana Concentrates?

Being a highly concentrated form of marijuana, the effects upon

the user may be more psychologically and physically intense

than plant marijuana use. To date, long term effects of marijuana

concentrate use are not yet fully known; but, the effects of plant

marijuana use are known. These effects include paranoia, anxiety,

panic attacks, and hallucinations. Additionally, the use of plant

marijuana increases one’s heart rate and blood pressure. Plant

marijuana users may also experience withdrawal and addic-

tion problems.

Marijuana concentrate