Alcohol , consider Cannabis

There are pharmacological, social and legal issues to consider in this context of drug dependence and, of course, drug users and abusers vary enormously. A chronic alcoholic is very different from a weekend user of cannabis and any consideration of the topic has to consider legal and social issues as well as pharmacological effects of the drugs. 

Carpenter, Siri. The Changing Face of Marijuana Research. Monitor on Psychology, June 2001, pp. 40-42. Some people consider marijuana to be highly addictive and a gateway to harder drugs, while others believe it to be a social drug no more harmful than alcohol. Between these two positions lies the reality that marijuana affects individuals differently, as shown by variation in withdrawal symptoms. The identification of cannabis receptors in the brain has led to the realization that some marijuana users may be motivated to continue use in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms. However, about 40 percent of users seem not to experience drug dependence or withdrawal symptoms. Treatment plans need to take these different responses into account. 

The effects of MDMA use on visuospatial memory have been reported in 25 current MDMA users (11 men, 14 women), 10 former users who were abstinent for at least six months (6 men, 4 women), and 18 non-using controls (6 men, 12 women) (86). Both user groups performed more poorly than the controls, even controlled for age, years of education, intelligence, and alcohol and tobacco use. However, when cannabis use was considered, the main effect became non-significant. These results suggest that current and former MDMA users have... 

Cannabis is often detected in the blood of drivers and is considered the major cause of road crashes after alcohol. It is often implicated in forensic cases and workplace accidents. A -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the major psychoactive constituent of Cannabis sativa, whose main metabolites formed in blood are 1 l-nor-9-carboxy-A -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) and ll-hydroxy-A -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-OH). Marijuana (also ganja, grass, herb, Mary Jane, pot, green, trees, smoke, sinsemilla, and weed) and hashish (or boom, gangster, hash, hemp) are made up of dried parts of the Cannabis sativa hemp plant they give euphoria and relaxation but also slowed reaction times, impaired coordination, anxiety, panic attack, and psychosis and cause respiratory infections, mental health decline, and addiction. 

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