National Institute on Drug Abuse (Nida)

Marijuana National Institute on Drug Abuse (Nida)

Marijuana-also called weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and a vast number of other slang terms-is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa. Some people smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints; in pipes, water pipes, or in blunts. Marijuana can also be used to brew tea and, particularly when it is sold or consumed for medicinal purposes, is frequently mixed into foods (edibles) such as brownies, cookies, or candies. Vaporizers are also increasingly used to consume marijuana. Stronger forms of marijuana include sinsemilla (from specially tended female plants) and concentrated resins containing high doses of marijuana's active ingredients. These resins are increasingly popular among those who use them both recreationally and medically. Changes in marijuana policies across states legalizing marijuana for medical and/or recreational use suggest that marijuana is gaining greater acceptance in our society. Thus, it is particularly important for people to understand what is known about both the adverse health effects and the potential therapeutic benefits linked to marijuana. This Research Report is intended as a useful summary of what the most up-to date science has to say about marijuana and its effects on those who use it.