WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT?

National Drugs Campaign

GET THE FACTS

M

Marijuana (CANNABIS)

Pot, grass, weed, reefer, joint, Mary-Jane, Acapulco Gold, rope, mull, cone, spliff, dope, skunk, bhang, ganja, hash, chronic... More

I

Ice

Meth, crystal meth, d-meth, shabu, tina, glass... More

S

Speed

Uppers, ice, meth, crystal, whizz, snow, go-ee, shabu, point, paste, base, zip, eve, leopard's blood, oxblood, gogo, MDEA... More

E

Ecstasy

E, Ex, E and C, eccy, MDMA, PMA, adam, XTC, love drug, eggs... More

C

Cocaine

Coke, flake, snow, happy dust, Charlie, gold dust, Cecil, C, freebase, toot, white girl, Scotty, white lady. Crack cocaine-crack, rock, base, sugar block... More

H

Heroin

Horse, hammer, H, dope, smack, junk, gear, boy... More

C

GHB

G, fantasy, grievous bodily harm (GBH), liquid ecstasy and liquid E... More

AT

Alcohol + Tobacco

It's easy to forget that alcohol and tobacco are drugs too... More

DRUGS


Marijuana (cannabis)


OTHER NAMES:
Cannabis, pot, grass, weed, reefer, joint, Mary-Jane, Acapulco Gold, rope, mull, cone, spliff, dope, skunk, bhang, ganja, hash, chronic.

IMPACTS:
The symptoms of using marijuana can include:
    • Slow thinking
    • Slow reflexes
    • Reduced coordination and concentration
    • Reduced motivation
    • Apathy
    • Dilated pupils
    • Blood shot or glassy eyes
    • Dryness of the mouth
    • Increased pulse rate

Consequences of using marijuana can include:

    • Mood swings
    • Memory impairment
    • Increased risk of cancer of the lung, mouth, throat and tongue
    • Panic attacks
    • Delusions
    • Hallucinations
    • Paranoid thinking and other mental health problems

OTHER FACTS:
Marijuana comes from the cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa). The main ingredient in cannabis is called 'delta-9 tetrahydo-cannabinol'—better known as THC.

Marijuana cigarettes have more tar in them than plain tobacco, which can mean more chance of getting a respiratory illness (such as lung cancer and chronic bronchitis). Smoking cigarettes and marijuana may place people at an even greater risk of respiratory disease.

Some of the consequences of cannabis use—loss of control of motor skills, reaction time, the ability to perform skilled activities and the respiratory problems associated with smoking the drug—may affect physical activity and performance. Symptoms of use such as reduced motivation can also affect skill levels, for example, reducing motivation to attend training sessions or sports games.

Marijuana use can also lead to the exacerbation of psychotic illness and symptoms of schizophrenia as well as mood swings, panic attacks, delusions, hallucinations and paranoid thinking. While some debate exists about the specific relationship between drug use and mental illness there is a consensus that people with drug problems also have an increased risk of mental health problems. Similarly, people experiencing mental health problems have a higher rate of drug use. Use of some drugs appears to contribute to, or trigger, mental health problems in some young people.

MORE INFO / LINKS:
For information or help about drugs call the National Drugs Campaign Info Line on 1800 250 015 (freecall).

For more information about drugs and links to support services, go to the Helping Hands section of this site.