Interesting Facts about Cannabis - Marijuana, Weed, Dope, Blow, Hemp...

Cannabis contains more than 400 chemicals. The main psychoactive ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or 'THC'. Cannabis contains more tar than tobacco, and has a higher concentration of carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Cannabis became a controlled substance in Britain in 1928 44% of 16 to 29 year-olds have tried cannabis at some point in their lives. Half of them have used it in the last year. In 1998, 76% of people arrested for drugs offences in Britain were charged with possession of cannabis. Smoking marijuana is more popular in America than surfing the Internet.

Ganja, marijuana, weed, puff, smoke, pot, herb, dope, resin, grass, there are hundreds of names to describe it. But, call it what you want, the recreational use of cannabis is still illegal in Britain, although that hasn't stopped around half of all young people trying it.

Origin of the Species

The drug itself is derived from Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica, a plant related to nettles and hops that grows wild in many parts of the world. Cultivation dates back thousands of years. The first written account of cannabis use can be found in Chinese records dating from 2800 BC. However, experts widely accept that cannabis was being used for medical, recreational and religious purposes for thousands of years before that.

The plant is believed to have originated in the mountainous regions of India. When left growing wild, it can reach a height of 5 metres and flowers naturally from late summer to mid autumn. Customs estimate that up to 80% of cannabis resin entering the UK originates from Morocco and most smuggled supplies in its herbal form come from Jamaica. However, an enormous amount of cannabis these days is actually home-grown.