Cannabis
Cannabis sativa / Cannabis indica (THC — tetrahydrocannabinol)
1-3 hours (smoked/vaped), 4-8 hours (edibles)
Immediate (smoked), 30-90 minutes (edibles)
cannabis
One of humanity's oldest cultivated plants, originating in C…
- ⚡Euphoria and relaxation
- ⚡Altered time perception — time feels slowed
- ⚡Increased sensory appreciation — music, food, art enhanced
- ⚡Heightened creativity and associative thinking
- ⚡Hunger (munchies) and dry mouth
- ⚡Memory impairment during intoxication
- ⚡At high doses: anxiety, paranoia, or hallucinatory effects
- ⚠️High-potency products (>20% THC) significantly increase anxiety and paranoia risk
- ⚠️Edibles are frequently overdosed — start with 5mg THC and wait 2 hours
- ⚠️Regular heavy use associated with cannabis use disorder in ~9% of users
- ⚠️Adolescent use associated with worse long-term cognitive outcomes
- ⚠️Can trigger or worsen psychosis in predisposed individuals
- ⚠️Driving impairment is real — avoid driving for several hours after use
Used medicinally and spiritually across cultures for millennia. Cannabis is central to Hindu religious practice — associated with the god Shiva. Used in ancient Chinese medicine, Egyptian rituals, Scythian funeral ceremonies (documented by Herodotus), and Rastafari sacramental practice. Likely the most widely used psychoactive plant in human history.
The most researched psychoactive plant. FDA-approved cannabinoid medicines include Epidiolex (CBD for epilepsy) and Marinol (synthetic THC). Active research for chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, cancer symptoms, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Legal for adult recreational use in 24 US states plus DC, and federally in Canada, Germany (2024), and several other countries. Legal for medical use in many more jurisdictions. Still federally Schedule I in the US.