Glossary
Here are explanations of terms used in this marijuana guide.
A
Addict
Someone who is addicted to a substance: their addiction has caused them serious physical and psychological problems and it controls their every thought and action.
Addiction
A state of dependency in which someone is unable to function without drugs. A drug has control of their life, they think about it all the time and will do anything to have it.
Addictive personality
Someone who has a genetic tendency to addiction. They may a personality which lends itself to addiction or they are aware of this and try to avoid situations in which they may be tempted to take drugs.
Amygdala
A small, almond sized organ within the brain which regulates emotional responses.
B
Bong
A water pipe used to smoke marijuana.
Brain
Drugs such as marijuana contain chemicals which affect the brain causing a range of mind altering effects. One example is a state of euphoria or ‘high’.
C
Cannabis
Another name for marijuana: a plant which grows in many parts of the world which is used for its mind altering effects.
D
Dependence
A state in which a person feels compelled to use a drug in order to feel in control or function on a day to day level. They feel good when they use it and bad when they stop so will continue to do so to avoid bad feelings or withdrawal symptoms.
Detox
A process to remove drugs from a person’s body. This cleansing process aims to remove all traces of a drug and restore the person to their pre-drug state.
E
Ecstasy
A popular drug amongst the clubbing scene which acts as a stimulant and enables the clubber to dance for a long period of time, usually until the early hours of the next day.
F
Flashbacks
A series of sensory experiences which are triggered by a particular stimulus, e.g. sound, which may be frightening. Some people experience hallucinatory flashbacks as a result of using marijuana.
G
None at present.
H
Hallucinogenic
A drug which causes sensory distortion: sounds, colours and textures are heightened or distorted as a result of a mind altering substance such as marijuana.
Hash
Another name for resin obtained from the marijuana plant. This resin is smoked or added to food.
Hippocampus
An area of the brain which controls memory and emotion.
Homegrown
A term used to describe marijuana which is grown in the UK.
I
None at present.
J
Joint
A slang term for a cigarette which is comprised of tobacco and marijuana.
K
None at present.
L
Legalisation
The legal control of drugs such as marijuana. This is a controversial issue which divides opinion between those who support legalisation and those who argue that marijuana should remain an illegal drug.
Limbic system
A complex system of structures within the brain which lie at the top of the brain stem. They regulate emotions, motivation and the survival instinct.
M
None at present.
N
None at present.
O
Overdose
A term used to describe an overuse of a drug to the extent that it causes serious mental and physical effects. These effects can be life threatening.
P
Purity
This refers to whether a drug is high quality and contains only ingredients particular to that drug or has been ‘cut’with other substances, e.g. glass.
Q
None at present.
R
Recreational drug
Refers to a drug used for personal use.
Resin
A sticky substance which is scraped off the marijuana plant or rubbed on the palms of the hands before being pressed into blocks for use.
S
Sinsemilla
Another strong form of marijuana which is obtained from female plants specially cultivated and kept seedless to produce a strong resin.
Skunk
A strong form of marijuana which contains high levels of tetrahydrocannabinols and is grown indoors in both Holland and the UK.
Spliff
A street term for a cigarette which is rolled with tobacco and marijuana.
Striatum
This is located inside the forebrain and forms part of the basal ganglia system. This system controls learning, movement and decision making.
T
Tetrahydrocannabinols
Primary chemicals in marijuana which directly affects the brain and causes a range of effects include the euphoric state or ‘high’.
Tobacco
The dried component used to make cigarettes and cigars for smoking. It contains a range of substances which includes nicotine.
Tobacco is combined with marijuana as a ‘joint’ and smoked.
Tolerance
This refers to the way that someone becomes accustomed to the effects of a drug and requires ever increasing doses to maintain these effects.
U
None at present.
V
None at present.
W
Withdrawal
This occurs when someone has become dependent on a drug but suddenly stops which results in unpleasant mental and physical effects.
X, Y and Z
None at present.