Marijuana is one of the most often used illegal drugs

Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). NarTest Drug Analyzer NTX2000 detects marijuana sample in three minutes even it is mixed with other dry plants.

Cannabis is a term that refers to marijuana and other drugs made from the same plant. Strong forms of cannabis include sinsemilla (sin-seh-me-yah), hashish (“hash” for short), and hash oil. All forms of cannabis are psychoactive drugs; they all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. Marijuana’s effect on the user depends on the strength or potency of the THC it contains. According to the data of the World Drug Report 2008 issued by UNODC the THC level continues to increase and this fact is changing the cannabis market. For the year 2006, most ordinary marijuana con- tained, on average, 7 percent THC.

Marijuana is considered to be soft drug. But the results of using marijuana are rather serious. Short term effects of marijuana use include memory and learning problems, distorted perception. Research findings also show that regular use of marijuana may play a role in some kinds of cancer and in problems with the respiratory and immune systems.

The risk of using cocaine is also much greater for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have never tried it. Using marijuana puts children and teens in contact with people who are users and sellers of other drugs. Long-term marijuana use leads to addiction in some people – they cannot control their urges to seek out and use marijuana, even though it negatively affects their life. In addition, some frequent, heavy marijuana users develop “tolerance” to its effects. This means they need larger and larger amounts of marijuana to get the same desired effects as they used to get from smaller amounts.

UNODC estimates suggest that some 166 million people used cannabis in 2006, equivalent to 3,9 percent of the global population age 15 – 64. The prevalence rates are still highest in Oceania (14,5 %), followed by North America (10,5%) and Africa (8,4%). Large increases in use have been reported from South America, West and Central Africa.

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