It has been a historic irony for cannabis/ marijuana that, the most versatile and precious gift of mother nature has always been covered in veils of misconception and myths. Marijuana as a plant which finds its roots in almost any climate and environment has been bound in shackles by the misconceptions and myths shrouding it. Such misconceptions have resisted human beings as a species from reaping the full benefits of such a versatile plant.
Cannabis also known as marijuana or weed or pot, or grass, or ganja or whatever one likes to call it, is a true gift of nature where each part of the plant has its own uses and benefits.
In-spite of having such a tremendous variety of uses it has always been associated with other psychedelic plant and drugs due to the false information and misconceptions spread around the globe by certain peer groups due to their lack of knowledge and unwillingness to accept things as a matter of facts.
Let us now without further delving into the different facets of reasons try to differentiate some myths and misconceptions attached with cannabis and bring out the facts related to cannabis/marijuana.
- Synthetic weed is safe: MYTH, MISINFORMATION, MISCONCEPTION
————-Unsafe, Toxic, Fatal, Illegal, Harmful—————-
Synthetic weed also known as spice/ K2/ fake weed- is a concoction made of illegal and hazardous substances which causes harmful and fatal effects on human body. It is almost 100 times stronger than natural weed which could be laced with highly toxic materials, opioids, varnish removers etc.
- Cannabis can kill you: MYTH
One simply cannot overdose cannabis like other opioids. Studies have found that the amount of weed required to fatally overdose on cannabis is equal to consuming approximately 14000 pounds of weed in under 30 minutes. Since this is practically impossible and hence fatal overdose of cannabis is highly unlikely to occur.
- Cannabis causes Psychosis and Bipolar disorders: MISCONCEPTION
This is perhaps the highest contested claims about marijuana but any such case where Psychosis or bipolar disorders are caused as a direct result of marijuana use has always eluded experts and researchers. On the contrary anecdotal testimonials of cannabis users have indicated that medicinal use of cannabis has always played a major role in stabilizing a patient’s mood and countering the symptoms of depression.
- Weed munchies aren’t real: MISCONCEPTION
Cannabis as a matter of fact affects the hypothalamus part of your brain and makes you acknowledge what your body needs even if you don’t feel like needing it. Weed in a way hijacks your brain making you hungry, horny, and tired…
- Weed now isn’t as strong as it was before: MYTH
Botanists have growers have gone to the extent of producing selectively bred cannabis plants with much higher THC (the star of the getting high show for cannabis) and a blunt and dirty fact is that the concentration of THC now is much higher than it used to be back in the days of your fathers or grandfathers.
But
As it is said “potency doesn’t always equal dose” which people sometimes get confused with, i.e. stoners today might smoke less weed to achieve the same high or vice versa.
- You can cheat a urine test: MISCONCEPTION
There might be tons of products in the market which advertise their ability to flush the weed out of your system, but the only true way to cheat a urine test for weed is to not give one. Depending on the level of consumption by any person THC LEVELS in urine remain detectable for the following amount of times:
- Using weed daily: up to 15 days
- Multiple times per day: up to 30 days
- Upto 5 times a week: 7 days
- 3 times per week: 4 days
What detox products really do is dilute your urine, which again is another red flag to render the sample invalid and demand a new sample.
- It is OK to drive when using CANNABIS: MISINFORMATION
Marijuana remains in your system even after you don’t notice its effects, and one may still be impaired for hours after you no longer feel the high. The safest decision would be not to drive till the next day. Regular cannabis users have a consistent higher level of marijuana in your body making it illegal to drive. People who do so can be charged and face penalties under the lay and receive legal punishments.
- You can’t overdose on Cannabis: MYTH
Overdose simply means consuming more than normal or recommended amount, so one can easily overdose marijuana, but it can never reach fatal dosages of intoxication. The simple and most easily recognizable symptoms of pot overdose include:
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Paranoia
- Loss of coordination
- Rapid heart rate or chest pains
- Pale skin
- Hallucinations or delusions
- Headaches or blood pressure spikes
- Unresponsiveness to common sensations
- Vaping and smoking Cannabis are equally harmful: MISINFORMATION
Vaping burns cannabis at a temperature lower than its combustion point and hence doesn’t produce smoke and hence the harmful products of combustion like tar et-al are not produced. Thus, vaping is considered as a safer form of using cannabis.
A SIMPLE, SELF-EXPLANATORY & TABULAR REPRESENTATION OF THE ABOVE DATA IS DESCRIBED AS: