Cannabis drug: Encyclopedia II - Cannabis drug - Preparations for human consumption

Cannabis drug - Preparations for human consumption

Cannabis is prepared for human consumption in several forms:

• Marijuana or buds, the resin gland-rich flowering tops of female plants.
  • Sinsemilla or sensemillia, flowering tops which are free of seeds as a result of being grown in a pollen-free environment. Since no plant energy can go into seed formation, this version is higher in psychoactive components.
• kief or kif, a powder containing the resin glands (glandular trichomes, often incorrectly called "crystals" or "pollen"). It is produced by sifting marijuana and leaves.
• Hashish, a concentrated resin made from pressing kif into blocks.
• Charas, produced by hand-rubbing the resin from the resin gland-rich parts of the plant. Often thin dark rectangular pieces.
• Bhang, prepared by the wet grinding of the leaves of the plant and used as a drink.
• Hash oil, resulting from extraction or distillation of THC-rich parts of the plant.
• Minimally potent leaves and detritus, called shake, bush or leaf.

There are also three sub-species of Cannabis. These include Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis, the latter containing much less THC and generally not used as a psychoactive. They differ in their appearance and the highs they produce. There have also been claims to a fourth sub-species of cannabis, which has been nicknamed "Cannabis Rasta". It is not yet a formally accepted sub-species and similar to "Cannabis Sativa" with regards to psychoactivity.

Cannabis drug - Smoking

The most common method of cannabis consumption is by smoking a hit through one of several classes of devices:

1. By rolling it up, either manually or with a rolling machine, into a cigarette, often called a spliff or joint, with thin rolling papers, or into a cigar, often called a blunt, with wrapper either obtained by removing the tobacco from the inside of a standard cigar or purchased as a "blunt wrap". In such preparation, tobacco or other smokable material are sometimes combined (mulled) into a single roll. Users may also purchase flavored papers or blunt wraps which both mask the scent of the cannabis and provide for a tastier smoke.
2. By using a smoking pipe, often called a bowl, usually made of blown glass, wood, or sometimes metal (nonreactive, such as brass, to avoid inhalation of undesirable metal vapours). Blown-glass pipes are usually intricately and colorfully designed, with colors becoming more vivid after repeated use. Such pipes usually have a rush, choke, or carb, short for carburetor or shotgun hole which is covered by a finger for suction when beginning smoking, which is released to finish inhalation, thus clearing the pipe of smoke without advancing the burning any further. Tobacco pipes, pipes home-made by the user, and others, are also sometimes used. Some users prefer a vertically held ceramic or glass pipe, known as a chillum, coming from India.
3. In a water-pipe, or bong, by which the smoke is filtered through water into a large chamber. The design originated in Vietnam, bong likely being a corruption of the Thai word "baung", and was brought back to the states by American soldiers returning from the war. It should be noted that smoking from a bong loaded with cold water, ice, or snow will greatly cool the smoke and reduce adverse effects of the heat. Bong use is common and enables smoking techniques that are not possible with a simple smoking pipe. Other designs include the waterfall bong and bucket bong. The term gravity bong has different meaning in different cultures but usually refers to either of these two latter devices. The bucket bong (or bucky as it is commonly referred to in New Zealand) usually consists of the user placing the marijuana in a cone made from a socket set (13mm) atop a plastic bottle with either a few small holes (2cm diameter) in the bottom of the bottle, or a complete cut along the bottom of the bottle. The bottle is then lowered into a bucket of water so that only the cone is above the water level. From here, the user lights the cone and proceeds to pull the bottle upwards until the bottle is full with smoke from the marijuana. The cone is then removed by unscrewing the bottle cap, and the user then proceeds to place his/her mouth over the bottle, exhaling all air beforehand, then inhaling as they lower the bottle into the water. This method is especially efficient when marijuana supplies are scarce.
4. In a shottie (U.S. Bulldozer), which is generally a 500ml/50cl carbonated drinks bottle, although any bottle, even glass, can be used. A bong pipe is inserted into a small hole, usually burnt or somehow put near the bottom of the bottle, but leaving enough room to allow for approx. 75ml of water. No rush is required so there is only ONE hole on a shottie, other than the mouth piece.
5. By hot-knifing or doing blades, in which the tips of two knives are heated to a very high temperature, often by inserting them into the heating elements of a stove. The marijuana is then pressed between the heated knife-tips, rapidly combusting it. The smoke is often funneled into the mouth of the smoker through the use of a plastic bottle-top, empty pen, or other hollow tube or funnel. In New Zealand, this is also known as 'spots', and most famously undertaken at 'Da Phlat'. A modified method of "spotting", uses knife blades heated to a much lower temperature, hot enough to vaporise (see Vaporising below) the active ingredients, leaving the organic material scorched, rather than burned, thus removing potential harmful consequenses of the smoke itself.

Cannabis drug - Oral consumption

Cannabis may be orally consumed by blending it with alcohol or fats. With this method, some claim that more cannabis must be used. The effects of the drug take longer to begin, but last longer and may be more physical rather than mental. A strong dose of oral cannabis is considered to give a stronger experience than smoked cannabis. It is thought that the active component of cannabis, delta- 9 THC, is converted to the more psychoactive delta-11 THC in the liver. It takes some experience for one to regulate the dose. Common preparations involve blending with butter (to create cannabutter) that is used in preparing brownies, fudge, cookies or ganja goo balls. Infusion in drinks containing milk and flavoring herbs is also possible, and more common in India.

As with other drugs that are taken orally, it is sometimes customary to fast before taking the drug to increase the effect (possibly because an empty stomach will absorb the drug faster so it 'hits' more strongly -- although some do eat before consuming the drug because eating it on an empty stomach makes them feel sick). Still, it usually takes more than an hour for the effects to set in, as opposed to smoking, where it takes a few minutes.

Cannabis could also be consumed as a tea. THC is lipophilic and little water soluble (few grams/litre), but enough to make a tea effective.

The seeds of the plant, high in protein and fatty acids, are appreciated by many species of birds. Contrary to popular belief, marijuana seeds capable of growing are illegal under U.S. law. Federal law only makes an exception in the case of sterilized seeds, incapable of growing, and the mature stalks of the plant.^[11]

See Cooking with cannabis external links below.

Cannabis drug - Vaporization

Usually with a vaporizer, cannabis can be heated to a temperature of about 365°F, at which the active ingredients are released into gaseous form with little or no burning of the plant material. With this method, the user does not inhale as many toxic chemicals that are byproducts of combustion. Combustion also breaks down more of the cannabinoids present in cannabis, although the concentrations of the various cannabinoids may be different from those in smoked cannabis. Some users claim to experience subtly different effects when using cannabis in this way. In addition, users note an improved ability to distinguish subtle characteristics of flavor and aroma, in absence of lighter gas fumes or burnt matter.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Preparations for human consumption", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki