Disorders due to use of cannabis (Q40321)

Disorders due to use of cannabis are characterised by the pattern and consequences of cannabis use. Cannabis is the collective term for a range of psychoactive preparations of the cannabis plant, Cannabis sativa, and related species and hybrids. Cannabis contains cannabinoids, a class of diverse chemical compounds that act on endogenous cannabinoid receptors that modulate neurotransmitter release in the brain. The principal psychoactive cannabinoid is δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Cannabis is typically smoked in the form of the flowering heads or leaves of the Cannabis plant; tobacco is often mixed with cannabis when smoked. There are also cannabis oils that are prepared from these same sources. These preparations vary considerably in their THC potency. Cannabis has predominantly central nervous system depressant effects and produces a characteristic euphoria that may be part of the presenting features of Cannabis Intoxication, which may also include impairment in cognitive and psychomotor functioning. Cannabis has dependence-producing properties resulting in Cannabis Dependence in some people and Cannabis Withdrawal when use is reduced or discontinued. Cannabis is associated with a range of Cannabis-Induced Mental Disorders.