Definition and Description of the Cannabis Plant

Definition and Description of the Cannabis Plant

The cannabis plant is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. It has several species within its genus. The three most common and recognized species of the cannabis plant are Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Ruderalis. All this three are treated as subspecies of a single species. The cannabis plant is indigenous to and originates from Central Asia and some scientists also refer its origin to South Asia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis

Cannabis has many different names and also has more than 1200 slang terms. Hemp and marijuana are some of the common names used to refer to cannabis. The names come about depending on the use of the plant. Most of the time the name hemp is used on instances where varieties of the plant are used for non-drug purposes. For instance, cannabis can be used to make hemp fibre, hemp seeds and hemp oils.

All these are non-drug uses of the cannabis plant, hemp oils can be used for the treatment of hair, hemp seeds are a great source of protein and contain high amounts of vitamin E., and hemp fibre can be used to make textiles. The 2018 Farm Bill classified industrial hemp as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight.

Variants and Components of the Cannabis Plant

The cannabis plant has many other various forms, each with a different use. There is the hashish or hash oil which is a cannabis concentrate containing many of its resins and terpenes, especially the tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol as its active ingredients. The cannabidiol (CBD) is also another form of cannabis, and it has no psychotropic effects by itself. It reduces the higher anxiety levels caused by tetrahydrocannabinol.https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-vs-thc

CBD can be used for various purposes and is primarily known to aid anxiety issues. The cannabis plant has different compounds, some of which have psychoactive constituents.  Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the principal psychoactive constituent that is found in the cannabis plant. Various strains of the cannabis plant have different content levels of THC. The higher the amount of THC, the higher the psychoactive reaction.

The strength of THC in the different strains are enhanced by curing the fruits. Some of the strains have been bred to produce minimal levels of THC while some have been selectively bred to produce maximum levels of THC. Most of the strains that contain higher levels of THC are used for drug purposes and are mostly for recreation. The other strains with a low content level of THC are used for other purposes, including medical.

Uses of Cannabis Plants

The cannabis plant is used for different purposes. Some of its uses are for recreation, medical use, industrial use, ancient and religious uses etc.  As stated before, cannabis has different strains or variants, which in turn have different components. The strains each have different applications. The use of the strains is sometimes dictated by the THC content or the herbal contents that have been researched and tested to aid some medical purposes.

Recreational use of cannabis plant

Cannabis is popular for its recreational use. People widely use cannabis as a drug; the plant is manufactured in different forms so that different techniques can be used to put it into use. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug) The leaves can be dried; it can be made into powder form or be made into concentrated fluids. The results can then be rolled into joints, smoked through pipes and in vaporizers. In some cases, people inject the drug into their system when in liquid form or sniff it in powder form. Ways of ingesting the drug have revolved, and in recent times the plant can be used to make different treats like cookies or the CBD gummies.

Although we have to note that some of the strains can be used both for recreational and medical purposes. The CBD gummies, for instance, are sometimes used to treat anxiety issues and lack of sleep. https://happytea.com/cbd-gummies/, The high THC levels of the plant strains like marijuana and hash, have the ability to cause a ‘high’ in the body. The plant alters body and brain functions. Smoking or digesting the drug relaxes your mind and body in general.  Some strains of the plant energize the user and are believed to bring out creativity. It makes one lighthearted thus, many people with stress tend to rely on it to make them feel free.

The cannabis components mask negativity and help users see life from a positive perspective. The use of the drug for recreational purposes, however, has its shortcomings such as; obstruction in memory formation, it can heighten anxiety in some cases can cause depression especially when used by people with mental health issues. Frequent users of cannabis as a recreational drug risk developing addiction issues which may be harmful to the general health of a person.

Industrial use of cannabis(hemp)

Hemp is the term used to name the durable soft fibre from the cannabis plant stem (stalk). Cannabis is used for industrial and is available in a lot of commercial products, from paper, cordage, construction material and textile in general to clothing. Hemp is more robust and longer-lasting than cotton. Read more about hemp at https://hempethics.weebly.com/what-is-industrial-hemp.html

Medical Benefits of the Cannabis Plant

Few conducted researches have over time proven that cannabis plant can be used for medical purposes. The use of the plant for medical purposes has, however, not been thoroughly tested because of lawful restrictions and production. Therefore, there are limited clinical records to ascertain the safety and efficacy of its use in the medical field.

The possible reason why some states may not have legalized the use of cannabis for medical functions is that the drug can be misused and the effects of misuse can complicate the health of people. One should only use the drug as medicine if prescribed by a physician. In some states where the use of the cannabis plant is legal, physicians prescribe the medication to help in the treatment of specific ailments or complications.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

From the tests conducted, there is evidence that cannabis can reduce nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy treatment. Nausea often occurs up to 24 hours post-treatment and may develop to anticipatory nausea if not adequately managed. Comparative studies have found cannabinoids to be more effective than some conventional antiemetics such as prochlorperazine, promethazine, and metoclopramide which are traditionally used to treat nausea and vomiting during chemo. The psychoactive compound in cannabis is the one that helps reduce nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. The drug, however, has side effects such as dizziness, dysphoria and hallucinations and is the reason why it is not so commonly used in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis

Appetite stimulator

Patients suffering from HIV/AIDS and cancer may experience a lack of appetite due to the kind of medication they take, which may likely suppress their appetite. Medical cannabis is a reliable medication for boosting appetite. THC, which is a component of marijuana is responsible for the increased ‘hunger’ upon consumption. THC inhibits the production of the appetite-suppressing leptin, leptin is the substance produced in the body, and it suppresses appetite. The THC also enhances the sensory system making the taste buds more engaged; it signals the brain to fuel the increase in food desirability.https://www.canabomedicalclinic.com/how-does-medical-cannabis-stimulate-appetite/

Treatment of Epilepsy

The plant components can also treat severe forms of epilepsy. Cannabinoids which are substances in medical cannabis act on body cells and the brain. The FDA approved the use of Epidiolex (a plant-based formulation of CBD) to treat seizures for people two years or older with cases of epilepsy. The drug is issued in oral solution and is associated with the treatment of two epilepsy syndromes; Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/treating-seizures-and-epilepsy/other-treatment-approaches/medical-marijuana-and-epilepsy

Anxiety-related problems

The cannabidiol strain of the cannabis plant is also known to reduce anxiety-related complications due to its calming nature. A study in 2010 found that cannabidiol could reduce symptoms of social anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder (SAD).https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0269881110379283 Brain scans of participants revealed a change in blood flow to the regions of the brain linked to feelings of anxiety. In the study, cannabidiol not only made participants feel better but also changed the way their brains responded to anxiety. Cannabidiol also aids in the treatment of panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-for-anxiety#what-research-says The research shows that the CBD is recommended for short-term treatment, but little is known about long-term treatment.

Cannabinoids have also been recommended for anorexia, arthritis, glaucoma and migraine.

Medical cannabis can be administered through various methods; capsules, lozenges, tinctures, dermal patches oral or dermal sprays or using vaporizers. Cbd edibles can also be a way of ingesting cannabis for medical use. Some synthetic cannabinoids are available for prescription in countries that allow the use of cannabis for medical purpose, dronabinol and nabilone are examples of such prescriptions.

Growing Cannabis Flowers

Growing of cannabis is illegal in some countries, and therefore before growing it, you have to be sure that the law approves of it. Cannabis is an annual, dioecious, flowering herb with serrated leaves. You can grow your flowers either indoors or outdoors. The first step to growing your cannabis, therefore, is choosing a suitable place to grow your plants.

Indoor growing

Growing indoors is also much more private and can be cheap to grow and maintain if you plan to grow just a few plants. Indoor grows, however, tend to be shorter than outdoor grows since you have more control over when the plant starts budding. The disadvantage of the shorter flowers is that they produce fewer yields. However, you can choose to grow your plants indoors if you are not looking for maximum yields.

Indoor planting also requires a lot of maintenance; the plant is 100% reliant on you to tend to it for it to survive. If you skip even a single step on caring for your plant, it may wilt and die. You can grow cannabis indoors in an extra room, the garage or an extra bathroom as long as you provide sufficient water for it to bud. The space where you choose to grow your cannabis should have favourable conditions for it.

During the first few weeks of growth, you should keep the temperatures a little warmer (20-30 C). when the plant starts growing, adjust the temperature to cooler levels (18- 26 C) so that it can produce buds with the best colour, trichome production and smell. When growing indoors, you have to make sure that you have full control of the temperatures in your grow space. Grow lights sometimes tend to produce some heat, and therefore you can introduce cooling systems in the space to pull hot air away; otherwise your plants may dry up too soon. https://www.growweedeasy.com/basics

Outdoor Growing

If you want to get maximum yield from growing cannabis flower, then you need to go for outdoor growing. When compared to indoor growing, especially in terms of the amount of yield, outdoor growing can be deduced to be relatively cheap. Nature contributes to the maintenance and enhancement of growth when you grow outside. Therefore, you do not need to incorporate heating and cooling systems which may cost you a lot.

The area should have direct sunlight hitting it and not hidden in the shade. Growing outside is seen to result in the most flavorful buds compared to indoor growing. You must have easy access to growing area so that you can easily visit it at least once or twice a week. The grow area should also be in a place where you have easy access to water. When growing outside, however, you will have to deal with problems like lack of privacy/stealth, bugs, deer unexpected outdoor visitors like people stealing your buds and possible pollination.

Another shortcoming of outdoor growing is that you do not have control over the environment and therefore, nature may disappoint you. The heat may be too much, and you may need to water the plants. If it is too rainy, you also need to protect your plants from getting overwatered. Outdoor growing can be impractical for city dwellers as there isn’t much space for a growing area.https://www.growweedeasy.com/basics

Choosing Growing Mediums

You can select different growing mediums depending on the environment and conditions of your grow area. Each growing medium that you can use has different care and watering requirements. The most common grow mediums are soil, soilless mix, hydroponics and aeroponics.

Soil gives you the best growing experience as it is readily available. Choose organic composted super soil for the easy growing. You can also choose to start with the Fox Farms Ocean Forest soil mix. The FFOF is beneficial as it already contains enough nutrients to last for the first month of your young plant’s life.

The soilless mix includes the use of anything else besides soil. You can use coco coir, perlite, vermiculite etc. all the soilless mix are considered hydroponic growing since there’s no inclusion of soil.

Hydroponics are plants grown directly in water. This choice of growing medium produces some of the fastest growth rates and biggest yields possible; you can combine them with HID/LEC/LED grow lights for quick results.

Aeroponics are plants grown in misted air, the plant roots are suspended in air or can be grown in a tank with fish (aquaponics). This type of growth medium is, however, not so common for cannabis growers.

You can also compost your own soil or buy composted soil which gets incredible taste results even though it requires a little more work.

Choose Nutrients for Enhancement of Growth

You will need to get cannabis nutrients made for soil to make sure your plants produce at their best. The nutrients are added to your growing area once you reach the flowering/budding stage, this is because cannabis plants are heavy feeders and the plants will have already used up most of the nutrients in the soil by the time budding begins. For the other growth mediums like the hydroponic grows, you will have to get cannabis nutrients made explicitly for them. Cannabis nutrients like the General Hydroponics Nutrients Trio would work well for that type of growth medium. Dyna-Gro (Grow, Bloom) is another nutrient supplement that can be used for your plants. It can be used at half strength in soil, water, coco coir, or any growing medium. Use the Grow nutrient bottle supplement during the vegetative stage and the Bloom bottle during the flowering stage.

Choose your Cannabis Plants and Choose your Preferred Strain

You can choose between cannabis seeds or clones. The seeds can be bought from online suppliers you can check https: www.growweedeasy.com/seeds for more information on seed vendors. For the clones, you can get them from someone who grows cannabis and has female cannabis plants.

If you go for the cannabis seeds, you can germinate them by placing them directly in a specialized starter cube like a Rapid Rooter. Keep the Rapid Rooters moist and warm. You can put your tray on a seedling heat mat. Seedlings should pop up in a few days or a week. Once the seedling has emerged, you can stick the cube directly into your growing medium. You can also use the simple paper towel method to germinate your seeds.  Place your seeds in a moist paper towel and wrap them as you wait for them to germinate.

Vegetative Stage

The first appearance of a regular set of leaves on your plant officially marks the vegetative stage. Young cannabis plants grow fastest when the temperature is a bit warmer than room temperature. The temperatures should be at 20- 30C.  At this stage, you only need to feed your plants nutrients at full strength if the plant is showing signs that it needs more nutrients. The symptoms of low nutrients in the plant can be shown through yellowing of leaves or falling off. If you are growing your plants indoors, ensure that you give them 18-24 hours of light each day. If growing outside, you also need to ensure that your plants get direct light for most of the day. The size of the plant at this stage has a significant impact on the final size that your plant will grow into.

Flowering Stage

This is the stage where your plants start making buds, and it lasts until harvest. At this stage, you need to reduce the lighting periods to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness if you are growing indoors. The outdoor plants will naturally flower when the days get short. Identify the gender of the cannabis plant and get rid of any male plants. Male plants grow pollen sacs and do not have white hair or pistils. They do not develop psychoactive properties; thus, the reason why they should be removed from the growing area. Female cannabis plants, on the other hand, grow wispy white hairs at the top of the branch joints. These are the pistils of her flowers/calyxes.  Growing cannabis using seeds results in half male half female plants; this is why clones are most preferred for growth so that you can be sure of maximum female plants. Your plants will grow more as time goes by, and they will develop actual buds/ flowers. Keep the temperatures slightly cooler so you can produce buds with the best colour, smell and trichome production. Keep checking your plants for signs of nutrient deficiency. When the buds stop growing whitish hair, you can harvest and cure your cannabis.

Cannabis Plant Chemicals

There is a total of over 400 different chemicals in the cannabis plant. Each plant chemical has a different concentration in the various strains of cannabis. Discussed below are some of the main chemicals that are known. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736954/

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

THC is the most potent psychoactive substance in the cannabis plant. It attaches to neurotransmitters to create some marijuana’s most famous effects. Many cannabis users are attracted to the plant because of its THC component. Those who use cannabis for recreational purposes seek strains with high THC percentage for maximum psychoactive effects or the ‘high’ feeling that they experience when they use it. THC, especially in high levels, affect memory, co-ordination, concentration, pain sensation, sensory perception and time perception. Some other effects which may be undesirable include anxiety and paranoia. The more concentrated the THC, the more powerful and noticeable these effects will be.

Cannabidiol (CBD) and CBDA

CBD can actively cancel out the effects of THC; it shuts off chemical reactions the psychoactive drug creates. A substantial amount of CBD in a cannabis product can reduce your ‘high’.  This cancelling effect can be good for your health as too much THC can cause anxiety. CBD induces holistic effects on the body; the chemical can interact with processes related to pain, inflammation, anxiety, stress and other symptoms. It has the ability t calm your body without producing the ‘high’ feeling. CBD can be ingested in the form of oils, vaporizers, CBD gummies or joint smokes. The raw acidic state of CBD before decarboxylation is known as CBDA.

Cannabinol (CBN)

Cannabinol is a decomposed by-product of THCA. Marijuana that has been exposed to light, oxygen and heat is likely to have its THCA content converted to CBN, and it can cause a gradual breakdown.  CBN is the most potent cannabinoid component of marijuana. When THC converts to CBN due to poor storage of marijuana, it reduces potency.

Cannabichromene (CBC)

This cannabinoid, just like the CBD, is known to have agonist effects on THC.

Cannabigerol (CBG)

Cannabigerolic-acid (CBGA) is a molecule found during the early growth stages of a cannabis plant. As the plant develops, the CBGA content gradually goes down and progressively transforms into other chemicals like THC. Like CBD and CBC, the CBG acts as an agonist to CB1 and CB2 therefore, tempers with the strong effects of a ’high’. CBG interacts with the body’s inflammation, pain reception and stress-related (GABA) systems.

Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCv)

THCv is one of the chemicals in cannabis that provides psychoactive effects. Its chemical structure is almost similar to that of THC except it lacks a chain and a few other key components. THCv has about 20% of the psychoactive potency of THC

Cannabidivarin (CBDv)

Cannabidivarin also is known as cannabidivarol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in medical cannabis. It is one of over 100 cannabinoids identified from the cannabis plant that can modulate the physiological activity of cannabis compared to CBD. CBDv is CBD’s counterpart to THCv a simplified molecule which is shortened by two molecules on its side. CBDv and CBD have depicted anticonvulsant activity both in animal and human models. The anti-epileptic activity of CBDv and CBD is thought to be modulated by their effects on transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1), also known as capsaicin receptor. The receptor is a member of a large number of ion channels that are involved in the onset and progression of several types of epilepsy.

Tetrahydrocannabinol / Delta (8) THC

This is an analogue of THC with antiemetic, anxiolytic, appetite-stimulatingg, analgesic and neuroprotective properties. Delta-8-THC binds to the Cannabinoid G-protein coupled receptor CB1, located in the central nervous system. CB1 receptor activation inhibits adenyl cyclase, increases mitogen-activated protein kinase activities, modulates several potassium channel conductance and inhibits N- and P/Q- type Ca2+ channels. This compound attaches to different receptors leading to a less-potent psychoactive effect.

Getting Started with Cannabis

The use of cannabis is stifled by a lot of misinformation. Research progress has also been stifled by some states leading to scarcity helpful info. Some states have passed laws to legalize the use of the cannabis plant for its different uses, while others still keep strict laws against it. A new user may find problems knowing how to get started, where to find the cannabis plant how to use it or when to use it. The cannabis plant as it has been discussed before could have adverse effects on the health of a person; therefore, you cannot just impulsively decide that you want to start using it without the right information in mind. If you are new to cannabis, you have to find a way of consulting either knowledgeable people or finding access to information about the same.

Why use cannabis?

The most important thing you have to ask yourself as a new user is; what reason do you have for wanting to use cannabis? The plant has various uses, and different people use it for different purposes. It can be used for recreation, as medicine among other uses. Cannabis has numerous applications for a variety of ailments; it can treat or relieve symptoms of epilepsy, insomnia, nausea, anxiety, pain, PTSD, among others.

Scientific research pertaining to cannabis as a medical aid is scarce, and the evidence keeps coming up about the ineffectiveness of the drugs for long term treatment. For instance, THC is believed to be ineffective for the treatment of glaucoma; it has short term benefits that cannot be sustained for a long period of time. Therefore, if you are to use cannabis for medical purposes, you have to first consult a physician; otherwise, you may cause problems to your health when you intended to fix it.

Ways of ingesting cannabis

There are so many methods one can use to consume cannabis.  As more consumers of cannabis begin to see the benefits of it, more creative ways of consumption are created. Each method of consumption can result in different level of reaction to cannabis.  For instance, oil-based cannabis taken through tinctures exhibits a slower reaction compared to smoking the dried leaves in joints. You can choose a method you are more comfortable with, one that is readily available or depending on the level/speed of reaction you want.

Joints and blunts are the most common method of consuming cannabis. They involve wrapping dried leaves using cigarette wraps and lighting it up so as to inhale the resulting smoke. Cannabis can also be consumed through pills and capsules. The pills are also known as cannacaps and are majorly oil-based. Edibles refer to any food item that contains cannabis. Edibles are the easiest, most convenient way to consume cannabis. The cannabis, whether in oil form, powder form, or as they are (leaves) can be infused into food items like cookies and gummies and consumed just like regular treats.

The drug can cause a mental health problem if used way beyond the proper proportion. Additionally, in some countries, the use of cannabis is allowed strictly for medical purposes and therefore, it would be illegal to be found smoking the cannabis. Therefore, before you decide to start using it for recreational purposes, you must check the laws of your country so that you do not get into trouble with the law.

Understanding the Components of cannabis

Cannabis has different chemical components. THC and CBD are two of the main components of cannabis. THC is what makes the cannabis psychoactive. Therefore, if you want a psychoactive reaction or if you want to get a ‘high’ then you should go for strains with higher THC percentage. CBD has analgesic, anti-inflammatory properties and is not psychoactive. If you want to take cannabis and not get a ‘high’, you can go for CBD oils, gummies or vaporizers.

Higher THC levels generally help in; reducing nausea associated with chemo, insomnia etc. On the other hand, higher CBD levels in a drug help in relieving chronic pain, reducing symptoms of anxiety or generally calming your body down without a psychoactive reaction.

Cannabinoids work together to provide a synergistic effect within the body’s endocannabinoid system. They also work together to create stability and optimal health within our body, especially when using medical cannabis. When you ingest cannabinoids, they travel through the body and end up in your brain binding to one or both CB1 and CB2 receptors. Depending on which receptor the cannabinoid prefers, it will alter the kind of relief you may feel. Both CBD and THC create a balanced system together with other cannabinoids.

Where to Get Cannabis Plant

You can grow your own cannabis indoors or outdoors if growing it is legal in your country. This may, however, not be so practical for a new user. Although you can do the same if you feel the need to make your own cannabis. There is an advanced technology that can allow you to grow cannabis in the comfort of your home; the grow box kit is an example of an enclosed system used for raising plants indoors or in small areas. If you are not willing to wait for long to get your first experience of cannabis, you can shop for the finished products. There are online stores which sell cannabis, and you get yours there. You can also get the product from individuals who physically sell them. The various ways of ingesting cannabis have made it easy to access it. For instance, CBD is widely sold in the form of gummy bears. The gummies are infused with cannabidiol so that you can experience the effect of the cannabis component while tasting flavorful treats. The gummies can be found in physical or online stores; same applies to cookies and joints. You can get the CBD gummies at online stores like https://justcbdstore.com/product-category/cbd-gummies/