Various methods of consumption can alter the effects of marijuana. Smoking the herb, for example, can cause elation and increase heart rate. Users often report lessening coordination and balance. They may also feel “dreamy,” or “unreal” feelings. The effects of marijuana usually wear off within two to three hours. For those who wish to avoid short-term withdrawal symptoms, it is best to consume the drug orally.
Those who are suffering from glaucoma may experience reduced pressure in their eyes. However, they may be at risk of vision loss if they use marijuana. Cannabis can also reduce nausea and vomiting associated with cancer treatments. Additionally, users of medical marijuana may experience reductions in the intensity of pain caused by nerve damage. While the FDA continues to review the drug approval process and encourage scientific research, the effects of cannabis use are likely to remain unreliable.
Spanish explorers introduced the plant to the New World in 1530. Jacques-Joseph Moreau studied the plant’s effects on the human mind, and was a member of the Parisian Club des Hashischins. In 1842, William Brooke O’Shaughnessy brought the drug to Britain with the East India Company. During his research, he observed that cannabis was not only psychoactive, but it had many side effects.
