page_title: Cannabis (drug)
section_title: Medical
hierarchical_section_title: Cannabis (drug) / Uses / Medical
context_page_description: Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used primarily for medical or recreational purposes. The main psychoactive component of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol, which is one of the 483 known compounds in the plant, including at least 65 other cannabinoids, including cannabidiol. Cannabis can be used by smoking, vaporizing, within food, or as an extract.
  Cannabis has various mental and physical effects, which include euphoria, altered states of mind and sense of time, difficulty concentrating, impaired short-term memory and body movement, relaxation, and an increase in appetite. Onset of effects is felt within minutes when smoked, and about 30 to 60 minutes when cooked and eaten. The effects last for two to six hours, depending on the amount used. At high doses, mental effects can include anxiety, delusions, hallucinations, panic, paranoia, and psychosis. There is a strong relation between cannabis use and the risk of psychosis, though the direction of causality is debated.
context_section_description: Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana, can refer to the use of cannabis and its cannabinoids to treat disease or improve symptoms; however, there is no single agreed-upon definition. The rigorous scientific study of cannabis as a medicine has been hampered by production restrictions and by the fact that it is classified as an illegal drug by many governments. There is limited evidence suggesting cannabis can be used to reduce nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy, to improve appetite in people with HIV/AIDS, or to treat chronic pain and muscle spasms. Its use for other medical applications is insufficient for drawing conclusions about safety or efficacy.
  
  Short-term use increases the risk of both minor and major adverse effects. Common side effects include dizziness, feeling tired and vomiting. The long-term effects of cannabis are not clear. There are concerns surrounding memory and cognition problems, risk of addiction, risk of schizophrenia in young people, and the risk of children taking it by accident.
caption: Main short-term physical effects of cannabis