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Article: Cannabis and related disorders
- Article from:
- Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Cannabis and related disorders
Definition
Cannabis, more commonly called marijuana, refers to the several varieties of
Cannabis sativa
, or Indian hemp plant, that contains the psychoactive drug delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Cannabis-related disorders refer to problems associated with the use of substances derived from this plant.
Description
Cannabis
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in the form of marijuana, hashish (a dried resinous material that seeps from cannabis leaves and is more potent than marijuana), or other cannabinoids
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is considered the most commonly used illegal substance in the world. Its effects have been known for thousands of years, and were described as early as the fifth ...