The way a person uses cannabis can change the effect they feel. Inhaling cannabis, by smoking or vaping, causes a person to feel the effects quickly and can last up to 6 hours. Eating or drinking cannabis (edibles, capsules, oils) can be felt within 30 minutes and can take up to 4 hours to feel the full effects. The effects of stronger edibles can be felt for 12-24 hours.

The effects of cannabis can change based on:

• The age of the person
• The amount used
• How often it is used
• The way it is taken
• Where it is taken (e.g. at home)

The pleasant short-term effects can include:

• Euphoria or a sense of well-being
• Relaxation
• Heightened sense of sight, taste, smell, and sound
• Focus and creativity
• Increased self-awareness
• Increased appetite
• Real or perceived pain relief

Cannabis can sometimes cause effects that are unpleasant or unwanted.

Effects on the brain:

• Sleepiness
• Confusion
• Difficulty with memory or concentration
• Slower reactions
• Anxiety
• Distorted sense of time
• Seeing and hearing things that are not real

Possible effects on the body:

• Damage to the blood vessels, lungs and heart from smoking cannabis
• Changes in blood pressure, which can cause fainting or potential problems for people with heart conditions

Overconsumption refers to too much of a substance taken at one time. While overconsumption of cannabis cannot kill you, using too much at a time can result in an unpleasant experience often referred to as “greening out” which can include:

• Severe anxiety
• Paranoia
• Fear or panic attack
• Severe nausea
• Vomiting These effects are temporary and will go away after the cannabis has worn off.

Long-term effects of cannabis can occur with use over time and can impact:

• Brain Development
  Long term and/ or heavy Cannabis use can affect a person’s memory, concentration, and ability to make decisions.
• Dependency
  It is possible to become dependent on cannabis. This is where a person can experience irritability, low appetite, and mood swings if they go without using cannabis. The risk of developing a dependency increases when cannabis is used with other addictive substances such as tobacco.
• Respiratory Problems
  Smoking cannabis has similar risks to smoking tobacco. Health risks can include breathing problems, a cough that will not go away, and mucus build-up. These risks increase in cold temperatures and among those with existing respiratory challenges like Tuberculosis.
• Mental Health
  While some people find cannabis helps them with symptoms of mental illness or to cope with trauma, long term and heavy cannabis use has also been linked to depression, anxiety, and cannabis use disorder among some users.

If a person or their family has a history of mental illness, trauma, or schizophrenia, heavy cannabis use can increase the possibility of triggering an episode. This is where a person loses contact with reality and hears and sees things that are not real. These are more likely to occur if a person:

• Starts using cannabis at an early age
• Uses cannabis frequently over a long period of time (daily or near daily use)
• Uses concentrated cannabis products that are high in THC content (higher than 15% THC)
• Some people who use cannabis may see, hear, feel, or experience things that differ from other’s perception of reality. In Western medicine this experience is referred to as psychosis. This experience can be negative and unwanted or positive and spiritual depending on the intent of the user.

There is some research suggesting that cannabis use during pregnancy can change the way a child grows and acts later in life. Potential behaviour and brain development challenges for children can include:

• Poor attention span
• Hyperactivity
• Poor memory
• Learning problems at school

• Breastfeeding is the best and most affordable way to feed your baby what it needs to grow and be healthy.
• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from cannabis can pass into mothers’ breastmilk and be shared with the baby.
• Babies who are exposed to THC through breastmilk may become drowsy or have a hard time latching onto the breast.

• If you are having trouble becoming cannabis-free, try reducing the amount you use.
• Reduce how often you use. If you are using daily or near daily, try limiting when you use to certain days of the week.
• Try cannabis products that are lower in THC and higher in cannabidiol (CBD), which is the medicinal compound.
• Switch to edible cannabis products to avoid cannabis smoke. Cannabis smoke reduces the amount of oxygen going to the fetus and affects its development. However, keep in mind cannabis that is eaten can stay in your system longer.
• Use cannabis on its own rather than with other substances like tobacco, alcohol, or cocaine.
• If possible, try to avoid rooms where people are smoking cannabis or tobacco to avoid second-hand smoke.
• If smoking or vaping cannabis, avoid doing so near children or while carrying a child in an amauti.
• Clearly label and securely store any cannabis products in the home.

• Making a cannabis-free zone around pregnant and breastfeeding women can help reduce the temptation to use and prevent exposure to second hand smoke.
• Keep cannabis products and accessories (ash trays, lighters, pipes) out of sight as these can be triggers for use and pose dangers to young children in the home.
• Try to avoid smoking cannabis in the home while others are present (even out of a window), or on the porch near any open windows.
• Offer to go cannabis-free with your partner to help create a supportive and healthy environment.
• Focus on providing support in an open minded and non-judgemental way.
• Keep track of the money saved by cutting back or going cannabis-free, consider how this money could be put towards other uses such as a sewing machine or hunting supplies.
• Try to manage stress in the home by creating positive routines including a healthy diet and activities.