Cannabis Information
探花视频 Cannabis
Cannabis and its active components, including THC, CBD and other cannabinoids, come in many forms and strengths and can affect people differently.听
Cannabis products vary widely in strength. Potency has increased significantly over the past few decades, making it more important than ever to understand what you鈥檙e using.听
- Flower (bud): ~10%鈥30% THC听
- Concentrates (wax, dabs, oils): ~40%鈥90% THC听
Concentrates are much stronger and increase the risk of unwanted effects.听
- Edibles do not have a universal serving size听
- Colorado defines one serving as 10 mg THC, which may be too much for some people
- Effects can take two hours to begin and up to four hours to fully peak听
Always check packaging and avoid re鈥慸osing too quickly.听
Being Intentional 探花视频 Use
Like any substance, cannabis can create both wanted and unwanted effects. If you choose to use cannabis, it can be helpful to reflect on why you鈥檙e using it.听听
Potential wanted experiences听
- Feeling calm or relaxed听
- Social ease or connection听
- Altered sensory experiences (music, food, art)听
- Reduced physical discomfort听
- Enjoyment and laughter听
Get about your cannabis use鈥攏o meeting required.听
Potential unwanted experiences听
- Memory or concentration problems听
- Worsening anxiety, depression or psychosis听
- Feeling tired due to lower鈥憅uality sleep
- Academic, work or relationship impacts听
- Legal consequences听
- Loss of control or risky behavior听
- Cannabis addiction
- 鈥淕reening out鈥 (nausea, vomiting, zoning out)听
- Increased suicidality
- Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome - a condition causing severe, recurrent vomiting and abdominal pain for those using cannabis often
Understanding your intentions can help you notice whether cannabis is supporting your goals or creating outcomes you鈥檇 rather avoid. Cannabis can also affect everyone differently and use under age 25 may impact brain development.听
It鈥檚 also important to remember that not everyone uses cannabis in college. According to the National College Health Assessment, two鈥憈hirds of 探花视频 students reported not using cannabis in the past three months.听
Ways to Reduce Risk and Stay Safer
If you or someone you know chooses to use cannabis, these strategies can help reduce potential harm.听
Please note: Harm鈥憆eduction strategies lower risk but do not make use risk鈥慺ree.听
- Begin with a small amount, especially with edibles or new products听
- Wait long enough to feel the full effects before using more听
- You can always take more鈥攂ut you can鈥檛 take less听
Nearly all cannabis today is much more potent than what was used 20 or 30 years ago. This means today鈥檚 cannabis is more likely to cause unwanted experiences and it is much easier to become addicted than in the past.
Frequent use can increase tolerance and risk of dependence. Consider reflecting on:听
- Is my use affecting school, work or relationships?听
- Am I feeling more tired or foggy than I want?听
- Am I breaking my own limits?听
- Is my use impacting my mental health or finances?听
Using less often can lower risks and help reset tolerance.听
Regular use can lead to tolerance, meaning you need more to feel the same effects. If you use most days, consider a tolerance break (t鈥慴reak) of about 21 days to allow THC to leave your system and reset your baseline.听
- Keep cannabis in original packaging听
- Store out of reach of pets and children听
If accidental ingestion occurs, call a healthcare provider or veterinarian right away.听
Using cannabis with alcohol or other drugs increases the risk of:听
- Nausea and vomiting听
- Blackouts or impaired judgment听
- Accidents or injuries听
Play it safer by using one substance at a time.听
- Choose environments and people where you feel safe听
- Plan ways to say no to pressure听
- Avoid sharing joints, vapes or pipes to reduce the spread of illness听
Remember that cannabis not only can result in a DUI, but also impairs important skills required for safe drinking like slowed reaction time and decision making, impaired coordination, and distorting perception
Identifying THC dependence can be challenging, because some people use THC to manage symptoms caused by withdrawal itself鈥攕uch as anxiety or sleep difficulties鈥攚hich can worsen when use is reduced or paused.
Withdrawal symptoms may include:
- Irritability, anxiety, restlessness, or low mood
- Sleep issues (insomnia, vivid or unsettling dreams, poorer sleep quality)
- Decreased appetite or weight loss
- Headaches, sweating, nausea or stomach discomfort
- Strong cravings to use again
Noticing these symptoms after cutting back or stopping THC use may be a sign of dependence and withdrawal.
Regular cannabis use is linked to:听
- Worsening existing mental health conditions听
- Increased suicidal thoughts or attempts听
- Delusions, paranoia or hallucinations听
- Losing touch with reality听
If someone鈥檚 safety is at risk, call 911. For non鈥慹mergency concerns, CAPS offers 24/7 support at 303鈥492鈥2277.听
Call 911 if someone experiences:听
- Severe anxiety or panic听
- Chest pain or irregular heartbeat听
- Confusion or extreme agitation听
- Repeated vomiting听
- Passed out or unresponsive听
Good news: CU鈥檚 Amnesty Policy and Colorado鈥檚 can protect you from disciplinary action or prosecution if you call for help and stay with the person.听