Learn More About Cannabis

Ka whai i te whānuitanga o ngā kōrero mō te Taru Rauhea.

MY CANNABIS USE

For help phone the DHB 24 hour local helpline on 0800 800 508.

How is cannabis affecting your life? Click to visit PotHelp.org and take their cannabis use test. These quick questions will help you think about the influence weed or synthetic cannabis has on your life. Thinking about the last three months, answer YES or NO to each question.

Cannabis, often called weed or pot, comes from a plant that can be grown in New Zealand. Cannabis can come as dried leaves, resin or oil and is normally smoked. Cannabis can also be eaten or put in drinks.

When you use a lot of cannabis you have a strong chance of becoming dependent, meaning you can have difficulty cutting down your use despite having some problems. Driving high increases your risk of crashing, especially if you have been drinking.

Young people should avoid using cannabis frequently. Starting in your teens more often leads to problems with dependence, your education and your mental health, especially if you or your family have had mental health problems before.

Pregnant women need to know that regular cannabis is associated with low birth weight and birth complications.

How it feels

When you smoke cannabis, it can quickly make you feel relaxed, giggly and hungry. You can also see, things that aren’t there – called hallucinations – and get a dry mouth. If you eat or drink cannabis, it can take about an hour before you feel these things.

Using a lot of cannabis may make things seem blurry, you’ll get bloodshot eyes, feel sluggish, be slow to do things and have a hard job thinking straight. Your heart may beat faster, you’ll have low blood pressure and can feel people are out to get you.

When you stop using cannabis you can become moody, angry, worried, feel like you really need to smoke some more and find it hard to sleep. You may feel this way for about a week.

Cannabis is easy to buy and grow in New Zealand. It can be grown outside or inside.

Directory of Support Services for Whānau Drug Support

Our Directory of nationwide and local organisations is here to help guide you to find the support you need, whether it be counselling, support groups, helplines, recovery and support programmes or rehab facilities.

Kua whakakotahi mai nga ratonga Awhina, kia Kaha Tautoko ai to tatou whānau kua raru ai I ēnei tūmomo Warawara Waipiro me nga Tarutaru.

Things to look out for

When you use a lot of cannabis, you can find it hard to see how it is hurting you, and the people around you. Check with someone you trust if they are seeing bad things happening.

Along with normal cannabis taken from marijuana plants, people are also people making and selling synthetic cannabis. These are chemicals that are sprayed onto dried plants, or come as a liquid. Little is known about these chemicals and how they affect you, especially when mixed with other drugs. You may get stomach pains, chest pains, your heart my beat fast and you may feel like throwing up. You can also be scared of dying, see things that aren’t there, get angry and start hurting people, and think about killing yourself. These bad feelings can last several days and end up causing long-term harm.

Calling for help

For help phone the DHB 24 hour local helpline on 0800 800 508.

You won’t die from using too much cannabis, but you can feel scared, that people are out to get you, find it hard to see things clearly and know where you are. You may also find it hard to breath, start shaking, feel cold and sweat a lot. Don’t take any more, try to stay calm, and most times you will slowly start to feel better.