Tetrahydrocannabinol



THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient found in the cannabis plant. It is not water soluble, but it does dissolve into alcohol and fats. It has been shown to increase appetite and decrease nausea, making it a beneficial medicine to chemotherapy patients. Abbreviated to d 9 THC, this chemical is the most active ingredient in cannabis. A synthetic but molecularly identical version of d 9 THC is called dronabinol, and the cannabis plant it self can referred to as hemp or Indian hemp, marijuana, pot, ganja, hashish, and reefer on the streets. Tetra hydro cannabinol is an appetite stimulant and antiemetic. A brown, amorphous, viscous oil at standard temperature and pressure, THC has a molecular mass of 314.45 AMU.

When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body

THC acts upon specific sites in the brain, called cannabinoid receptors, kicking off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the "high" that users experience when they smoke marijuana. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. The highest density of cannabinoid receptors are found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentrating, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.

Debates are currently taking place to decide whether the possible medical benefits of THC/Cannabis/Marijuana outweigh the obvious negative aspects.