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Cannabis (Cannabis)

1.  Description

Cannabis has long been used for fibre (hemp), for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a recreational drug. It is an annual, dioecious, flowering herb.

1.1  Obtaining

• Common (wild growth): It is invasive and grows wild in 'Souls territories, though many, many cultivars and strains were created by humanity. Much like dog species, these cultivars have lost their potency and specialization -- however, some of their bred traits may persist in the post-apocalyptic varities found within 'Souls.
• Common (traders): Traders, packs, and individuals often cultivate cannabis.
• Packs: Salsola^[1] and Casa di Cavalieri^[2] grow cannabis in their pack gardens (see reference numbers).

1.2  Types

All three types may interbreed and hybridize -- most cultivated types were hybrids. Though humanity came up with a vast number of strains, hybrids, etc. it is unlikely these persist in the Luperci world. Pure strains of any of the three types would also be difficult to come by, but one or the other type may be dominant.

Cannabis sativa

Generally, the sativa plant is a taller and lankier variety, characterised by narrow serrated leaves and loose spear-like flower clusters that can be extremely resinous. The primary effects of sativas are on the mind and emotions. These benefits can be particularly helpful for the psychological aspects of many illnesses, giving people an increased sense of well-being.

Cannabis indica

Has beneficial properties such as pain relief in addition to being an effective treatment for insomnia and an anxiolytic, as opposed to sativa's more common reports of a "spacey" and mental inebriation. Less likely to cause inebriation. Indica plants are normally shorter and stockier plants than sativas.

Cannabis ruderalis

A hardier variety grown, characterised by a more sparse, "weedy" growth. It is rarely cultivated for the drug content and is not often found outside of its native range. However, many varieties of hemp grown for industrial purposes resemble ruderalis for its low THC content.

1.3  Uses

Cannabis can be smoked, eaten, or made into tea form. There are further preparations, such as oils, tinctures, etc.

Medicinal

• Alleviation of nausea and vomiting, stimulation of hunger, eye issues, general pain relief), antispasmodic and muscle-relaxant. Recipients have reduced response to pain, suggesting it helps alleviate pain, though it is not one to block pain receptors as Opium is.
• Treatment of depression, alcohol abuse, glaucoma, digestive diseases, and many others -- it had a long history in humanity as various treatments throughout many cultures.

Hemp

Hemp is the same plant as Cannabis; however, hemp strains of the plant were are bred for low THC content. Sativa varieties are preferred for hemp production, as indica has poorer fiber quality.

Hemp is refined into products like hempseed foods, hemp oil, wax, resin, rope, cloth, and pulp. Hemp is used for a wide variety of purposes including the manufacture of cordage of varying tensile strength, durable clothing and nutritional products. The bast fibers can be used in 100% hemp products, but are commonly blended with other organic fibers such as flax, cotton or silk,

Hemp is fast growing, producing up to 25 tonnes of dry matter per hectare per year.

1.4  Oils

• C. Flower Essential Oil: A pale yellow liquid, this essential oil is used as a scent in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, and candles. It is also used as a flavoring in foods, primarily candy and beverages.
• Hemp Oil: Comes from the female hemp plant. It is obtained from the flowers or bud of the plant by soaking the buds in alcohol. Hemp oil is dark to clear light green in color, with a pleasant nutty flavour. The darker the color, the grassier the flavour. Hemp oil is used an impregnator and varnish in wood finishing, oil paints, or putty. Hemp oil will go rancid within a short time; Its shelf life is extended when stored in a dark airtight container and refrigerated.
• Hempseed Oil: Obtained by pressing hemp seeds. Hempseed oil is clear and colorless, with little flavor. Used for body care, in lubricants, paints, ink. Hempseed oil has a relatively low smoke point and is not suitable for frying.
• Hash Oil: Prepared in the same process as hashish, but carried further. Hash oil is the most psychoactive oil produced from the cannabis plant.

1.5  Other

• Hashish is a compressed form of the plant; it contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations.
• Hempseed is also used as a fishing bait.
• Hemp seeds can be eaten raw, ground into a meal, sprouted, made into hemp milk (akin to soy milk), prepared as tea, and used in baking.
• Hemp fiber was widely used throughout history. Items ranging from rope, to fabrics, to industrial materials were made from hemp fiber. Hemp was often used to make sail canvas.
• Hemp rope should be protected by tarring, since hemp rope has a propensity for breaking from rot, as the capillary effect of the rope-woven fibers tended to hold liquid at the interior, while seeming dry from the outside.

1.6  Psychoactive Drug

Other uses of cannabis are as a recreational drug or as religious or spiritual rites. Only certain parts of the plant have psychoactive effects -- e.g., hempseed oil would have a lower (nearly negligible) content of THC (the psychoactive chemical) when prepared.

Effects

Aside from a subjective change in perception and, most notably, mood, the most common short-term physical and neurological effects include increased heart rate, increased appetite. The psychoactive effects, known as a "high", are subjective and can vary. The subjective experience induced by using cannabis can be considered stimulatory and yet also sedative or depressant, while also having markedly mild psychedelic and dissociative characteristics.

When smoked, the short-term effects manifest within seconds and are fully apparent within a few minutes, lasting for 1-3 hours, varying by the person, tolereance, and strain. Different forms of ingestion have different times to manifest (e.g., eating takes longer than a few seconds) and different times of lasting.

Some effects may include: a general alteration of conscious perception, euphoria, feelings of well-being, relaxation or stress reduction, increased appreciation of humor, music or the arts, joviality, metacognition and introspection, enhanced recollection (episodic memory), increased sensuality, increased awareness of sensation, increased libido, and creativity.

2.  More

• Wikipedia:Cannabis, Wikipedia:Cannabis_ Wikipedia:Hemp, Wikipedia:Cannabis_sativa, Wikipedia:Cannabis_indica, Wikipedia:Cannabis_ruderalis, Wikipedia:Effects_of_cannabis, Wikipedia:Medical_cannabis, Wikipedia:Religious_and_spiritual_use_of_cannabis, Wikipedia:Category:Cannabis, Wikipedia:Category:Hemp

3.  'Souls

• Trader Ivers? has cultivated cannabis up for trade