Somerset Youth and Community Service
Cannabis Awareness
Session plan 2
Aims:
To raise young people’s awareness of the effects of cannabis on the body
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the session young people will:
•
Understand the effects of cannabis
•
Understand the legal status of cannabis
•
Have considered their attitudes to cannabis
Group Size: 8 young people
Time:
One Hour
Materials:
• Flipchart paper
• Marker pens
• Cannabis Effects Sheet
• Cannabis names list
•
•
•
Agree/disagree statements
Agree / disagree floor cards
Cannabis Quiz & answer sheet
Time
10 mins
What
Names for cannabis and its effects on the body:
Split the group into four small groups. Ask 2 of the groups
to write down all the names they can think of for cannabis
and ask the other 2 groups to write down what effects it
can have.
With
Flipchart paper
Marker pens
10 mins
Each group to then feedback to the main group. Use the
Cannabis briefing sheet to make sure that all points are
covered.
Effects Sheet,
Names list
20 mins
Agree/Disagree
Ask group to stand up and clear a space in the room.
Inform them that there is a line across the room and one
end is agree and the other end is disagree. As you read
out each statement, the young people should place
themselves on a point along the line according to whether
they agree or disagree with the statement. Discuss with
the group why they have placed themselves where they
have on the line.
Agree/disagree
statements
5 mins
Give out the cannabis quiz, for young people to complete
individually
Cannabis Quiz
10 mins
Go through the answers, discussing issues with the group.
Answer sheet
5 mins
Evaluation : Ask each young person what was good, bad
and ugly about the session
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
Agree /
disagree floor
cards
Somerset Youth and Community Service
Cannabis effects sheet
Mood
Some people feel chilled out, happy and relaxed
Others feel sick and anxious, panicky, paranoid or suspicious
Some people get the giggles and become talkative
Hunger pangs are common and called the munchies
Users may become more aware of their senses or get a feeling of slowing time,
which are due to it’s hallucinogenic effects
• Regular use can make you feel tired and unmotivated
•
•
•
•
•
Mental Health
• Regular use has been associated with an increase in the risk of later
developing psychotic illnesses including schizophrenia, particularly if there is a
family background of mental illness
• Can cause paranoia, depression and insomnia
• Impairs short term memory
• Some varieties have more powerful effects than others (skunk, sinsemilla) and
using stronger cannabis can increase the likelihood of mental health issues
• Is weakly addictive but can cause dependence in a significant minority of
regular users
The Body
• Increases heart rate and affects blood pressure
• Is quick acting – it only takes seconds to take effect and declines after 45
minutes
• Eyes get bloodshot, mouth becomes dry
• Affects your co-ordination (which is why driving is dangerous and illegal if you
are under the influence of cannabis)
• If smoked with tobacco, there is a risk of addiction and the health risks
associated with tobacco (such as bad breath, bronchitis, lung cancer and
emphysema)
• Can reduce sperm count and motility
• Can suppress ovulation and so can affect fertility
• Can increase the risk of low birth weight if smoked
• Regular use makes if difficult to learn and concentrate
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
Somerset Youth and Community Service
Cannabis names
Bhang
Blast
Blunts
Bush
Draw
Grass
Hashish
Herb
Pot
Resin
Sensemilla
Skank
Soap
Wacky backy
Zero
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
Black
Blow
Bob Hope
Dope
Ganga
Hash
Hemp
Marijuana
Puff
Sensi
Shit
Smoke
Spliff
Weed
Somerset Youth and Community Service
Cannabis agree/disagree statements
Agree / Disagree Statements…
• Cannabis should be made legal
• Cannabis is a more harmful drug then
alcohol
• The side effects of cannabis are
harmless because it comes from a plant
• Cannabis is a gateway drug to using
harder drugs
• Doctors should be able to prescribe
cannabis to patients
• Maintaining the illegal status of cannabis
leads to an increase in criminal
behaviour
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
Somerset Youth and Community Service
Cannabis Quiz
True
It is safe to drive a car under the influence of
cannabis
Cannabis makes you feel relaxed, happy and
mellow
It’s legal to smoke cannabis
Splitting your cannabis with your friends doesn’t
count as dealing
You’re not doing anything illegal if friends smoke
cannabis in your home, as long as it doesn’t
belong to you & you don’t smoke it.
You’re more likely to get lung cancer if you smoke
cannabis, than just tobacco
Cannabis comes in many different types and
strengths
Cannabis makes you eat more
Smoking cannabis can increase your likelihood of
developing a mental illness
Smoking cannabis can limit your social life
What did you score?
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
False
Somerset Youth and Community Service
Cannabis Quiz Answers
True
False
It is safe to drive a car under the influence of
cannabis
Cannabis lessens co-ordination and balance and impairs motor skills so that activities
like driving a car (or riding a bike) may become dangerous. It is also as illegal as drink
driving and you could be fined or disqualified.
Cannabis makes you feel relaxed, happy and mellow
Cannabis can make you feel relaxed, happy and mellow. It can also make
you feel sick, panicky, anxious and paranoid
It’s legal to smoke cannabis
No, it isn’t. It is a Class B drug. If you are under 18 and caught in possession of
cannabis, it’s likely you’ll get a reprimand and your parents / guardians told. A second
offence will probably result in a final warning and a referral to the Youth Offending
Team. For a third offence, you are likely to be arrested and charged. The maximum
penalty is five years in prison and an unlimited fine.
Splitting your cannabis with your friends doesn’t
count as dealing
Yes it does. You also risk being charged with dealing if you grow cannabis in your
home or carry a large amount on you. The maximum penalty for dealing is 14 years
plus an unlimited fine.
You’re not doing anything illegal if friends smoke
cannabis in your home, as long as it doesn’t belong
to you & you don’t smoke it.
Yes you are. Allowing anyone to take it in your house is illegal and the home owner
could be prosecuted. This is also true for clubs, cars & parties.
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014
True
False
You’re more likely to get lung cancer if you smoke
cannabis, than just tobacco
Cannabis smoke contains more of the cancer causing chemical benzopyrene than
tobacco does. Also, you are more likely to start smoking tobacco regularly if you
smoke in joints.
Cannabis comes in many different types and
strengths
It does. It can be in the form of hashish, which is made up of the resin of the plant
(using solvents), or grass made from the dried leaves and flowers of the plant (looks
like dried herbs). In the last few years, different types of grass have been available that
can be two or three times stronger than traditional grass. It can be difficult to tell what
you’re getting, which can make limiting your in-take impossible.
Cannabis makes you eat more
Some people feel hungrier when they’ve been smoking cannabis – it’s
usually called the munchies. It’s caused because people become more
aware of their senses when they are stoned.
Smoking cannabis can increase your likelihood of
developing a mental illness
It can cause paranoia in the first instance. Also, cannabis has been linked to
the development of mental illnesses, particularly if you have a history of
mental illness in your family, or if you have had a mental illness. Research is
ongoing in this area.
Smoking cannabis can limit your social life
Some people who smoke cannabis gradually smoke more and more of it.
This means that they limit their social circle to others who smoke it, which
can exclude other friends. Also, most smoking happens in people’s houses,
so you stop going out altogether.
© Somerset Youth and Community Service 2014