[Effect of cannabis use on health]

Impairment in short-term memory and lingering deficit in psychomotor performance are but two of the acute cannabis intoxication components that may have long-term consequences. The former because it affects learning and the latter because it interferes with proper handling of motor vehicles. The most frequently observed complication of cannabis inebriation, however, is a short-lasting acute psychological disturbance with symptoms of panic, paranoid apprehension and personality disorganization. This type of reaction is often not dose-related, and could appropriately be termed "pathological intoxication". In addition to the acute effects of cannabis on mental performance and behaviour, this paper reviews the psychiatric consequences of chronic use and the accumulated evidence on organic toxicity associated with it: residual cognitive deficit, lethargic symptoms, cannabis psychosis, respiratory, gastro-intestinal and cardiovascular complications, as well as effects on immune response and gonadal functions, are discussed. Also included are reviews on the pharmacology and therapeutic potential of cannabinoids.