What is Gunja - THC Effects | Strong Spirit Strong Mind

What is Gunja?

Cannabis or gunja is an illegal drug containing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which affects the way you think, feel and behave. Gunja is a cannabinoid and can be used recreationally, medicinally and synthetic. You usually feel the effects for a few hours but gunja can stay in your body for up to a month.

your mood, it may make you feel very relaxed and sleepy or even make you laugh a lot
You may get 'the munchies' and become very hungry
It makes your heart go faster, eyes get red, mouth gets dry and breathing becomes harder
It slows you down, you don't react quickly, you can't concentrate very well, and you start thinking differently
Some people, when they smoke can get paranoid (fearful and suspicious), worried or restless. When someone gets paranoid they may think people are after them. Some people may see or hear things that aren't there. This can last a few hours or more
Some people have unsafe sex when they are stoned. This puts them at risk of a sexually transmitted infection (STI), a Blood-borne virus (BBV), and unplanned pregnancies

To stop looking after yourself. You may feel very lazy
To become forgetful, which can affect your work or school
Gunja puts pressure on families. It can cost a lot of money.
To have relationship problems
Some people feel they have to be stoned all the time and can't live without it
You're more likely to get in trouble with the law because gunja is illegal and sometimes you do silly things when you're stoned
To behave antisocially, which includes stealing money and lying
It can also cause respiratory problems like chest infections or other health problems like cancers

Reducing Harm

There is no safe level of gunja use. The more you use, the more likely you will be harmed. To reduce harm, you can:

Have healthy food around so you don't eat junk food when stoned. If you have got the munchies make sure you leave some food for your family
If you get very fearful, anxious, depressed or paranoid when you are stoned, it shows that gunja is causing you problems and your body doesn't like it. If necessary get some help from a family member or health worker
Never drive or operate machinery if you are stoned
You shouldn't get stoned in dangerous places
You shouldn't use getting stoned as an excuse to break the law (Aboriginal Law or non-Aboriginal Law)
Always have safe sex and always use a condom
Think about how your gunja use could be affecting your family and community
If in a group, stay together
If your friend becomes very paranoid (suspicious and fearful) or sad when stoned, tell them these feelings will pass and try to keep them calm. Never leave them alone when they are feeling like this. If necessary get some help from a family member or health worker
If you or someone you know experiences any breathing issues or passes out when using gunja make sure you call an ambulance straight away -dial (000)

Reducing Use

If you use gunja regularly and then stop suddenly, you will experience withdrawal symptoms. Always seek help when you are stopping gunja use.

Sometimes if you have been using for a long time or using a lot, you can get some uncomfortable feelings when you cut down or cut gunja out. This is because your body is used to the chemicals in gunja.
You may find you crave gunja, think about it a lot, feel angry, anxious or sad, or have very strange dreams. These feelings and effects will stop after a while as your body becomes gunja free.
Sometimes people don't get help because they feel shame talking about their drug use. Alcohol and drug workers are there to help you and will not put you down or judge you.