Cannabis consumption and its psychosocial effects in comparison of different cultures

Cannabis consumption is a social and cultural phenomenon. It has a specific place in each society, therefore psychotropic effects are judged different ly. In medieval Islam cannabis consumption showed connections with religiou s and mystic events and was basically formed through consuming sufis. The m ain risk of cannabis use was especially the induction of "madness" or psych otic states in case of high dosage and high frequency of consumption. Never theless there were no social sanctions. Today in western civilised countrie s cannabis consumption is connected with relaxed activity and is mainly con sumed by adolescents. The main risk is seen in the ongoing consumption of i llicit drugs, since cannabis consumption is widely held as the first step f or such a career. On the other hand the induction of psychotic states or a schizophrenia-like psychosis is rarely named in public discussions. At all times self-reports of cannabis-users named creative aspects of cannabis-con sumption, normally seen in the conscious translation into normal reality of asthonishing and formerly unknown experiences made in an intoxicated state . This aspect of cannabis use is widely disregarded in scientific research. Various reasons therefore are discussed.