ABOUT US

Puff Dragon was established in 2019 as a website dedicated to providing the latest & greatest sources of news for Marijuana use within Australia and keep you up to date on current government legislation and health studies.

At Puff Dragon our goal is to de-stigmatise the use of Marijuana for both medical & non-medical purposes and to help clear up some common misconceptions about the use of Marijuana and the people who use it.

We do not condone of any illegal activity, we only serve as an outlet for information around the topic of Marijuana. Optimistically, we would like to see Marijuana legalised for both medical and non-medical purposed Australia wide.

FAQs

Is Marijuana legal in Australia?

Marijuana is currently only legal for recreational use in ACT, this is still classified as a Schedule 2 drug in all other states and as such Schedule 2 penalties are determined by State Government. Please visit your state government’s websites for details regarding current legislation, laws and penalties that may apply.

On January 31 2020 ACT has amended their laws with regards to Marijuana for recreational use:

If you’re aged 18 and over in the ACT, you can now:

·       possess up to 50 grams of dried cannabis or up to 150 grams of fresh cannabis

·       grow up to two cannabis plants per person, with a maximum of four plants per household

·       use cannabis in your home (personal use).

It is still an offence to:

·       smoke or use cannabis in a public place

·       expose a child or young person to cannabis smoke

·       store cannabis where children can reach it

·       grow cannabis using hydroponics or artificial cultivation

·       grow plants where they can be accessed by the public.

For more information please visit https://www.act.gov.au/cannabis/home

Is Medicinal Marijuana legal in Australia?

Medicinal Marijuana is available in each state in Australia, however each state has different regulations and requirements to be eligible for treatment:

·       Victoria: Legal for use by children with severe, treatment-resistant epilepsy, from early 2017: Access to Medicinal Cannabis Act 2016. (See Health.Vic for details.)

·       Queensland: Legal by prescription from specialists for use by patients with a range of conditions including MS, epilepsy, cancer, and HIV/AIDS, from March 2017: Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Act 2016. (See Queensland Health for details.)

·       NSW: Legal for use by adults with end-of-life illnesses, from July 2016: Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Amendment Regulation 2016. (See NSW Government’s Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Innovation for details.)

·       ACT: People who fall under category 6 illnesses within certain criteria as of 2017 – See ACT Health for details on what this means.

·       Tasmania: Controlled Access Scheme began in 2017 to allow patients to access unregistered medicinal cannabis. No legislative changes were required in Tasmania. (See Tasmanian Department of Health for details.)

·       WA: Legal by prescription from doctors under certain conditions, from November 2016: Misuse of Drugs Act 1981. (See WA Department of Health for details.)

·       SA: Legal by prescription from doctors under certain conditions, from November 2016. (See SA Health for details.)

·       NT: The Australian Government Department of Health regulates therapeutic medicines containing cannabinoids through the Therapeutic Goods Administration – access is restricted to patients with certain medical conditions (See NT Government or Department of Health for details.)

What medicinal properties does Marijuana possess?

Marijuana is made up of two key ingredients, Cannabidiol (CBD, non-psychoactive / no high) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, psychoactive / produces high). Studies have shown that each ingredient can each have their own medical benefits.

CBD is used to help with other various conditions, such as:

·       seizures

·       inflammation

·       pain

·       psychosis or mental disorders

·       inflammatory bowel disease

·       nausea

·       migraines

·       depression

·       anxiety

It is important to realise that Marijuana is not a cure-all and should only be taken in doses as prescribed be a medical professional.

Does Marijuana have any negative symptoms?

This depends on usage, the more frequent you consume Marijuana the more likely you are to have one or multiple of the following symptoms even when not high:

·       Loss of memory or difficulty with short term memory

·       Difficulty with critical thinking and problem solving

·       Paranoia

·       Anxiety (when taken in high dosages)

·       Hallucinations and Delusions (when taken in high dosages)

·       Psychosis (this occurs in people with an increased likely hood of developing psychosis later in life, but can be spurred on earlier due to frequent use)

Is Marijuana addictive?

Marijuana has been proven to not have any physically addictive properties or symptoms that have currently been studied but much like anything that can either be ingested or provide a boost in dopamine, you can build a reliance and tolerance with excess use.

What does THC mean?

Tetrahydrocannabinol, also know as THC, is the main psychoactive ingredient in Marijuana, this is what give Marijuana the euphoric sensation or high experienced after consumption.

What does CBD mean?

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a non-psychoactive ingredient found in Marijuana this means it does not provide the same euphoric high sensation that THC does. CBD is mainly used for medicinal purposed because it is non-psychoactive, but it still holds many of the same medicinal properties as THC.

What is the difference between Cannabis Indica & Cannabis Sativa strands of Marijuana?

There are 2 main strands of Cannabis Plants, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Sativa, both hold opposite properties to the other.

Cannabis Indica strands of Marijuana typically contain higher counts of CBD and lower counts of THC.  

Cannabis Sativa strands of Marijuana typically contain higher counts of THC and lower counts of CBD.

Can you overdose on Marijuana?

A Marijuana overdose is not the same as an overdose on other substances, to date there have been no recorded deaths by cause of ingesting Marijuana. A Marijuana overdose usually result in feelings of nausea, dizziness, lethargy, fatigues, paranoia, anxiety, and in some rare cases hallucinations and panic attacks. These affects can last anywhere between 20 minutes and 24 hours and could result in a “weed hangover” the next day.

If you believe you are experiencing a Marijuana overdose ensure that you are drinking plenty of water, eat if you need to and avoid over-stimulation, but the best thing to do is just sleep it off or relax until the sensation has subsided.