Cannabis is a plant by the name of Cannabis sativa. The plant can be used for a number of purposes including its psychoactive effects as well as medical, social or religious reasons. A slang term for cannabis is marijuana, which refers to the dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the plant. The flowers and leaves can be consumed in several different ways, such as oil or even food that contains extracts of cannabis. Cannabis can also be taken by smoking it. But while there are plenty of benefits to cannabis, users can be at risk of some negative effects of the substance. Legalization has only occurred in one country to date. Read on to find out about the positive and negative effects of cannabis use.