Marijuana: Friend or Foe?
Marijuana is a recreational drug used in a manner similar to the use of alcohol. It has been vilified in the United States for over seventy years. Overlooking its multifarious practical uses, both medicinal and industrial, the Federal government remains steadfast in their maintenance of the status quo which is that the use, growth, and possession of marijuana is criminal. This is despite the clearly obvious evidence that the legalizing marijuana would have an extremely positive effect on America.
Marijuana, as it is commonly known, comes from a plant called "cannabis sativa”, or hemp. "Hemp" is the term used to refer to any durable plant used since ancient times for various purposes, and from all hemp plants the cannabis hemp stands out as being the most durable. It also produces three extremely important products that other plants cannot produce in a usable form: pulp, medicine, and seed. The cannabis sativa plant grows as cultivated plant and weed in a variety of soils and climates all over the world. (source 1) Marijuana’s many uses have been utilized throughout history; in 4000 B.C hemp was used to create textiles in China; in 6000 B.C. the Chinese used cannabis seeds as food; the first recorded use of marijuana as medicine was in 2727 B.C. in China. Historians believe that hemp was first transported to the New World by the Spanish in 1545; in 1611 the English introduced it to Jamestown where it eventually became a commercially essential
“The oldest known written record on cannabis use comes from the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2727 B.C. Ancient Greeks and Romans were also familiar with cannabis, while in the Middle East, use spread throughout the Islamic empire to North Africa. In 1545 cannabis spread to the western hemisphere where Spaniards imported it to Chile for its use as fiber. In North America cannabis, in the form of hemp, was grown on many plantations for use in rope, clothing and paper” (Cannabis + Coca). Marijuana used to be listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for numerous conditions such as labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Increased use of pot as an
In the 1900s, weed had already had relatively long legal history in the United States. Many historians believe the Jamestown settlers were the first to introduce cannabis to the United States in 1611. Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both grew hemp in the 1700s, which was distributed to drug stores to help cure migraines and menstrual cramps. In the beginning weed was used for recreational purposes, and still is used to aid aliments, some aliments worse than others.
Marijuana has been around for centuries. It comes from the species of plant Cannabis Sativa, and is used for things other that its renowned drug form, such as rope, clothing, medicines, and oils. Other common names for it include
Illegal drug use is a huge part of American culture and one the most controversial of those drugs is marijuana; its technical name is Cannabis Sativa. But whether you call it cannabis, marijuana, pot, reefer, weed, bud, herb, Mary Jane, hemp, grass or wacky tabacci, it is still illegal in the United States. Actually, all over the world the deliberation rages about the harm or benefits that marijuana has to offer. Attempts to legalize it in the United States have been going on since the Marijuana Tax Act was introduced in 1937 and have thus far largely failed. The debate whether or not to legalize marijuana seems to circle around numerous points, including the recreational use verses being a gateway to
Marijuana derives from the hemp plant, scientifically named cannabis sativa and cannabis indica. Marijuana consists of dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant. The cannabis plant is one of mankind 's first cultivated plants and has many applications (How). One of the most common and most misunderstood uses of marijuana is obtaining the well spoken of high as well as recreational uses. Most people believe that there is
The word "marijuana" has been a concerned topic in almost every American home today. Marijuana, whose botanical name is cannabis, has been used by humans for thousands of years. It was classified as an illegal drug by many countries in the 20th century. Over the past two decades, there has been a growing movement to legalize marijuana, primarily for medical purposes. Opposing views on the subject of decriminalizing the plant has caused much controversy over the past twenty years and still remains an important issue. The legalization of marijuana in the United States would drastically reduce crime in our cities and help reduce some of the national debt through its
The first use of marijuana started in Asia around 500 BC. Most ancient cultures did not grow the plant for the pleasure of getting high, but as herbal medicine instead. The history of marijuana cultivation in America goes back to the early colonists, who grew hemp for textiles and rope. Due to the overuse of the drug during the 20th century and criminalization of marijuana in the United States, its legal status has changing in many places.
Marijuana is used for both recreational and medicinal uses. It is poorly looked upon by many because of stereotypes such as gangster, laziness, stupidity, and a poor work ethics. The use of marijuana presents questions for both the problems and medical issues. The earliest record was in ancient China, dating back to 2737 BC. It
Cannabis has been practiced throughout history; in 6000 B.C. cannabis seeds were applied as food in China; in 4000 B.C. the Chinese used textiles made of cannabis; the first recorded usage of marihuana as medicine in China was in 2727 B.C.; and in 1500 B.C. the Chinese cultivated Cannabis for food and fiber. This time line extends on and on right through today.
Cannabis has been used for thousands of years to treat and alleviate various illnesses throughout the world. Robert Deitch is the author of the book Hemp: American History Revisited: The Plant with a Divided History (2003), and in it he discusses the known history and origins of cannabis usage. He goes on to describe man’s early knowledge of marijuana; explaining that hemp was most likely discovered simultaneously in many parts of the world, but that the Chinese were the first to mass produce hemp-based products (Deitch 9). Deitch has this to say about man’s early knowledge of cannabis as
The legalization of marijuana has gotten to be a very controversial topic over the last few years with many valid arguments for both for and against marijuana. Use of marijuana dates all the way back to 2727 B.C. where it was used by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung. By 1515 marijuana spread to the west where it was used for its use as fiber. “... made into things such as paper, rope, and clothing” (DEA Museum). Hemp was even encouraged to be grown by the US government. “... marijuana became a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in public pharmacies” (PBS). In the United States people began to fear marijuana along with Mexicans after the Mexican Revolution of 1910. The reason for this is that Mexicans initially introduced the recreational use of marijuana in the United States. Anti- drug propaganda warned American people about the dangers of Mexicans and their “Marijuana leaf” (PBS). It officially became illegal in 1937 following the Marijuana Tax Act. Which made marijuana a schedule 1 drug along with meth and heroin. This is simply crazy because when you look at meth users and compare them to marijuana users you can see the vast differences and the reasons why marijuana does not fit in this category. Even with its large variety of uses and low addiction rate, marijuana is still a schedule 1 drug along with way more disastrous drugs such as heroin. The reason for this is simply because of the War on Drugs which spends more than 12 billion dollars
Marijuana comes from the plant Cannabis. Cannabis is a type of flowering plant and is categorized by three different species: Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Ruderalis. Cannabis Sativa and Indica produce most of the dried leaves that we known as Marijuana. Cannabis Ruderalis also has Tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive element in marijuana (also known as THC), but is much lower in concentration so it is rarely ever used recreationally. Cannabis has been used for hemp, seeds and oil among its medical and recreational uses. Hemp is used for many practical functions and is found in many everyday products. Some uses of hemp include paper, paint, oil, food, rope, and is also used in textiles for clothing. The remarkable thing about hemp is its unmatched growth cycle. The uses for hemp are numerous but its 120-day growth cycle makes it one of
Marijuana, made from an Indian hemp plant that bears the name cannabis sativa, is a mixture of stems, leaves, and flowering tops. The flowering tops are smoked for the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, that is concentrated there. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. The use of marijuana as folk medicine began in Central Asia as far back as 3000 B.C. It's use as a pleasure-inducing drug began in the
Marijuana has a long standing history of being one of the most controversial substances in America. While the history or the Cannabis plant indicates not only acceptance as a useful plant, but even advocated as a source of revenue and medicinal usage, much of the United States government propaganda over the last 100+ years has led Americans to accept very slighted and often false information about the plant and its uses. Based on the origin of the illegalization of marijuana and the inconsistent findings of its effects in comparison to other substances, both legal and illegal, marijuana should be decriminalized and treated as a recreational substance just as alcohol and tobacco are.
Cannabis, formally known as marijuana is a drug obtained from the tops, stems and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis. The drug is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Only substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are used more (“Marijuana” 1). In the U. S. where some use it to feel “high” or get an escape from reality. The drug is referred to in many ways; weed, grass, pot, and or reefer are some common names used to describe the drug (“Marijuana” 1). Like most drugs, marijuana has a very long history. People have been using the plant around the world for thousands of years. The oldest record of the marijuana plant dates back to 2727 B. C. in China where the plant was used as a medical herb for treating conditions like rheumatism, gout, malaria and even absent-mindedness (“Cannabis, Coca, & Poopy: Nature’s Addictive Plants” 1). Slowly, the plant started spreading around the world. By 1545, cannabis was starting to appear throughout the western worlds. Being introduced to South America by the Spanish to be used as fiber. The crop also had many other common uses around the world. In North America, cannabis was often used to make paper, ropes, clothing and other materials (“The Origins of Cannabis” 1).