Marijuana has been used for its medicinal properties dating back to 2737 B.C. when it was used by the Chinese. From the Chinese, it began to spread throughout Asia and continually outward. Many different cultures began to use marijuana as a form of treatment for certain ailments. While there is a lot of debate on what exactly marijuana treats, there seems to be an overall consensus that it does provide some medical benefits. By delving into the history of marijuana use and its effects, one can see how this affects individuals in modern time, specifically focusing on high school/college students. In order to properly understand the history of marijuana, one needs to understand what exactly the drug is. Marijuana is a variety of the plant Cannabis …show more content…
However, the most common medical benefits from this drug is the alleviation of the following: appetite loss, nausea, chronic pain, anxiety, sleeping disorders, muscle spasms, and intraocular pressure. This has been confirmed by a small number of controlled studies (Caulkins et al. 95). Medical marijuana largely works because of its main active ingredient, THC (a cannabinoid) . Endocannabiniods are produced in the body which help regulate the response to stimuli. Endocannabiniods have a large amount of receptors, mainly in the brain. THC binds itself to these receptors which give the various effects such as alleviating pain but this also results in the user becoming …show more content…
Washington and Colorado were the first two states in America that allowed the sale of marijuana to its residents over the age of 21. According to Bushan, "Both states found previous marijuana regulatory laws to be an inefficient use of law enforcement resources that could be better utilized by targeting violent crimes instead" (192). This means that these states have decided that using resources on relatively minor marijuana-related offenses could be put to better use. So far, legalization seems to be working in the states favors. According to drugpolicy.org, the rate of low-level offenses have lowered while tax revenue increased. Since 2012, Oregon, California, Nevada, Alaska, Maine, and Massachusetts have also legalized recreational
Cannabis has been used as an agent for achieving enlightenment throughout all of time. It is described in an Oriental medical compendium traditionally considered to date form 2737 B.C. It has a long history of being used as a medicinal herb. Its origins spread from China to India and then over into North Africa and could be found in Europe as early as 500 A.D. It was a major crop in the colonial North America. It was extensively grown during WWII.
Marijuana has been around as long as 2700 B.C. There is evidence that the Chinese used the drug for treatment of rheumatism, malaria, and absent-mindedness, among other things. The Spanish brought marijuana to America in the 1500’s, and the English brought it to Jamestown in 1611. After the English bought the crop over, it was considered a principle crop. They primarily started growing the crop for the use of hemp rope. The English were uncertain of the hallucinogenic properties the crop produced when first brought to America. The recreational use for marijuana has been on the rise since the early 1900’s in America.
Medical marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a controversial topic because many find it beneficial as others find the usage to be recreational. Throughout the years, medical marijuana has gone through periods of times in which it was legal and illegal. Over the years laws have been developed in order to try and regulate the usage of the drug. Studies have shown many the benefits of treating diseases and symptoms. Today it is used in treatment with many different diseases and disorders such as cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and multiple sclerosis. As medical marijuana has different species and uses of the product, it is important to depict where the drug can be used for treatment. The usage of this drug enables patients to have a more positive and livable outcome with treatments.
Marijuana has a deep history in America, being in the Americas since 1545 when the Spanish brought it over with them. Later, it was again brought over with the English colonists to Jamestown. Here it was used as a large cash crop similar to tobacco and was used as a major source of fiber. Later in the 1890s, a similar plant, hemp, became another large cash crop in the southern half of the US even replacing cotton. Around this time marijuana was also used in medications, although it was not on the scale of cocaine and opium, being used to treat everything from labor pains to rheumatism, “any disorder of the extremities or back, characterized by pain and stiffness” (The Definition of Rheumatism). Further on, in the 1920s marijuana became increasingly more popular with jazz musicians and even special cafes/clubs opening for its use. It was not until the 1930s when a campaign conducted by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics whom labeled marijuana as the harmful “gateway drug” it is seen as today. Though
The isolation of the lipophilic compounds found in marijuana led to the discovery of which component caused the psychoactive affects, D9-THC, which is produced from an acid derivative caused by the heating of the cannabis leaves. “It was not until the late 1980s that D9-THC was found to bind to two G-protein-coupled cell membrane receptors, consequently named the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2) receptors, to exert its effects. Thereafter, anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, CB1 and CB2 endogenous ligands, were identified in animals andnamed endocannabinoids.16 CB1 receptors are found primarily in the brain but also in several peripheral tissues. CB2 receptors are mainly found in immune and hematopoietic cells, but can become upregulated in other tissues.” (Devinsky, 2014, p. 793). Cannabinoid, a component of cannabis, does not active CB1 and CB2 receptors therefore it does not produce any psychoactive effects within the body. However cannabinoid or CBD is beneficial medically because it counter acts some of the function inhibitors D9-THC causes in the CB1 receptor, thus allowing cannabis to be more tolerable and increase the therapeutic
Some people like to call it marijuana, some people like to call it weed, and some people like to call it cannabis. But have you ever took the time to get to know about this drug? Marijuana has been introduced to the world all the way back to 2337 BC. At first the focus was on it’s power as a medication for people to use such as rheumatism, gout, malaria,
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
It is well known how marijuana as a medical treatment dates back as far as five thousand years ago. Different ancient civilizations have been found to use medical marijuana as a medical treatment dating all the way back to 8000 B.C. The Chinese emperor Shen-Nung was a firm believer of the plant, he was known to prescribe marijuana in tea as a treatment for various conditions like rheumatism, and poor memory to many people (Bostwick 173). Other notable civilizations who used the plant included the
The legalization of marijuana has been a debated subject in America since the 1970's. The pro-marijuana society in America has made claims as to how marijuana can help cure or lessen the effect of some diseases and that by legalizing the drug; the use of pot will actually decline. The fact of the matter is that marijuana is a drug that can be placed into a similar category as cocaine or heroine. Like these other drugs, pot (marijuana) smoking carries with it serious side effects that can effect the user forever, and sometimes-even cause death. Marijuana was first cultivated in America during the colonial time period and was used as a fiber for rope and even clothing. The plant was not used for its psychoactive properties until 1910,
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).
Cannabis or better known as Marijuana, is one of the oldest psychoactive elements used by man. Marijuana is also known as weed, pot, ganja, Maryjane, and countless other nicknames. A little history on marijuana is that it is made from the cannabis plant which can grow up to sixteen feet tall and likely originates in Central Asia. There are hundreds of compounds in Marijuana but tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC is believed to be the cause of it psychoactive effects. The “high” that people get comes from the THC binding to brain regions responsible for pleasure, time perception and pain. This plant was first brought to America in the 1800s used for medicinal purposes as an extract and which was popular during that time. But it soon was discovered by Mexican who began to smoke it and shortly after it fueled the marijuana prohibition and by the 1930s marijuana was banned in twenty-four states. By 1937 congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act, which effectively banned marijuana except for a few medicinal purposes. Fast forward to this present day and time and we will see how things have changed with Cannabis and this economy.
Studies at Harvard University show that THC has been found to reduce tumor growth in common lung cancer by 50%, and it also reduces the spread of cancer in some patients. It also turns out that THC, which is a chemical found in marijuana, can stop HIV from turning into AIDS. Smoking also helps with cramps and headaches, and helps people that suffer with eating disorders, because it increases their appetite. It can also help with epilepsy, Crohn's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 2,500 different doctors have recommended marijuana to their patients. According to a recent study, cannabis was used as a treatment for chronic pain, and it does not cause any harmful side effects. For the most part, marijuana’s symptoms are mild and easy to deal with. People slowly build up their tolerance to it, so it is easier to deal with the symptoms and it is hard to “overdo
With the proper use , Marijuana can have several benefits, as an alternative medicine to prescriptions. Marijuana has been thought of as a harmful plant that can hurt people's lives and is imagined to be nothing more than another problem in today’s society. However, based on its enlargement value and medical benefits, cannabis has proven to exceed its negatives with several other positives.The history of marijuana goes all the way back to 2700 BC., usually used for pleasure, ceremonies, and medicine.
There are over 30 recorded illnesses and diseases where marijuana has medical benefits. Some commonly known illnesses and diseases include: cancer, seizures, and neurological diseases (Welsh, Loria). For instance, marijuana is commonly used to treat epileptic seizures (Welsh, Loria). Dravet syndrome, commonly found in children, is an extremely detrimental syndrome that causes hundreds to thousands of grand mal seizures in children per month. After the development of medical strains of marijuana, an oil form of marijuana containing high concentrations of CBD was created. This marijuana oil has the ability to efficiently subside the active cells in the brain that are responsible for causing the seizures. Seizures were reported to have decreased
Marijuana use can help treat various causes of pain and even do a part in killing cancer cells. Although marijuana is beneficial, it is very expensive, and in some states it’s not legal. A bud of medical marijuana can cost as much as 400 dollars an ounce (What Is the Average Cost of a Medical Marijuana Prescription?). For many people and animals, marijuana is the only substance that will relieve them of pain. Not everyone can buy legal medical marijuana either. Only the people who live in the 29 states where medical marijuana has been legalized can use it (State Marijuana Laws in 2017 Map). Over 2,600,000 patients in America have prescriptions for legal medical marijuana (“Number of Legal Medical Marijuana Patients”). Marijuana should be legalized because it relieves many medical symptoms, it assists mental health conditions, it is safer than many other alternative medicines, and it will greatly benefit the economy.