Marijuana

Scientifically referred to as Cannabis Sativa, is a well-known drug, mainly consumed

for its psychoactive and physiological effects which includes, relaxation and an increased
appetite, just to name a few. It contains a total of four hundred and eighty three known
compounds, but is most commonly used for one of those numerous compounds namely,
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This compound has been proven to carry unique features and
qualities which consist of having high solubility in most organic solvents, high UV wavelength
properties that can protect the plant from harmful radiation exposure. Due to its high
concentration in certain elements that can impair an individual vision and motor skills, it is
ranked as a (Schedule 1 and 4) by the Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs.
Recently ranked as the most-used illicit drug in the world [1], it is famously abused in the
areas of recreational and religious activities. It has been calculated that the global consumption
of this drug ranks near 4% of the adult world population, consume this drug annually [2]. The
restrictions of marijuana have been slowly but surely opening, with this drug being legalized in
several states in America, Netherlands (Europe), the local law enforcement sometimes turning a
blind eye to small violations, while focusing on more dangerous drugs that has been deteriorating
communities around the world. All these are factors in the increase of the use of marijuana.
Holy anointing oil made from cannabis is also referenced in the Holy Bible, Book of
Exodus (30:22-23). Explained in this section is an extracted oil from cannabis were among a
variety of oils used in ancient anointments, which is stated as far as (1450 BC).
The use of marijuana can be dated as far back as (2900 BC), where the Chinese Emperor
Fu made references in the use as a popular medicine. A discovery of the healing properties was
found in the plant.
This drug has been mentioned and practice as far back as biblical times, which fuels the
use of this drug as religious practices. The use of marijuana has been performed in ancient
ceremonies, in some instances burned marijuana is used to induce a state of trance. Other cases it
has been used in religious sacraments by ancient Jews and early Christians.
As of the early 20
th
century, cannabis was criminalized in various countries. Later a
marijuana tax act was passed, prohibiting the production of the hemp plant in connection with
the drug.
Most people smoke the marijuana plant's dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds. Some
also use the marijuana leaf in food or it may be brewed as a tea. Modern research suggests that
cannabis is a valuable aid in the treatment of a wide range of clinical applications. These include
pain relief, particularly of neuropathic pain (pain from nerve damage), nausea, and spasticity,
glaucoma, and movement disorders. Marijuana is a powerful appetite stimulant, specifically for
patients suffering from HIV, the AIDS wasting syndrome, or dementia.
Emerging research suggests that marijuana's medicinal properties may protect the body against
some types of malignant tumors and are neuroprotective.
Currently, U.S and international organizations support granting patients immediate legal
access to medicinal marijuana under a physician's supervision. The Chinese emperor, Shen
Neng, introduced many pharmaceutical drugs including marijuana. Emperor Shen Neng
prescribed marijuana tea for malaria, beriberi, rheumatism, and curiously, poor memory
(Earleywine, M. 2002).
The sacred Indian text, Atharvaveda, listed marijuana as a holy plant that could relieve
stress. Hindu sanctions were against the consumption of alcohol, but marijuana remained one of
the few substances appropriate for alleviating anxiety in this culture. Later the drug was
prescribed for fevers, coughs and asthma. Marijuana was even used to help with leprosy and
dandruff, but was discovered to be unsuccessful (Roffman, R. 1982).
In ancient Rome, marijuana was acknowledged for its use as a painkiller, but there was a
warning that stated that excessive consumption could cause feebleness. The Romans learned of
marijuana's pharmaceutical properties as they made their way to new countries. A physician in
the army recommended the juice of marijuana seed for earaches. Later it was confirmed that this
treatment really did work. Back in China, Shen Neng's teachings remained well known. The
ancient Chinese founder of surgery used marijuana combined with alcohol as an anesthetic
(Earleywine, M. 2002).
Evidence show that one of the most fascinating practice use of marijuana was concerned
with childbirth. Marijuana traces were found in the archeological remains of a young girl from
the fourth century A.D. She had evidently died while giving birth. The marijuana may have
eased the pain and intrauterine contractions. Women in Cambodia and Vietnam drink tea made
from marijuana to alleviate after birth distress even today. Studies of fetal exposure to marijuana
have produced mixed results and considerable controversy, but the practice of using marijuana
during delivery apparently began at least 2,400 years ago ("Medical Marijuana" 2004).
Carol Eustice (2004), a news paper editor, noticed that an increased travel to the Middle
East, Africa, and India, led to more European publications of marijuana. A French doctor
claimed that it could cure horses of colic, treat burns and increase appetite. The medical
reputation of marijuana continued into the seventeenth century where it was discovered that it
aided mood disorders. This discovery was brought up on and off until the late 1970s. At the same
time that this topic was debated over, medical marijuana finally spread to the Americas.
In America, marijuana roots were recommended for inflamed skin. The oil obtained from
the marijuana plants was used to treat many problems such as coughs and sexual intercourse
diseases (Barr, R. 1998). Nevertheless, few medical professionals in Europe and America
prescribed the drug often. This may have been because marijuana was not easy to access. The
demand for medical marijuana grew and soon it became more accessible. More and more
discoveries were made concerning medical marijuana but none were a cure. These discoveries
only eased the pain and nausea that often goes along with chemotherapy and other illnesses.
In the 1970s, information suggested a new medical use unlike any proposed previously;
the treatment of glaucoma. This disorder is a leading cause of blindness. Although there were
many successful treatments for this disorder, some have side effects such as blurred vision and
headaches. Some patients even develop a tolerance of the drugs, minimizing their ability to lower
the pressure within the eye ("National... 1998).
The 500 components found in marijuana, many of which we know little about, can cause
an increase in the risk of a heart attack more than four-fold in an hour after use. It can also
invoke chest pain in patients with heart disease. Research has shown marijuana smoke to contain
carcinogens and to be an irritant to the lungs. This brings about bronchitis, cough, and phlegm
production. Marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does
tobacco smoke, as reported by the American Lung Association.
Organizations that have endorsed medical access to marijuana include the American
Public Health Association, AIDS Action Council, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, American
Academy of HIV Medicine, American Nurses Association, Lymphoma Foundation of America,
National Association of People with AIDS, the state medical associations of New York,
California, and Rhode Island.
Contrary to its medicinal benefits, Marijuana use has been shown to be significantly
linked with mental illness, especially schizophrenia and psychosis, but also depression and
anxiety. Marijuana smoking during pregnancy has been shown to decrease birth weight, most
likely due to the effects of carbon monoxide on the developing fetus. One of the most well
designed studies on marijuana and intelligence, released in 2012, found that marijuana use
reduces IQ by as much as eight points by age 38 among people who started using marijuana
regularly before age 18 but then stopped. Other studies have found that marijuana use is linked
with dropping out of school, and subsequent unemployment, social welfare dependence, and a
lower self-reported quality of life than non-marijuana abusing people.
Until 1937, the growth and use of marijuana was legal under federal law. The federal
government unofficially banned marijuana under the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937.The topic of
legalizing marijuana is a very conversational issue in American politics today. California
became the first state to legalized medical marijuana in 1996. It was next Alaska, Oregon, and
Washington in 1998. Maine became the 5th state in 1999 and Hawaii in 2000, Colorado and
Nevada legalized the drug as well. In 2006, medical marijuana became legalized in Rhode
Island. In 2007 New Mexico legalized the use of medical marijuana followed by, Michigan in
2008, New Jersey and Arizona in 2010, Delaware in 2011. The debate over marijuana
legalization will continue as more U.S States decide whether to legalize it or not.
Some in favor of the drug legalization argue that this environmentally friendly plant
grows without herbicides, nourishes the soil, matures quickly and provides high yields. Today,
between 95 and 100 million Americans admit to having tried it. A study released in December
2006 found that marijuana is now the leading cash crop in the U.S., exceeding the value of corn
and wheat combined. According to government-funded researchers, high school seniors
consistently report that marijuana is easily available, despite decades of a nationwide drug war.
With little variation, every year about 85% of Americans consider marijuana fairly easy or
very easy to obtain.
Millions of people take marijuana because of its unique psychotropic effects. Marijuana
is used by some people as a form of recreation as well. Smoking is an effective way of using the
drug as a recreation or psychology agent. When marijuana is smoked some of the THC is
inhaled. The drug has no difficulty penetrating into the brain. Peak blood levels are reached by
the time the smoke is finished creating a high. An experienced marijuana smoker can regulate
almost on a puff by puff basis the dose of the THC delivered to create the desired psychological
effect.
Excessive use of this drug may cause intoxication. A person intoxicated experiences
bodily sensations of warmth (caused by the drug-induced relaxation of blood vessels and
increased blood flow. The initial stages of intoxication are accompanied by a quickening of
mental associations and this is reflected typically by a sharpened sense of humor. The most
ordinary objects or ideas can become the subjects of fun and amusement, often accompanied by
uncontrollable giggling or laughter. Perception becomes more sensitive, and the user has a
heightened appreciation of everyday experiences.
Tetrahydrocannabinol is a very safe drug. Laboratory experiment on rats, mice, dogs,
monkeys prove that they can tolerate doses of up to 1000 mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram). This
would be equivalent to a 70 kg person swallowing 70grams of the drug. A much greater dosage
of about 5000 times is required to produce a high. Very few instances of death by overdose has
ever been reported.
To date marijuana has become the most illicit drug in the United States. For teenagers in
the U.S. the figure rises to about 50%. Patterns of consumption vary by country. The National
Institute on Drug Abuse through their monitoring the Future Study gives a detailed picture of
cannabis use among teenagers. 10% reported that they were daily users. The great majority
admits to using it experimentally.
A small Caribbean island Jamaica, has become an important cultivation ground for
marijuana. It is referred to as ganja and was brought to Jamaica by laborers from India in the
mid-nineteenth century and spread to the black working class community where its use has
become widespread. Smoking the marijuana drug commonly known as the ganja is so prevalent
that the ones who do not as referred to as deviant.
Jamaica is also the home of a twentieth century religion known as Rastafarianism. It was
founded by Marcus Garvey in the 1930s, a time when cannabis played a key role. First time
smokers of the drug attain a cultural initiation rite into the Rastafarianism religion. The
marijuana is thought to be a cleanser of both body and mind, preparing the user for prayer and
meditation.
Despite a great effort by the people of the Americas to completely legalize the use of
marijuana the federal government stands firm in trying to restrict the use of the drug amongst
minors. The Department of Justice will not challenge state laws that allow the medical and
recreational use of marijuana, and will instead focus on keeping the drug out of the hands of
minors and preventing its spread to states where it remains illegal. Attorney General Eric
Holder announced the landmark decision on Thursday November 21
st
2013. This reflects a
balanced approach by the federal government that respects the states interests in implementing
these laws and recognizes the federal governments role in fighting illegal drugs and criminal
activity, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a joint
statement.
Americans are backing full legalization, and more states are likely to remove their bans
on marijuana use during the next few years. A large group of respected association of physicians
is also calling on the federal government to ease its strict ban on marijuana as medicine and
hasten research into the drug's therapeutic uses. Reports from the LA Times state that The
American College of Physicians, the nation's largest organization of doctors of internal medicine,
with 124,000 members, contends that the long and rancorous debate over marijuana legalization
has obscured good science that has demonstrated the benefits and medicinal promise of cannabis.
In economic terms the drug is important but yet remains a controversial commodity as
well. Pro economists think that Marijuana legalization would offer an important advantage over
decriminalization. It would allow for legal distribution and taxation. Economists estimate the
legalization process would save the taxpayers around $8 - $16 billion a year, Reported by Dr.
Jeffrey Miron, visiting professor of economics at Harvard University.
Prohibitionists are contrary to the important medical and recreational benefits of the drug.
The stance remains that marijuana is the gateway that leads to harder drug usage. Influential
bodies of opinions continue to argue that the campaign to eradicate marijuana drug use
completely is ineffective. For this very reason radical alternatives are being explored such as
drug policies that are consistent with a free society, that is, free will and a free market.
Overall researchers, economists, and concerned citizens from all corners of the world
have addressed the marijuana good or bad problem. Conversely based on evidence presented
from different arenas the drug may be considered tenable, economical and safe in moderation.
However, based on some of the major drawbacks of this drug it may also be described as a health
risk to oneself and a potential harmful recreation and social commodity.
References
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2. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2006). "Cannabis: Why We Should Care" . World
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4. Ad Hoc Group of Experts. (1997, February). National Institutes of Health -- Workshop
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http://www.medmjscience.org/Pages/reports/nihpt1.html
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http://www.drcnet.org/gateway/medmj.html
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Ann N Y Acad Sci 282:24-32, 1976
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