¶ … Future of Marijuana in America:
Marijuana or cannabis was first identified by the Chinese in c. 2737 BCE and has since been used for medicinal purposes for millennia. The introduction or arrival of medicinal cannabis in America was characterized with an amazingly colorful and checkered history. Medicinal cannabis was characterized with initial robust use in the United States, which faded after the development of aspirin and opioids. The decreased used culminated in the criminalization of cannabis in America in 1937 despite of the contradictory advice of the American Medical Association, which was submitted on record to Congress. However, the use of marijuana has emerged as a major issue in the past few decades because of the renewed interest in medicinal cannabis. Actually, several stakeholders in the health care sector including the American College of Physicians, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Institutes of Health have supported further research and development on medicinal use of cannabis (Aggarwal et al., 2009, p.153).
History of Marijuana:
As previously mentioned, marijuana or cannabis was first discovered by the Chinese in c. 2737 where it was used for medicinal purposes for millennia (Aggarwal et al., 2009, p.153). Cannabis was a very famous medicine in China that contained both yin and yang, which provided the basis for its medicinal use in its early years. The healing virtues of marijuana were discovered alongside those of major Chinese herbal medicines such as ephedra and ginseng. However, the drug arrived much later in the United States where it has been characterized with colorful and tainted history. In the initial years of its arrival in America, marijuana was widely used for medical purposes. Actually, medicinal cannabis was part of United States' pharmacopoeia until 1942 when its use faded following the advent of opioids and aspirin and the enactment of legal restrictions to prevent its use.
The use of marijuana in the United States can be traced back to 1600s when the government encouraged production of hemp for manufacturing sails, clothing, and rope. During this period, marijuana was a combination of dried, shredded leaves and flowers that were obtained from the hemp plant. As legislation was enacted requiring each farmer to grow hemp, the product was exchanged as legal tender in various states including Maryland and Virginia. Marijuana was a famous ingredient in a number of medicinal products and was openly available in public pharmacies. Hemp production across the country thrived until after the Civil War when hemp was replaced by imports and other domestic purposes for various reasons.
In 1906, the enactment of Pure Food and Drug Act necessitated labeling of any medicine products including those with cannabis ("Marijuana Timeline," n.d.). The legislation was geared towards identifying people who mislabeled or polluted drugs with concealed narcotics. However, this act generated fear embedded in drug-related language because it contributed to labeling non-medical cannabis as poison. Marijuana use for medicinal purposes started decreasing because of the fear and the enactment of state laws in approximately 27 states that restricted use. While Mexican immigrants who flooded into the country introduced recreational use of marijuana leaf, fear and prejudice of these immigrants became associated with marijuana. In 1930s during the Great Depression, huge public and governmental concern regarding the problem of marijuana emerged since it was linked to violence, crime, and other deviant behaviors.
After a series of national propaganda campaign including the "Reefer Madness" film in 1936, the Marijuana Tax Act was enacted in 1937 criminalizing marijuana. Possession of the drug was also limited to people who paid an excise tax for specific authorized medical and industrial purposes. For five decades after the Second World War, marijuana use became a generation battle that involved politicians, policymakers, and the general public. U.S. Congress enacted compulsory sentencing laws including the 1952 Boggs...
Marijuana Legalization Marijuana, also known as marihuana, is a drug that is taken from Cannabis sativa, a hemp plant. It is one of the most frequently used and popular drugs in the world along with caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. The United States of America is one of the world's leading producers of marijuana where it is generally smoked and is also referred to as weed or reefer by the citizens ("marijuana"). Marijuana
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1). Of course, anyone who recalls the popularity of cocaine and opium during the late nineteenth-century knows that the historical use of a drug is not, in itself, a testament to that drug's safety or efficacy, but this long legacy of marijuana use for medicinal purposes is important due to the relative absence of clinical studies. The three important treatments that marijuana can offer cancer patients is pain relief, appetite
Studies suggest that 98% of users of marijuana and other illicit drugs also binge drink. I am prepared for the temptations that smoking marijuana might present as I go through college and will not be easily swayed by the lures of friendship and comaraderie that participating in such behavior might afford me. I can see the dangers and risks that it would expose me to and am not willing to
Wearin' of the Green An Irish-American's Journey Margaret-Mary clutched her daughter's tiny hand. Watched with pride as the five-year-old waved the little Irish Flag in her other hand. It was a cold, blustery day, but then it always was on St. Patrick's Day. Yet as Margaret-Mary braved the wind and the crowds, she didn't feel the least bit cold. Never did, but especially not today. It wasn't just that today she
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