Cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana, is defined as a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant, that affects almost every organ in the body. Intended for medical use, it is most commonly used today for recreational purposes, by adolescents who want to obtain the feeling of being “high”. (Caulkins, Kilmer, & Kleiman, 2016, p. 2). Marijuana is a powerful drug, containing over 400 chemicals, with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) being the key psychoactive substance within it (Li, 2013, p. 1). Leaves, roots, or seeds of the Cannabis plant can be eaten to feel the effects of this drug. Marijuana was first introduced into the world thousands of years ago, primarily being used for medical reasons, in addition to food, fiber and textiles.
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Because of this, it was deemed that the early settlers likely did not use marijuana for recreational use, unlike much of the population does today. It wasn’t until 1830 when marijuana was used consistently for medical use. (History Staff, 2007). Cannabis extracts were sold in pharmacies, to help with stomach problems, and for those suffering from Cholera. Recreational use in the United States was not popular until the early 1900’s, following the Spanish Revolution. Mexicans who immigrated to the United States during this time introduced the practice of smoking to the American people. Soon after, the United States outlawed marijuana use entirely in 1931 (Caulkins, Kilmer, & Kleiman, 2016, p. 2). Since then, marijuana has been outlawed entirely in most of the United States (Temyer, p. 1). Despite this, marijuana is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs globally to date, having a market of 40 billion dollars in the United States alone, with over 125 million individuals breaking the law worldwide each year. (Caulkins, Kilmer, & Kleiman, 2016, p. 3). Out of the individuals who use marijuana within the United States, about 2 million are between the ages of 18- 21. Studies done by the Washington Post (2014) show that about 5.6% of eighth graders report using marijuana in their lifetimes, as well as 33.7% of 10th …show more content…
Harvard researchers discovered that 44 percent total support recreational legalization (23% strongly support, 21% somewhat support), while 34 percent oppose (23% strongly oppose, 11% somewhat oppose) and 22 percent are unsure (Li, 2013, p. 1). As it is unchanged within the past five years, this could have a great deal to do with the media influence on the public perception of marijuana. As recent studies show, marijuana is relatively a safe drug, that can cause no true harm to the body once the side effects wear off. (Polcyn & Ruciński, 2009) Similar questions regarding this issue have been asked later on, which gave the researchers almost the same results. The issue regarding legalization is complicated and complex, and a topic that has no correct answer to. (Li, 2013, p. 3). As the media continues to dispute marijuana use, opinions regarding the matter begin to form, especially within the younger generation of adolescents (Polcyn & Ruciński, 2009). As marijuana is disputed more and more on television, youth begin to form their own views regarding recreational use (Mcconnell, Choo, Zaller, Benz, Warren, & Rising,
Because of this, it was deemed that the early settlers likely did not use marijuana for recreational use, unlike much of the population does today. It wasn’t until 1830 when marijuana was used consistently for medical use. (History Staff, 2007). Cannabis extracts were sold in pharmacies, to help with stomach problems, and for those suffering from Cholera. Recreational use in the United States was not popular until the early 1900’s, following the Spanish Revolution. Mexicans who immigrated to the United States during this time introduced the practice of smoking to the American people. Soon after, the United States outlawed marijuana use entirely in 1931 (Caulkins, Kilmer, & Kleiman, 2016, p. 2). Since then, marijuana has been outlawed entirely in most of the United States (Temyer, p. 1). Despite this, marijuana is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs globally to date, having a market of 40 billion dollars in the United States alone, with over 125 million individuals breaking the law worldwide each year. (Caulkins, Kilmer, & Kleiman, 2016, p. 3). Out of the individuals who use marijuana within the United States, about 2 million are between the ages of 18- 21. Studies done by the Washington Post (2014) show that about 5.6% of eighth graders report using marijuana in their lifetimes, as well as 33.7% of 10th …show more content…
Harvard researchers discovered that 44 percent total support recreational legalization (23% strongly support, 21% somewhat support), while 34 percent oppose (23% strongly oppose, 11% somewhat oppose) and 22 percent are unsure (Li, 2013, p. 1). As it is unchanged within the past five years, this could have a great deal to do with the media influence on the public perception of marijuana. As recent studies show, marijuana is relatively a safe drug, that can cause no true harm to the body once the side effects wear off. (Polcyn & Ruciński, 2009) Similar questions regarding this issue have been asked later on, which gave the researchers almost the same results. The issue regarding legalization is complicated and complex, and a topic that has no correct answer to. (Li, 2013, p. 3). As the media continues to dispute marijuana use, opinions regarding the matter begin to form, especially within the younger generation of adolescents (Polcyn & Ruciński, 2009). As marijuana is disputed more and more on television, youth begin to form their own views regarding recreational use (Mcconnell, Choo, Zaller, Benz, Warren, & Rising,