The legalization of marijuana has been a hot topic in recent years with twenty-three states and the District of Columbia having laws allowing medical cannabis and 4 states allowing recreational cannabis. While still illegal on the federal level, activists argue its medical and industrial uses, how the state of the federal law infringes on the country 's right to free will, the financial toll the war on drugs creates , and because of the prohibition neglects regulation of marijuana it is predominant in schools and on the streets.
Hemp and marijuana are used for very different things but are both schedule 1 drugs under the controlled substances act. Schedule 1 drugs are drugs with no federally recognized medical benefits and a high potential for abuse, which seems directly contradicting to the term “medical marijuana”. Hemp and marijuana are distinguished by content of THC ( Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) the active chemical in marijuana. Hemp has 0.3% THC or less and can be used as a raw material(What is THC?). Marijuana however has upto 25-30% THC that can be used as a medicine to take away pain(Learn about Marijuana). “This single difference is what most rely on to distinguish hemp from marijuana. For example, countries like Canada have set the maximum THC content of hemp at 0.3%. Any cannabis with higher THC levels is considered marijuana instead.” (LeafScience). Uses for hemp and marijuana date back further than 7,000 BC with the use of the hemp plant for food,cloth,
Hemp and marijuana are used for very different things but are both schedule 1 drugs under the controlled substances act. Schedule 1 drugs are drugs with no federally recognized medical benefits and a high potential for abuse, which seems directly contradicting to the term “medical marijuana”. Hemp and marijuana are distinguished by content of THC ( Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) the active chemical in marijuana. Hemp has 0.3% THC or less and can be used as a raw material(What is THC?). Marijuana however has upto 25-30% THC that can be used as a medicine to take away pain(Learn about Marijuana). “This single difference is what most rely on to distinguish hemp from marijuana. For example, countries like Canada have set the maximum THC content of hemp at 0.3%. Any cannabis with higher THC levels is considered marijuana instead.” (LeafScience). Uses for hemp and marijuana date back further than 7,000 BC with the use of the hemp plant for food,cloth,