Legalization of Marijuana debate
Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. It contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds. It is usually smoked, but can also be ingested orally.
Historically, marijuana has teetered from legal to illegal and back for centuries. The use of marijuana to achieve euphoria has been dated back to ancient times, where it was described in a Chinese medical reference in 2737 B.C. Marijuana was brought to the New World by the Spanish in 1545. In 1614, the English introduced it in Jamestown, where it became a major commercial crop alongside tobacco. It was grown as a source of fiber. Regulations and restrictions on the sale of marijuana began as early as 1619 when the growing of hemp was ordered by King James I.
By the 1850’s, marijuana had been added to the list of United States Pharmacopeia and was used to treat a number of conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Around the same time, laws were being passed, on a state to state basis, to criminalize the mislabeling of drugs (poison laws), and by 1905 some states were requiring the sale of marijuana to be labeled as a poison. Between 1906 and 1923, poison laws were strengthened.
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 made possession or transfer of cannabis illegal throughout the U.S. under federal law, excluding medical and industrial use (on which a tax was placed). The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has a relatively high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. This act repealed the Marijuana Tax Act and the possession and/or transfer of marijuana became illegal under federal law.
The most recent efforts to repeal the prohibition of marijuana began in California in 1976, when they studied the costs of the prohibitions. With these efforts, lesser penalties were implemented for persons caught breaking
Historically, marijuana has teetered from legal to illegal and back for centuries. The use of marijuana to achieve euphoria has been dated back to ancient times, where it was described in a Chinese medical reference in 2737 B.C. Marijuana was brought to the New World by the Spanish in 1545. In 1614, the English introduced it in Jamestown, where it became a major commercial crop alongside tobacco. It was grown as a source of fiber. Regulations and restrictions on the sale of marijuana began as early as 1619 when the growing of hemp was ordered by King James I.
By the 1850’s, marijuana had been added to the list of United States Pharmacopeia and was used to treat a number of conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Around the same time, laws were being passed, on a state to state basis, to criminalize the mislabeling of drugs (poison laws), and by 1905 some states were requiring the sale of marijuana to be labeled as a poison. Between 1906 and 1923, poison laws were strengthened.
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 made possession or transfer of cannabis illegal throughout the U.S. under federal law, excluding medical and industrial use (on which a tax was placed). The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has a relatively high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. This act repealed the Marijuana Tax Act and the possession and/or transfer of marijuana became illegal under federal law.
The most recent efforts to repeal the prohibition of marijuana began in California in 1976, when they studied the costs of the prohibitions. With these efforts, lesser penalties were implemented for persons caught breaking
References: American Cancer Society. 2012. No author. http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/herbsvitaminsandminerals/marijuana Bergland, C. 2013. Does Long-Term Cannabis Use Stifle Motivation? Psychology Today. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201307/does-long-term-cannabis-use-stifle-motivation Easton, S. 2009. Legalize Marijuana for Tax Revenue. Bloomburg Business Week. http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2010/03/legalize_mariju.html Narconon International. 2010-2014. No author. http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/marijuana-history.html National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2014. Drug Facts: Marijuana. No author. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. 2014. Marijuana Decriminalization Talking Points. No author. http://norml.org/aboutmarijuana/item/marijuana-decriminalization-talking-points-2 Procon.org. Medical Marijuana. 2014. Is Marijuana a “Gateway” or “Stepping Stone” Drug? No author. http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000247