Introduction
The topic I will be discussing today is cannabis, marijuana, weed, pot, or ganja, whatever you prefer to call it. I did this topic because I believe that the majority of people do not know much about cannabis, and I want them to be properly informed so that they are not drawn in by false information. In this speech you will hear me use the terms hemp and marijuana. Hemp and marijuana are both products of the plant cannabis, but the important difference in the two is the amount of THC in the plant. THC is the chemical in cannabis which causes the “high” that people get from smoking or eating it. In order to get high from smoking cannabis it must contain at least 3% THC. Hemp only contains .01% to .03% amounts of THC, meaning it would not be possible to get high off of it no matter how much is smoked. Marijuana THC levels range from 3%-15%, which means it is able to produce a high by smoking and ingesting it. The uses of cannabis vary whether it is being grown for marijuana or hemp.
Body
Cannabis is a versatile plant. It can be grown in many different climates and soils. After the plant has been grown and harvested there is the next step of applying a use to it. The majority of uses come from the hemp portion of the plant. Hemp is a course fiber that can be used for a wide variety of items. A few of its uses are for textiles, paper, fuels, building materials, and health applications.
Marijuana can be used to improve health. Marijuana’s chief use by doctors today is for pain relief. The high that is gained from smoking marijuana helps to lower the amount of pain the patient feels. By using marijuana for pain relief a patient can avoid the potential addiction to other pain killers or alcohol.
Marijuana can also help patients with glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disorder in the eyes in which the channels that fluids normally travel through the eye gradually get blocked. The increased pressure from the fluids gradually increases force on the
Cited: Cloud, John. “Questions About Marijuana: Is Pot Good For You? – TIME.” Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews – TIME.com. 4 Nov. 2002. Web. 19 Feb. 20. 2013. <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1003570,00.html&gt> “GDCADA | Marijuana – Facts and Statistics.” GDCADA | Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse. 4 Mar. 2006. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. <http://www.gdcada.org/statistics/marijuana.htm> Klein, Joe. “Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense – TIME.” Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews – TIME.com. 2 Apr. 2007. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. <http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1889021,00.html&gt> Legalization of marijuana – PureTHC.com. Web. 15 Feb. 2013. <http://legalizationofmarijuana.com/index.html&gt>