Research paper about Marijuana Essay Example for Free

Research paper some Marijuana EssayMarijuana marihuana or marihuana, medicate obtained from the flowering tops, stems, and leaves of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa (see hemp) or C. indica the latter species can withstand colder climates. It is one of the most ordinarily expendd medicines in the world, following only caffeine, nicotine, and alcoholic beverages in popularity. In the unite States, where it is usually smoked, it similarly has been called weed, grass, pot, or reefer.The PlantC. sativa grows as a common weed in some(prenominal) compositions of the world, and dose preparations vary widely in potency according to climate, cultivation, and method of preparation. Mexico, Paraguay, and the get together States are the top marijuana-producing nations worldwide. C. indica is a shorter, hardier variety with rounded blue-green leaves, grown in Afghanistan for hashish. Most marijuanas grown in the United States since the lately 1980s are hybrids of the two and yiel d a much more potent product than the marijuana of the past. The resin found on flower clusters and top leaves of the female plant is the most potent drug character and is occasiond to prepare hashish, the highest grade of cannabis. The bud of the female plant, called sinsemilla, is the part most often smoked as marijuana.The medicineThe personal effects of marijuana vary with its strength and dosage and with the state of mind of the user. Typically, picayune doses result in a feeling of well-being. The intoxication lasts two to three hours, but accompanying effects on motor control last much longer. High doses can cause tachycardia, paranoia, and delusions. Although it produces some of the same(p) effects as hallucinogens like lysergic acid diethylamide and mescaline (heightened sensitivity to colors, shapes, music, and other stimuli and distortion of the sense of time), marijuana differs chemically and pharmacologically.The primary active component of marijuana is delta-9-tetr ahydrocannabinol (THC), although other cannabinol derivatives are withal thought to beintoxicating. In 1988 scientists discovered receptors that bind THC on the membranes of nerve cells. They reasoned that the body must affect its own THC-like substance. The substance, named anandamide, was isolated from pig brains in 1992 by an American pharmacologist, William A. Devane.Marijuana lowers testosterone levels and sperm counts in hands and raises testosterone levels in women. In pregnant women it affects the fetus and results in developmental difficulties in the child. There is evidence that marijuana affects normal maturation of preadolescent and adolescent users and that it affects short-term memory and comprehension. Heavy smokers often sustain lung stultification from the smoke and contaminants. Regular use can result in dependence.The Legalization QuestionWith the increase in the number of middle-class users in the 1960s and 1970s, there came a somewhat greater acceptance of t he visible horizon that marijuana should not be considered in the same class as narcotics and that U.S. marijuana virtues should be relaxed. The do drugs Abuse Prevention Act of 1970 eased federal penalties somewhat, and 11 states decriminalized possession. However, in the late 1980s many states rewrote their drug laws and imposed stricter penalties. Beginning in 1996, however, a series of states began enacting aesculapian marijuana laws (two fifths of the states now retain one), and in 2012 voters in the states of Colorado and Washington approved the legalization of marijuana. Opponents of easing marijuana laws have assert that it is an intoxicant less controllable than alcohol, that our drug-using society does not need another widely used intoxicant, and that the United States should not act to weaken UN policies, which are opposed to the use of marijuana for other than possible health check purposes. In 2013, Uruguay became the first nation to legalize the growing, selling, and use of marijuana, a move it undertook in part in an attempt to undermine drug cartels. Uruguays legalization, which was a source of controversy in the country, similarly was critized by multinational authorities for contravening treaties to which Uruguay was a party.Medical UsesControversy surrounds the checkup use of marijuana, with proponents saying it is useful for treating pain and the malady and vomiting that are side effects of cancer chemotherapy and for restoring the appetite in people with AIDS. Its active ingredient, THC, was synthesized in 1966 and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug face in 1985 synthetic THC is available by prescription in pill form as dronabinol (Marinol) and nabilone (Cesamet). Proponents of medical checkup marijuana say it is not as effective as the herb and is more expensive. In addition to THC, another cannibis derivative (or cannabinoid), cannabidiol (CDB), is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and also moderates THCs psychoactive effe cts.A 1999 U.S.-government-sponsored study by the Institute of Medicine found that marijuana appeared beneficial for sure medical conditions, such as nausea caused by chemotherapy and wasting caused by AIDS. Because of the toxicity of marijuana smoke, however, it was hoped that advance research might lead to development of new delivery systems, such as bronchial inhalers. A number of studies since 1999 have shown that smoked marijuana has pain-reducing effects when compared with marijuana stripped of its cannabinoids.The Office of National Drug Control Policy has opposed legalization of the medical use of marijuana, citing law enforcement issues and the possibility that some would use it as a pretext to sell marijuana for nonmedical use, and the FDA said in 2006 that, despite the 1999 report, that marijuana has no accepted or proven use in the United States. Proponents, disregarding the law, have set up networks for the distribution of the drug to people who they judge will be hel ped by it and continue to lobby for its legalization for medical use. In 1996 California enacted the first state law permitting the use of marijuana for medical reasons, and about one third of the states now have some sort of medical marijuana legislation. As a result of a Supreme Court ruling in 2005, however, these laws do not protect medical users with a prescription from federal prosecution. In 2009 Attorney General Eric Holder ordered that federal prosecutors not focus on persons whoclearly comply with state medical marijuana laws, but federal law enforcement officials have moved to close many so-called marijuana dispensaries despite compliance, arguing in part that many prescriptions for marijuana are not justified medically. Another, lower court ruling permits doctors to discuss medical use of marijuana with their patients but forbids them to help patients obtain the drug. A number of countries, including Canada, permit the medicinal use of the drug.History of Marijuana UseMa rijuana has been used as an agent for achieving euphoria since ancient quantify it was described in a Chinese medical compendium traditionally considered to date from 2737 BC It also has a long history of use as a medicinal herb. Its use spread from mainland China to India and then to N Africa and reached Europe at least as early as AD 500. A major crop in colonial North America, marijuana (hemp) was grown as a source of fiber. It was extensively cultivated during World War II, when Asian sources of hemp were cut off.Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Its use as an intoxicant was also commonplace from the 1850s to the 1930s. A campaign conducted in the 1930s by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) sought to picture marijuana as a powerful, addicting substance that would lead users into narcotics addictio n. It is still considered a gateway drug by some authorities. In the 1950s it was an accessory of the beat generation in the 1960s it was used by college students and hippies and became a symbol of rebellion against authority.The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug, i.e., having the relatively highest abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Most marijuana at that time came from Mexico, but in 1975 the Mexican government agreed to winnow out the crop by spraying it with the herbicide paraquat, raising fears of toxic side effects. Colombia then became the main supplier. The goose egg toleranceclimate of the Reagan and Bush administrations (198193) resulted in passage of strict laws and mandatory sentences for possession of marijuana and in heightened vigilance against smuggling at the southern borders. The war on drugs thus brought with it a shift from belief on imported supplies to domestic cultivation (particu larly in Hawaii and California). Beginning in 1982 the Drug Enforcement Administration turned increased attention to marijuana farms in the United States, and there was a shift to the interior growing of plants specially developed for small size and high yield. After over a go of decreasing use, marijuana smoking began an upward trend once more in the early 1990s, especially among teenagers, but by the end of the decade this upswing had leveled off well below former peaks of use.