FREE ESSAY ON THE HISTORY OF MARIJUANA

THE HISTORY OF MARIJUANA

The modern history of marijuana dates back to the 1930's. People didn't care whether it
was heroin, 
cocaine, morphine, marijuana or opium, one horror was no worse than the other. This
reflected both the lack
of scientific knowledge and morbid exaggeration that have characterized much of the
discussion of marijuana
since that time. A large and growing body of scientific information about marijuana has
now been reported in
the press. Attitudes toward marijuana are starting to become more thoughtful and
sophisticated. The use of
marijuana is still very much the drug of choice of young people. Pot smoking is no longer
the deviant
behavior of a few. It is normal social practice for all kinds of people-conservatives as
well as radicals, 
working people as well as students. 
A new trend in marijuana smoking is adult use. Older people also use marijuana regularly.
Studies of
marijuana use among older professional groups early in 1976 showed that in geographical
areas of high use, 
there were numbers of professional and other upper middle class people who make fairly
regular recreational
use of the drug. 
Another sign of sophistication in the marijuana picture is that much more is known about
it now. The new
knowledge has not added up to a universally agreed-upon body of facts. Those holding
opposing viewpoints
on marijuana disagree chiefly on whether "recreational" use is harmful, and whether its
possession should be
legally permissible. 
The smoking of pot began to spread up the Mississippi from New Orleans and Mexico in the
1920's,
mostly in the hands of Mexican labor workers, black riverboatmen and jazz musicians. Hemp
grown for the
fibers and cannabis mixtures for medical purposes were known in this country long before
that. Recreational
use of the substance was virtually unknown in the United States. Marijuana in a reefer to
be smoked, as
introduced from south of the border in the early years of the century, is still the form
of cannabis generally
used in this country. 
The cannabis plant itself grows freely almost everywhere in the world, except for the
cold regions. The
plants fall into three different groups with those from tropical climates markedly richer
in THC than those from
cooler climates. The part of the plant used makes a difference in potency in a reefer
(also known as joint or
reefer). The female of the plant was long considered the potent partner, with the male
almost without
intoxicant content. In the past, male plants were weeded out to keep the female
unfertilized and therefore
supposedly more productive in chemicals. 
Throughout history people have experimented with every part of the plant and developed
dozens of
preparations of smoking, eating, drinking, or sniffing the vapor as it burns. Effects
vary according to the
way preparation is taken in. Smoking the American joint also may have varying
effectiveness. First time users
often report feeling no effect at all and practiced users experience different degrees of
"high". Experienced
users inhale slowly and hold in the smoke as long as possible. This is one reason
marijuana smoking is usually
done in company, so that the joint can be passed on to someone else-not allowed to burn
up wastefully while
the smoke is held. 
Experimentation with THC and other parts of the plant have demonstrated al number of
effects that could
be medically beneficial. None of the experiments has yet resulted in an acceptable,
approved medication, but
researchers are hopeful that some of them will. One possible beneficial effect of THC is
bronchodilation,
which may be helpful in asthma and the common cold, among other breathing disorders.
Cannabis has also
been shown to decrease pressure within the eyes, this checking the effects of glaucoma.
Marijuana may not
prove useful because of the tolerance to it that users develop. Also in special interest
is the effect of cannabis
in controlling vomiting. Some researchers considerate useful as a mild painkiller and
also as a sedative, but
continued use seems to cause rebound wakefulness. 
Several scientific reports have suggested possible harmful effects. These have included
chromosome
damage, brain damage, damage to white blood cells, possible sex debility, lung damage,
and damage to the
personality. Some investigators consider it a sign of brain damage when pot smokers show
the so-called
"antimotivational syndrome"-when they "drop out", and opt the hippie viewpoint that so
disturbed the older
generation in the 1960's. Some studies have said that people using marijuana on a regular
basis take the
chance of having abnormal offspring or developing forms of cancer. It does seem likely
that if a person
smoked pot as heavily and for as many years as the usual tobacco smoker he would run the
same risk for cancer
and would perhaps get it sooner. Other scientists point to the fact that chromosome
studies look at the
chromosomes in blood cells, not those in the reproductive system, and no-one has ever
tied actual genetic or
newborn abnormalities to ordinary marijuana use. Although damage to unborn animals from
high doses of
THC in the pregnant mother have been noted, no such effect has been seen in humans. In
any case, these
speculations do not apply to light, recreational use of marijuana. 
Research has demonstrated the human body develops a tolerance to marijuana. This
tolerance has shown
no sign of being related to addiction as seen with other drugs. Marijuana use any of the
other signs of physical
dependence, such as withdrawal symptoms when the habitual user tries to quit.
Psychological and emotional
does however occur. An old argument against marijuana is that it leads to other drug use.
No one has been
able to demonstrate a chemical or psychological connection between cannabis and other
drugs. The
connection if any is a social one, possibly one of personality. A person inclined to drug
use may start with
marijuana and go on to other drugs-not because of the pot, but because of a personality
need. The same
questionable connection exists between marijuana and crime. 
Marijuana is not "safe". No drug is completely safe, not aspirin and certainly not
alcohol. But a fair
conclusion seems to be that light, recreational use of marijuana by adults as generally
practiced in this country
has not shown ant evidence of being harmful. As with alcohol, casual use is virtually
safe; more extensive
abuse may be increasingly dangerous. A cannabis "high" while occurring , may expose one
to immediate
errors of judgment and movement, but to a much less degree than intoxication with
alcohol. Heavy doses and
long time use may be detrimental, particularly with regard to the lungs and perhaps in
other respects not yet
proven in long range studies. 
Eight states have decriminalized the private possession of small amounts of marijuana,
making it a civil
offense subject to minor punishment that does not include a criminal arrest record. Most
states have made pot
possession a misdemeanor rather than a felony, with others moving in that direction.
Obviously the fight over
marijuana is continuing, although the principle of decriminalizing marijuana has not yet
been generally
accepted. 
Whatever the ultimate decision as to harmfulness, many people young and old, will choose
not to use
marijuana. There is good reason still for a thumbs-down attitude regarding the drug.
Casual use has not been
found to be damaging, but there is still a chance that it is. Certainly the cruel shock
of an encounter with the
law is still real enough. However small the risk, many people consider it too great for
the potential pleasure. 
Marijuana, whose scientific name is cannabis sativa, was mentioned in historical
manuscripts as early as
2700 B.C.. in China. (Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia, 1998). The cultivation of the
marijuana plant began
as far back as the Jamestown settlers, around 1611, who used hemp produced from the
marijuana plant's
fibers to make rope and canvas. It was also used in making clothing because of its
durability. These uses fit
with the social climate of the time, because the main focus was on survival rather than
for psychoactive
purposes. 
Beginning in the 60's marijuana use saw a resurgence which may be attributed to many
causes. One of
the main causes was the rebellion of youth against the Vietnam War. They used marijuana
as an escape from
was to peace. It was easy at this time to depict marijuana as a beneficial and completely
harmless substance
whose effect were far less harmful than those of legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine
because there was not
enough scientific research done during the 60's (Grolier Wellness Encyclopedia, pg. 54).

The current atmosphere provides for doctor to suggest synthetic marijuana (THC) in a pure
and
standardized form by prescription (called Marinol) for the treatment of nausea associated
cancer
chemotherapy. Also, although is no scientific evidence that shows marijuana is beneficial
in the treatment of
glaucoma, it may prevent the progression of visual loss. Marijuana, along with alcohol
and a host of other
substances, can actually lower intraocular pressure. The medication however, must be
carefully tailored to
the individual to prevent further eye damage. 
Marijuana effects are primarily sedative and hallucinogenic mainly effecting the
cardiovascular and central
nervous system. Physiologically the heart rate increases and the blood vessels in the
eyes dilate, causing
reddening, and the appetite for food is increased. Though physical dependence has never
been determined, 
users do develop a tolerance to the drug. Todays research does still suggest that
marijuana smoke does have
long term harmful effects on the lungs. One of the long-term consequences are the cancer
causing effects of
marijuana. Also, the production of the male sex hormone testosterone is reduced while
females experience
menstrual irregularity and reduced and decreased fertility has now been shown from
marijuana use. 
There has been new medical uses found for marijuana. One is that it stimulates the
appetite of AIDS
patients with wasting syndrome. Since the mid 1990's there has been a push to legalize
the drug to serve the
needs of many such patient who need it. Though several states have approved initiatives
to permit physicians
to prescribe the drug, the U.S. government continues to appose any kind of legalization
of marijuana. 
The 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found that 10.1 million Americans used
marijuana
regularly. The same survey showed that in 1995, 8.2% of teenagers use the drug on a
regular basis, while in
1998 that dropped to 7.1%(Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia, 1998).Marijuana use usually
begins between the
ages of 12 and 18, mostly because of curiosity. Many people who try marijuana use it only
a few times or
very infrequently, while others become regular users. Some regular users become dependent
and have a great
difficulty stopping its use. Though people believe that marijuana improves their talents
and capabilities, 
scientists have found that it does impair all abilities (World Book Encyclopedia, 1999).

In a recent study, researchers traced the record of more than 65,000 San Francisco Bay
Area members of
the Kaiser Permanent Health Plan for an average of ten years. They found no increase in
the deaths among the
14,0000 patients who Said they were marijuana users between 1979 and 1987 (San Francisco
Chronicle,
1997). AIDS patients were the only group pot smokers found to have a higher death rate
than the either
nonsmokers. But their mortality rate was virtually the same as it was for the AIDS
patient who didn't smoke
marijuana. Though marijuana doesn't cause death, it does expose smokers to a criminals
and violence, 
by branding marijuana a crime is exposing smokers to these hazards. It also can lead to
risky sexual behavior
and impair driving ability. Marijuana smokers have also been shown to make more clinic
visits for coughs, 
colds, and flu than non-smokers. 
A far as life experiences go I know that I have seen allot in my 30 years of life. First
of all, growing up as
a teenager in the 80's , marijuana and every other drug was readily available to me in my
neighborhood. It has
been very clear to me that pot is the most forgiving of all the drugs out there including
alcohol. I have never
seen anyone get ill from smoking marijuana, let alone overdose. .A person could probably
smoke a whole bag
of marijuana and all that would happen is they would get the munchies and go to sleep. I
think that if the
government would legalize this harmless drug everyone would get along better and the
government would have
a new source of revenue. Also, there would be a lot less overcrowding in our jails and
our policemen could be
out hunting real criminals , getting off the back of people committing a victimless
crime. 
Evidence has clearly shown that marijuana has been around for a long time and has served
a multiple of
purposes throughout history. If the government legalized it today, we would immediately
see the benefits of
this decision. People suffering from illnesses such as AIDS and cancer would be able to
experience relief. 
The government could make billions of dollars off the taxes it could impose on its sale,
and its implementation
into the industrial world would create thousands of new jobs into the economy. Also
because of its role in
paper making, many of our forests could be saved from extinction. No recorded deaths have
ever occurred
as a result of marijuana use, it is not physically addictive like alcohol or tobacco.
Marijuana being illegal has
no validity at all. Due to all the positive aspects of marijuana it should be legalized
in the United States. 
The modern history of marijuana dates back to the 1930's. People didn't care whether it
was heroin, 
cocaine, morphine, marijuana or opium, one horror was no worse than the other. This
reflected both the lack
of scientific knowledge and morbid exaggeration that have characterized much of the
discussion of marijuana
since that time. A large and growing body of scientific information about marijuana has
now been reported in
the press. Attitudes toward marijuana are starting to become more thoughtful and
sophisticated. The use of
marijuana is still very much the drug of choice of young people. Pot smoking is no longer
the deviant
behavior of a few. It is normal social practice for all kinds of people-conservatives as
well as radicals, 
working people as well as students. 
A new trend in marijuana smoking is adult use. Older people also use marijuana regularly.
Studies of
marijuana use among older professional groups early in 1976 showed that in geographical
areas of high use, 
there were numbers of professional and other upper middle class people who make fairly
regular recreational
use of the drug. 
Another sign of sophistication in the marijuana picture is that much more is known about
it now. The new
knowledge has not added up to a universally agreed-upon body of facts. Those holding
opposing viewpoints
on marijuana disagree chiefly on whether "recreational" use is harmful, and whether its
possession should be
legally permissible. 
The smoking of pot began to spread up the Mississippi from New Orleans and Mexico in the
1920's,
mostly in the hands of Mexican labor workers, black riverboatmen and jazz musicians. Hemp
grown for the
fibers and cannabis mixtures for medical purposes were known in this country long before
that. Recreational
use of the substance was virtually unknown in the United States. Marijuana in a reefer to
be smoked, as
introduced from south of the border in the early years of the century, is still the form
of cannabis generally
used in this country. 
The cannabis plant itself grows freely almost everywhere in the world, except for the
cold regions. The
plants fall into three different groups with those from tropical climates markedly richer
in THC than those from
cooler climates. The part of the plant used makes a difference in potency in a reefer
(also known as joint or
reefer). The female of the plant was long considered the potent partner, with the male
almost without
intoxicant content. In the past, male plants were weeded out to keep the female
unfertilized and therefore
supposedly more productive in chemicals. 
Throughout history people have experimented with every part of the plant and developed
dozens of
preparations of smoking, eating, drinking, or sniffing the vapor as it burns. Effects
vary according to the
way preparation is taken in. Smoking the American joint also may have varying
effectiveness. First time users
often report feeling no effect at all and practiced users experience different degrees of
"high". Experienced
users inhale slowly and hold in the smoke as long as possible. This is one reason
marijuana smoking is usually
done in company, so that the joint can be passed on to someone else-not allowed to burn
up wastefully while
the smoke is held. 
Experimentation with THC and other parts of the plant have demonstrated al number of
effects that could
be medically beneficial. None of the experiments has yet resulted in an acceptable,
approved medication, but
researchers are hopeful that some of them will. One possible beneficial effect of THC is
bronchodilation,
which may be helpful in asthma and the common cold, among other breathing disorders.
Cannabis has also
been shown to decrease pressure within the eyes, this checking the effects of glaucoma.
Marijuana may not
prove useful because of the tolerance to it that users develop. Also in special interest
is the effect of cannabis
in controlling vomiting. Some researchers considerate useful as a mild painkiller and
also as a sedative, but
continued use seems to cause rebound wakefulness. 
Several scientific reports have suggested possible harmful effects. These have included
chromosome
damage, brain damage, damage to white blood cells, possible sex debility, lung damage,
and damage to the
personality. Some investigators consider it a sign of brain damage when pot smokers show
the so-called
"antimotivational syndrome"-when they "drop out", and opt the hippie viewpoint that so
disturbed the older
generation in the 1960's. Some studies have said that people using marijuana on a regular
basis take the
chance of having abnormal offspring or developing forms of cancer. It does seem likely
that if a person
smoked pot as heavily and for as many years as the usual tobacco smoker he would run the
same risk for cancer
and would perhaps get it sooner. Other scientists point to the fact that chromosome
studies look at the
chromosomes in blood cells, not those in the reproductive system, and no-one has ever
tied actual genetic or
newborn abnormalities to ordinary marijuana use. Although damage to unborn animals from
high doses of
THC in the pregnant mother have been noted, no such effect has been seen in humans. In
any case, these
speculations do not apply to light, recreational use of marijuana. 
Research has demonstrated the human body develops a tolerance to marijuana. This
tolerance has shown
no sign of being related to addiction as seen with other drugs. Marijuana use any of the
other signs of physical
dependence, such as withdrawal symptoms when the habitual user tries to quit.
Psychological and emotional
does however occur. An old argument against marijuana is that it leads to other drug use.
No one has been
able to demonstrate a chemical or psychological connection between cannabis and other
drugs. The
connection if any is a social one, possibly one of personality. A person inclined to drug
use may start with
marijuana and go on to other drugs-not because of the pot, but because of a personality
need. The same
questionable connection exists between marijuana and crime. 
Marijuana is not "safe". No drug is completely safe, not aspirin and certainly not
alcohol. But a fair
conclusion seems to be that light, recreational use of marijuana by adults as generally
practiced in this country
has not shown ant evidence of being harmful. As with alcohol, casual use is virtually
safe; more extensive
abuse may be increasingly dangerous. A cannabis "high" while occurring , may expose one
to immediate
errors of judgment and movement, but to a much less degree than intoxication with
alcohol. Heavy doses and
long time use may be detrimental, particularly with regard to the lungs and perhaps in
other respects not yet
proven in long range studies. 
Eight states have decriminalized the private possession of small amounts of marijuana,
making it a civil
offense subject to minor punishment that does not include a criminal arrest record. Most
states have made pot
possession a misdemeanor rather than a felony, with others moving in that direction.
Obviously the fight over
marijuana is continuing, although the principle of decriminalizing marijuana has not yet
been generally
accepted. 
Whatever the ultimate decision as to harmfulness, many people young and old, will choose
not to use
marijuana. There is good reason still for a thumbs-down attitude regarding the drug.
Casual use has not been
found to be damaging, but there is still a chance that it is. Certainly the cruel shock
of an encounter with the
law is still real enough. However small the risk, many people consider it too great for
the potential pleasure. 
Marijuana, whose scientific name is cannabis sativa, was mentioned in historical
manuscripts as early as
2700 B.C.. in China. (Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia, 1998). The cultivation of the
marijuana plant began
as far back as the Jamestown settlers, around 1611, who used hemp produced from the
marijuana plant's
fibers to make rope and canvas. It was also used in making clothing because of its
durability. These uses fit
with the social climate of the time, because the main focus was on survival rather than
for psychoactive
purposes. 
Beginning in the 60's marijuana use saw a resurgence which may be attributed to many
causes. One of
the main causes was the rebellion of youth against the Vietnam War. They used marijuana
as an escape from
was to peace. It was easy at this time to depict marijuana as a beneficial and completely
harmless substance
whose effect were far less harmful than those of legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine
because there was not
enough scientific research done during the 60's (Grolier Wellness Encyclopedia, pg. 54).

The current atmosphere provides for doctor to suggest synthetic marijuana (THC) in a pure
and
standardized form by prescription (called Marinol) for the treatment of nausea associated
cancer
chemotherapy. Also, although is no scientific evidence that shows marijuana is beneficial
in the treatment of
glaucoma, it may prevent the progression of visual loss. Marijuana, along with alcohol
and a host of other
substances, can actually lower intraocular pressure. The medication however, must be
carefully tailored to
the individual to prevent further eye damage. 
Marijuana effects are primarily sedative and hallucinogenic mainly effecting the
cardiovascular and central
nervous system. Physiologically the heart rate increases and the blood vessels in the
eyes dilate, causing
reddening, and the appetite for food is increased. Though physical dependence has never
been determined, 
users do develop a tolerance to the drug. Todays research does still suggest that
marijuana smoke does have
long term harmful effects on the lungs. One of the long-term consequences are the cancer
causing effects of
marijuana. Also, the production of the male sex hormone testosterone is reduced while
females experience
menstrual irregularity and reduced and decreased fertility has now been shown from
marijuana use. 
There has been new medical uses found for marijuana. One is that it stimulates the
appetite of AIDS
patients with wasting syndrome. Since the mid 1990's there has been a push to legalize
the drug to serve the
needs of many such patient who need it. Though several states have approved initiatives
to permit physicians
to prescribe the drug, the U.S. government continues to appose any kind of legalization
of marijuana. 
The 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found that 10.1 million Americans used
marijuana
regularly. The same survey showed that in 1995, 8.2% of teenagers use the drug on a
regular basis, while in
1998 that dropped to 7.1%(Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia, 1998).Marijuana use usually
begins between the
ages of 12 and 18, mostly because of curiosity. Many people who try marijuana use it only
a few times or
very infrequently, while others become regular users. Some regular users become dependent
and have a great
difficulty stopping its use. Though people believe that marijuana improves their talents
and capabilities, 
scientists have found that it does impair all abilities (World Book Encyclopedia, 1999).

In a recent study, researchers traced the record of more than 65,000 San Francisco Bay
Area members of
the Kaiser Permanent Health Plan for an average of ten years. They found no increase in
the deaths among the
14,0000 patients who Said they were marijuana users between 1979 and 1987 (San Francisco
Chronicle,
1997). AIDS patients were the only group pot smokers found to have a higher death rate
than the either
nonsmokers. But their mortality rate was virtually the same as it was for the AIDS
patient who didn't smoke
marijuana. Though marijuana doesn't cause death, it does expose smokers to a criminals
and violence, 
by branding marijuana a crime is exposing smokers to these hazards. It also can lead to
risky sexual behavior
and impair driving ability. Marijuana smokers have also been shown to make more clinic
visits for coughs, 
colds, and flu than non-smokers. 
A far as life experiences go I know that I have seen allot in my 30 years of life. First
of all, growing up as
a teenager in the 80's , marijuana and every other drug was readily available to me in my
neighborhood. It has
been very clear to me that pot is the most forgiving of all the drugs out there including
alcohol. I have never
seen anyone get ill from smoking marijuana, let alone overdose. .A person could probably
smoke a whole bag
of marijuana and all that would happen is they would get the munchies and go to sleep. I
think that if the
government would legalize this harmless drug everyone would get along better and the
government would have
a new source of revenue. Also, there would be a lot less overcrowding in our jails and
our policemen could be
out hunting real criminals , getting off the back of people committing a victimless
crime. 
Evidence has clearly shown that marijuana has been around for a long time and has served
a multiple of
purposes throughout history. If the government legalized it today, we would immediately
see the benefits of
this decision. People suffering from illnesses such as AIDS and cancer would be able to
experience relief. 
The government could make billions of dollars off the taxes it could impose on its sale,
and its implementation
into the industrial world would create thousands of new jobs into the economy. Also
because of its role in
paper making, many of our forests could be saved from extinction. No recorded deaths have
ever occurred
as a result of marijuana use, it is not physically addictive like alcohol or tobacco.
Marijuana being illegal has
no validity at all. Due to all the positive aspects of marijuana it should be legalized
in the United States. 
The modern history of marijuana dates back to the 1930's. People didn't care whether it
was heroin, 
cocaine, morphine, marijuana or opium, one horror was no worse than the other. This
reflected both the lack
of scientific knowledge and morbid exaggeration that have characterized much of the
discussion of marijuana
since that time. A large and growing body of scientific information about marijuana has
now been reported in
the press. Attitudes toward marijuana are starting to become more thoughtful and
sophisticated. The use of
marijuana is still very much the drug of choice of young people. Pot smoking is no longer
the deviant
behavior of a few. It is normal social practice for all kinds of people-conservatives as
well as radicals, 
working people as well as students. 
A new trend in marijuana smoking is adult use. Older people also use marijuana regularly.
Studies of
marijuana use among older professional groups early in 1976 showed that in geographical
areas of high use, 
there were numbers of professional and other upper middle class people who make fairly
regular recreational
use of the drug. 
Another sign of sophistication in the marijuana picture is that much more is known about
it now. The new
knowledge has not added up to a universally agreed-upon body of facts. Those holding
opposing viewpoints
on marijuana disagree chiefly on whether "recreational" use is harmful, and whether its
possession should be
legally permissible. 
The smoking of pot began to spread up the Mississippi from New Orleans and Mexico in the
1920's,
mostly in the hands of Mexican labor workers, black riverboatmen and jazz musicians. Hemp
grown for the
fibers and cannabis mixtures for medical purposes were known in this country long before
that. Recreational
use of the substance was virtually unknown in the United States. Marijuana in a reefer to
be smoked, as
introduced from south of the border in the early years of the century, is still the form
of cannabis generally
used in this country. 
The cannabis plant itself grows freely almost everywhere in the world, except for the
cold regions. The
plants fall into three different groups with those from tropical climates markedly richer
in THC than those from
cooler climates. The part of the plant used makes a difference in potency in a reefer
(also known as joint or
reefer). The female of the plant was long considered the potent partner, with the male
almost without
intoxicant content. In the past, male plants were weeded out to keep the female
unfertilized and therefore
supposedly more productive in chemicals. 
Throughout history people have experimented with every part of the plant and developed
dozens of
preparations of smoking, eating, drinking, or sniffing the vapor as it burns. Effects
vary according to the
way preparation is taken in. Smoking the American joint also may have varying
effectiveness. First time users
often report feeling no effect at all and practiced users experience different degrees of
"high". Experienced
users inhale slowly and hold in the smoke as long as possible. This is one reason
marijuana smoking is usually
done in company, so that the joint can be passed on to someone else-not allowed to burn
up wastefully while
the smoke is held. 
Experimentation with THC and other parts of the plant have demonstrated al number of
effects that could
be medically beneficial. None of the experiments has yet resulted in an acceptable,
approved medication, but
researchers are hopeful that some of them will. One possible beneficial effect of THC is
bronchodilation,
which may be helpful in asthma and the common cold, among other breathing disorders.
Cannabis has also
been shown to decrease pressure within the eyes, this checking the effects of glaucoma.
Marijuana may not
prove useful because of the tolerance to it that users develop. Also in special interest
is the effect of cannabis
in controlling vomiting. Some researchers considerate useful as a mild painkiller and
also as a sedative, but
continued use seems to cause rebound wakefulness. 
Several scientific reports have suggested possible harmful effects. These have included
chromosome
damage, brain damage, damage to white blood cells, possible sex debility, lung damage,
and damage to the
personality. Some investigators consider it a sign of brain damage when pot smokers show
the so-called
"antimotivational syndrome"-when they "drop out", and opt the hippie viewpoint that so
disturbed the older
generation in the 1960's. Some studies have said that people using marijuana on a regular
basis take the
chance of having abnormal offspring or developing forms of cancer. It does seem likely
that if a person
smoked pot as heavily and for as many years as the usual tobacco smoker he would run the
same risk for cancer
and would perhaps get it sooner. Other scientists point to the fact that chromosome
studies look at the
chromosomes in blood cells, not those in the reproductive system, and no-one has ever
tied actual genetic or
newborn abnormalities to ordinary marijuana use. Although damage to unborn animals from
high doses of
THC in the pregnant mother have been noted, no such effect has been seen in humans. In
any case, these
speculations do not apply to light, recreational use of marijuana. 
Research has demonstrated the human body develops a tolerance to marijuana. This
tolerance has shown
no sign of being related to addiction as seen with other drugs. Marijuana use any of the
other signs of physical
dependence, such as withdrawal symptoms when the habitual user tries to quit.
Psychological and emotional
does however occur. An old argument against marijuana is that it leads to other drug use.
No one has been
able to demonstrate a chemical or psychological connection between cannabis and other
drugs. The
connection if any is a social one, possibly one of personality. A person inclined to drug
use may start with
marijuana and go on to other drugs-not because of the pot, but because of a personality
need. The same
questionable connection exists between marijuana and crime. 
Marijuana is not "safe". No drug is completely safe, not aspirin and certainly not
alcohol. But a fair
conclusion seems to be that light, recreational use of marijuana by adults as generally
practiced in this country
has not shown ant evidence of being harmful. As with alcohol, casual use is virtually
safe; more extensive
abuse may be increasingly dangerous. A cannabis "high" while occurring , may expose one
to immediate
errors of judgment and movement, but to a much less degree than intoxication with
alcohol. Heavy doses and
long time use may be detrimental, particularly with regard to the lungs and perhaps in
other respects not yet
proven in long range studies. 
Eight states have decriminalized the private possession of small amounts of marijuana,
making it a civil
offense subject to minor punishment that does not include a criminal arrest record. Most
states have made pot
possession a misdemeanor rather than a felony, with others moving in that direction.
Obviously the fight over
marijuana is continuing, although the principle of decriminalizing marijuana has not yet
been generally
accepted. 
Whatever the ultimate decision as to harmfulness, many people young and old, will choose
not to use
marijuana. There is good reason still for a thumbs-down attitude regarding the drug.
Casual use has not been
found to be damaging, but there is still a chance that it is. Certainly the cruel shock
of an encounter with the
law is still real enough. However small the risk, many people consider it too great for
the potential pleasure. 
Marijuana, whose scientific name is cannabis sativa, was mentioned in historical
manuscripts as early as
2700 B.C.. in China. (Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia, 1998). The cultivation of the
marijuana plant began
as far back as the Jamestown settlers, around 1611, who used hemp produced from the
marijuana plant's
fibers to make rope and canvas. It was also used in making clothing because of its
durability. These uses fit
with the social climate of the time, because the main focus was on survival rather than
for psychoactive
purposes. 
Beginning in the 60's marijuana use saw a resurgence which may be attributed to many
caus