Marijuana-also known as weed, pot, grass, bud, Art herb, ganja and mary jane, among other slang terms-refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant, Artifical Intelligence which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as well as other related compounds. Cannabis plant material can also be concentrated in a resin called hashish or a sticky black liquid called hash oil. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, typically smoked as a hand-rolled cigarette (joint) or in a pipe or water pipe (bong). The drug is also smoked in what’s called a blunt-a cigar that’s been emptied of tobacco and refilled with a mixture of marijuana and tobacco. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive sweet-and-sour odor. Another way of ingesting the drug is to mix the plant’s leaves, flowers, stems or seeds into food or to brew the leaves as a tea. Some varieties of cannabis plants are also known as hemp, theleagueonline.org although "hemp" more commonly refers to a fiber derived from such plants.
Historically, hemp fiber has been used to make rope, paper, fabrics and sail canvas. Today, hemp fiber is used to create concrete-like blocks for construction projects, bioplastics, jewelry and biofuels. In colonial America, hemp production was required by English rule. George Washington grew it as a crop at Mount Vernon. At that time, hemp plants were low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component of cannabis, and crops were valued for their role in industry. Use of medicinal cannabis began in America in the 1850s, when products with cannabis extracts were produced and sold to treat maladies such as pain and muscle spasm. Soon after, pharmaceutical regulations were introduced in some states. Products containing habit-forming substances such as cannabis were often labeled as poisons and, in some cases, were available only with a physician’s prescription. Today, marijuana is classified by the federal government as a Schedule I substance, which means the drug presents a high risk for abuse and is deemed to have no medicinal uses.
However, several states have legalized marijuana for adult recreational use, and 23 states as well as the District of Columbia allow use of medical marijuana to treat certain medical conditions. While many have called for the legalization of marijuana to treat pain and nausea caused by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other conditions, clinical evidence does not show that the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis or medical marijuana outweigh the health risks. To be considered a legitimate medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Art a drug must have well-defined and measurable ingredients consistent from one unit (such as a pill or injection) to the next. Since the cannabis plant contains hundreds of chemical compounds that vary from plant to plant (and those various compounds may cause different effects) and because the drug is typically ingested via smoking, its medicinal use is difficult to evaluate. At this time, several THC-based drugs have been approved by the FDA to treat pain and nausea.
And scientists continue to investigate the medicinal properties of other chemicals found in the cannabis plant, such as cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound being studied for its effectiveness in treating pain, pediatric epilepsy and other conditions. It’s also important to note that marijuana potency has increased significantly over the years. In 2012, the THC concentration in marijuana samples confiscated by law enforcement averaged near 15 percent, compared with an average concentration of four percent in the 1980s. High-potency forms of the drug can expose new users to increased concentrations of THC and greater risk of experiencing adverse or unpredictable reactions. For frequent users, higher potency can increase the risk of marijuana addiction. Learn more about the history of marijuana and legislative policy. When marijuana is smoked, THC passes rapidly from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the substance to the brain and other organs throughout the body. THC is absorbed more slowly when ingested through food or drink. Regardless of how THC is ingested, the substance acts specifically on the brain cell’s cannabinoid receptors. This po st w as generated by GSA Conte nt Generator Demoversion.
