The History Of Marijuana

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Marijuana was not always seen as a bad drug or even a drug for that matter. The researchers who wrote “The History of Marijuana” for history.com said “Hemp fiber was used to make clothing, paper, sails and rope, and its seeds were used as food” (History.com, 1). Cannabis is a tough and quick growing plant that can be used for many things. Marijuana did not become such a big thing until it came to the Americas during the colonial times. Cannabis was used for medicinal use in Central Asia later making its way to Africa and Europe until finally finding its way to the Americas. The stalk of the Cannabis plant, known as hemp, was used for many things such as paper, clothing, and rope. George Washington was the first President to own a Cannabis …show more content…

Back then Cannabis had a low level of THC, the chemical in Marijuana that causes the hallucinatory effects also known as tetrahydrocannabinol. The use of Marijuana for recreational purposes was not popular in America until the early 1900s when Mexican immigrants introduced it the people of America. History.com writes “The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was the first federal U.S. law to criminalize marijuana nationwide” (History.com, 1). In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was passed to impose an excise tax on the sale, possession or transfer of all hemp products, effectively criminalizing all but industrial uses of the plant. Anyone who sold Hemp on the side and got caught went to jail. This was because the cotton industry was getting more and more popular. The farmers wanted cotton to become the biggest best thing around so they went to the government to pass this bill. So, basically, Marijuana was not outlawed for reasons it is now. It wasn't even marijuana it was Hemp. Over time Hemp turned into Marijuana and rules changed. Instead of selling hemp on the side to avoid excess taxes. People soon were selling marijuana to get high, which didn't help with the prohibition …show more content…

This piece of evidence proves Marijuana helps with a lot of different issues. Over 60 types of cannabinoids have been identified, but two main types have been studied: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, and cannabidiol, which is commonly known as CBD. As it turns out, the human body has its own cannabinoid system known as the endocannabinoid system, in which the brain and immune system produce cannabinoids, which bind to the body’s receptors known as CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are located in the brain and other parts of the central nervous system, as well as in other tissues and organs like the digestive tract, liver, lungs, kidneys and eyes. CB2 receptors are found mainly in tissues related to immune function like white blood cells, bone marrow, tonsils, the thymus and the spleen. Some CB2 receptors have been shown preliminarily to reduce pain on a level equal to the effects of morphine without narcotics and without a high, and that mechanism