Marijuana has a long, notorious history and is, to this day, one of the most popular and controversial drugs anywhere on earth. People have extremely polarized opinions on the subject of marijuana use. While some campaign for more stringent laws, or outlawing cannabis altogether, there are many others who cry for complete legalization of "Mary Jane."
While US citizens from every demographic have experimented with, or regularly use, marijuana, politicians are wary to declare any support for legalizing the drug. The intent of the remainder of this article is to provide information regarding both the past and present of marijuana. Via education and knowledge of cannabis, the public can develop informed opinions about the future of the drug.
Marijuana has been used since ancient times in many societies; in fact, many drugs that are used today have existed for hundreds or thousands of years.Chinese writings from thousands of years ago discuss the use of marijuana both medically and for leisure purposes. According to written and archaeological indications, by 500 A.D. marijuana had already spread from it's origin in Asia to Africa and Europe.
A thousand years later, marijuana was thriving in the Americas. Colonial farmers in the United States were making massive profits selling hemp to textile producers. For over a century, from the mid-1800s to approximately World War II, it was common for physicians in the United States to prescribe marijuana for a variety of ailments, from gastrointestinal issues to arthritis pain.During this same era, cannabis was also commonly smoked as a recreational drug. The gradual change in the country's attitude toward marijuana began in 1935 with the enactment of the Uniform State Narcotic Drug Act. This law required strict regulations to be placed on marijuana in most states, and by the time World War II began, cannabis was rarely prescribed for medicinal use anywhere in the United States.
In the 1950s and 1960s, marijuana was no longer a mainstream drug and was seen as a mark of the counterculture movement. Though it was not entirely socially proper to smoke marijuana during these decades, the legal issues if you were caught were minimal compared to today's strict laws. Marijuana's harshest public policy shift came with the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. This law classed marijuana with heroin and cocaine as a Class I substance, contributing to the negative stigma some people still associate with cannabis to this day. The War on Drugs of the 1980s further contributed to marijuana's negative press. The sentencing laws passed during this decade require mandatory jail sentences of 25+ years for marijuana offenders convicted of possession three times.
Regardless of one's personal opinion toward marijuana, the fact remains that the majority of marijuana offenders are behind bars only for possession, not for any form of violence. Non-violent marijuana offenders are generally locked-up in the same prisons, even the cell blocks, as violent drug traffickers and murderers. Also, people in jail for marijuana-related offenses still face extreme sentencing and an almost complete lack of access to proper rehab options.
Educating the public about marijuana is the first task on a long road to achieving fair and balanced legislation regarding cannabis.
While US citizens from every demographic have experimented with, or regularly use, marijuana, politicians are wary to declare any support for legalizing the drug. The intent of the remainder of this article is to provide information regarding both the past and present of marijuana. Via education and knowledge of cannabis, the public can develop informed opinions about the future of the drug.
Marijuana has been used since ancient times in many societies; in fact, many drugs that are used today have existed for hundreds or thousands of years.Chinese writings from thousands of years ago discuss the use of marijuana both medically and for leisure purposes. According to written and archaeological indications, by 500 A.D. marijuana had already spread from it's origin in Asia to Africa and Europe.
A thousand years later, marijuana was thriving in the Americas. Colonial farmers in the United States were making massive profits selling hemp to textile producers. For over a century, from the mid-1800s to approximately World War II, it was common for physicians in the United States to prescribe marijuana for a variety of ailments, from gastrointestinal issues to arthritis pain.During this same era, cannabis was also commonly smoked as a recreational drug. The gradual change in the country's attitude toward marijuana began in 1935 with the enactment of the Uniform State Narcotic Drug Act. This law required strict regulations to be placed on marijuana in most states, and by the time World War II began, cannabis was rarely prescribed for medicinal use anywhere in the United States.
In the 1950s and 1960s, marijuana was no longer a mainstream drug and was seen as a mark of the counterculture movement. Though it was not entirely socially proper to smoke marijuana during these decades, the legal issues if you were caught were minimal compared to today's strict laws. Marijuana's harshest public policy shift came with the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. This law classed marijuana with heroin and cocaine as a Class I substance, contributing to the negative stigma some people still associate with cannabis to this day. The War on Drugs of the 1980s further contributed to marijuana's negative press. The sentencing laws passed during this decade require mandatory jail sentences of 25+ years for marijuana offenders convicted of possession three times.
Regardless of one's personal opinion toward marijuana, the fact remains that the majority of marijuana offenders are behind bars only for possession, not for any form of violence. Non-violent marijuana offenders are generally locked-up in the same prisons, even the cell blocks, as violent drug traffickers and murderers. Also, people in jail for marijuana-related offenses still face extreme sentencing and an almost complete lack of access to proper rehab options.
Educating the public about marijuana is the first task on a long road to achieving fair and balanced legislation regarding cannabis.
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