What is Marijuana

Marijuana is a plant that contains the chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in its leaves, buds and flowers.Marijuana is the most commonly used drug with about 42 percent of adults saying that they have used it before.Just under 40% of high school students in the U.S. report using marijuana at least once in their life, and 20% report using it regularlyThe most common way to take Marijuana is to smoke it. Users will roll it into a cigarette "joint," put into an emptied cigar casing "blunts" and smoke it in a pipe or a water-pipe "bong." It can also be baked into food and eaten or mixed in tea.People smoke marijuana because it elevates their mood and relaxes them. Depending on the level of THC, users may also experience euphoria, hallucinations and paranoia.During the temperance movement of the 1890s, marijuana was commonly recommended as a substitute for alcohol. The reason for this was that use of marijuana did not lead to domestic violence while alcohol abuse did.The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 made it illegal to possess, use, buy, sell, or cultivate marijuana in the United States. The law classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and no acceptable medical use.While marijuana is still a controlled substance under federal law, 13 U.S. states currently have compassionate use laws in place, which allow for regulated medical marijuana use: AK, CA, CO, HI, ME, MI, MT, NV, NM, OR, RI, VT, and WA. An additional 17 states and the District of Columbia have legislated to recognize the value of medical marijuana but do not protect users from federal prosecution.

Citation:
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Marijuana: Facts for Teens (http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-teens).NIH Pub. No. 04-4037. Bethesda, MD. NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Revised March 2011. Retrieved December 2012.