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Marijuana

Marijuana


Since the ancient times the plant of cannabis was used by humanity with different purposes. It was used to produce clothes and shoes, it was used to make weapons and outfit, it served important part of religious ceremonies and celebrations in many cultures. Doctors and healers knew of the plant's medicinal value. Today marijuana is mainly illegal because of its characteristic as a drug. The issue of its legalization for different purposes raises wide discussion and controversy.

This essay will describe the historical heritage of the use of cannabis by different cultures and cite instances of the use of plant as the important component of religious mysteries, its use in industrial production, in making of warfare outfit, medicinal use and, of course, relaxation. Further, the advantages and disadvantages of marijuana legalization will be considered in light of this day anti-drug policy. While the plant of cannabis can be applied in the number of ways this day society seems still not ready for all-out legalization of marijuana.

Cannabis is the name for a genus of flowering plant which involves the set of species. The names for cannabis are multiple with regard to the aim of the plant's use. Hemp is the name for cannabis cultivated for non-drug use. The marijuana, or marihuana, is the name for dried flowers of cannabis used as a drug. Marijuana is obtained from the cured parts of cannabis plant, mainly the leaves, flowers or trichomes. The key chemical compound, precious in medicinal and drug usage of cannabis, is tetrahydrocannabinol. The resin and the set of extracts also used as the drug are referred to as hashish. (Cannabis (drug) 2006). The list of other names for cannabis is endless: dagga, bhang, loco weed, grass, Mary Jane, ganja, pot, smoke, reefer, herb are just the handful of them. The plant was officially named Cannabis sativa by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. (Abel, E. L. 1998).

The origin of the plant is disputable. It is believed to have come from the Indian Himalayas, while it is also claimed to originate from Northern Africa. Today, the plant grows wild in the number of countries all over the world. Various species of cannabis used in drug production grow in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, Latin America and in the number of European states. Every single species of cannabis can differ in its genetic makeup depending on the territory of its vegetation. For example, wild cannabis sativa can vary in height. In cold climate it can be as short as 1 foot, while it can be as high as 20 feet at warm territories. (Cannabis (drug) 2006).
The use of cannabis is proved to have thousand-year history. Since the plant has both the drug value and is valuable as industrial fiber the cultivation of it dates far before Christ. The medicinal use of cannabis is ascribed to the 2737 B.C. Chinese treatise attributed to Emperor Shen Nung. (History of Cannabis 2006). In 1972 the scientists discovered a burial site alleged to pertain to Chou dynasty. The inspection of cloth pieces revealed it was made of hemp. The researches found the hemp was also used to produce shoes. The plant was so highly appreciated in ancient China that the Chinese named their country "the land of mulberry and hemp" thereby equating cannabis plant with the mulberry, which is important link in the production chain of silk. The ancient manuscripts were found to have urged the common people to cultivate hemp in order to have clothes. But hemp was used not only for clothes production but also as valuable material for Chinese weapon. Since the discovery of hemp's greater durability and strength the production of bowstrings from bamboo fibers was replaced with the use of hemp. The bowstrings made of hemp allowed the archers to cast the arrows for longer distances. Having realized the value of hemp for the success of their armies the land lords allocated vast territories for the cultivation of cannabis. (Abel, E. L. 1998).

Ancient Hindus were known users of cannabis. The ancient legend narrates that Shiva, the destructive god of Hindu trinity, ordered his worshipers to praise the plant of ganjika. (Cannabis (drug) 2006). The use of cannabis in India is dated back to 1000 B.C. It was mainly used in spiritual and religious ceremonies. In the liquid form of bhang cannabis were used in ceremonies like marriage, the celebrations of Holi, Baisakhi etc. (Spiritual use of cannabis 2006).

The use of cannabis was also known in ancient Greece. The Greeks themselves were hardly using cannabis as a drug for recreation. However the ancient treatises refer to the practice of use of marijuana in other nations. Such references are present in Homer and Herodotus. The latter described the use of cannabis by Scythians and islanders, which used the plant as the recreational drug by throwing it in fire and seating around, inhaling. Other authors to narrate about cannabis were Pliny, Marco Polo, Abu Mansur Muwaffaq etc. (History of Cannabis 2006).

The Arab Nights allege cannabis to have been cultivated throughout the Near East and Asia since the times immemorial. In the Arab world cannabis was used for many years. Sufis were the first party of Muslim society to use cannabis as a drug by means of which they alleged to have been able to communicate with the god. As the Sufis were despised sect in the Arab world their use of cannabis had negative effect on the plant's reputation. Hashish was alleged to deprive the energy of a man and take away the willingness to work. Hashish was associated with notorious sect of murderers, the Assassins, which were known professional terrorists and killers in the Middle Ages. (Abel, E. L. 1998).

The early European evidence of the use of cannabis is dated back to 500 B.C. Archeologists have discovered an urn filled with cannabis parts near Berlin. The Middle Ages have also known the use of cannabis. The cloth of 13th century was produced from hemp not less then from flax. The recreational features of cannabis were praised by Francois Rabelais in 16th century as the "herb Pantagruelion".

Cannabis was also used widely in Africa. The Suto women are known to smoke marijuana before bearing a child. In 1916 a report stated that the marijuana was given to mine workers in order to remove fatigue and prompt the hard work. Some Congo tribes are known to smoke marijuana from Riamba pipe of about one yard in diameter. The widespread punishment presumes the infringer to smoke cannabis till he loses consciousness. (History of Cannabis 2006).

Marijuana is known to be used in many new religious movements and cults since the ancient times. The booz-rooz mystery, the ceremonial burnings of great amounts of cannabis at the bonfires were widespread in Persian Empire. The Dacian and Scythian shamans, the kapnobatai ("those who walk on the cloud") inhaled the cannabis fumes in order to promote trances. The priests of Dionysus cult of Thrace also alleged to have used the smoke of marijuana in their religious ceremonies. (Cannabis (drug) 2006).

The Rastafari use of the plant is most widely known this day religious use of cannabis. The moment of Rastafari adoption of marijuana as the sacred element of the religion is not known, though the religion was already known to use marijuana in 1940s. The biblical Tree of Life is attributed to cannabis plant by the cult worshipers. The "reasoning sessions" in Rastafari presume the smoke of marijuana in which the worshipers obtain the clarity, thereby being able to discuss the truth of things. By inhaling the fume of marijuana through many sessions the Rastafari practitioners believe they can get closer to Jah, the god. (Spiritual use of cannabis 2006).

Since the ancient times cannabis was used for the set of purposes. It was known as the recreational drug, it was produced in order to make cloths and clothes, it was cultivated to produce weapons and was used in religious ceremonies. Finally, the plant of cannabis was known in medicinal purposes since the times immemorial. The Chinese and Persian texts which made it to survive and are dated back to 4,800 years narrate about the medicinal use of cannabis and the recognition of its healing purposes. The set of illnesses treated by means of cannabis involved the wide range from insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders, headaches to the pain relieving during the accouchement. (Medical cannabis 2006).

Today, medicine is aware of positive effects cannabis can provide for medicinal purposes. Marijuana can be perfect pain reliever. It can serve the purposes of alleviation of cancer patients' status. Those who undergo chemotherapy suffer from nausea and cannot eat because of vomiting. Marijuana was proved to stimulate appetite, relieve the process of food intake and soothe nausea. In AIDS patients the problem of weight loss can also be partially resolved by means of marijuana. (Medical cannabis 2006).

The THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, is the active element in marijuana to provide for pain relieve. Together with cannabidiol (CBD) the THC protects brain cells. This was proved in the series of experiments one of which, accomplished by San Francisco University specialists. By interacting with the rats’ brain cells marijuana elements activated the same areas as morphine would. (Roth, Rebecca, 2001). These properties of marijuana can make it effective in treatment of such brain diseases as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's, epilepsy as well as have positive effect on bipolar disorder, glaucoma, migraine etc. (Cannabis (drug) 2006).

Since the use of marijuana is mainly outlawed in the majority of states some people prefer the medicines produced on the basis of cannabis. One of such examples is the appetite stimulant, Marinol, based on synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol. (Medical" Marijuana - The Facts, 2006). Another is mouth spray, Sativex, used by multiple sclerosis patients in Canada. (Mickleburgh, Rod, 2004).

There is the number of pros and cons of marijuana use and, consequently, its legalization or ban. The issue of recreational marijuana legalization in America seems not to be possible in nearest future in light of the US war on drugs. However there is wide discussion of medicinal use of marijuana.

Medicine could sufficiently win from marijuana legalization for medical purposes. Even regarding the fact of existence of marijuana-based medicines like Marinol or Sativex their efficiency is disputable. These products are taken by some patients as a cross between the natural and synthetic. Furthermore, the price of medicines can greatly exceed that of mere marijuana. At the same time the medicines can be less effective than the results achieved through the smoking of marijuana.

Partial legalization of marijuana can serve the partial reduction of black market and reduce the violence brought to existence by the outlawed state of the plant. It can also serve the income item for state budget instead of devastating the governmental money wasted on the war on drugs which has proved itself to be senseless. Finally, even with the marijuana ban in power the laws regulating the degree of punishment for its use could be alleviated.

The other side of the problem is the dangers the legalization of marijuana imply for medicine. The physicians, which will be responsible for cannabis prescription can easily become the object of "hunt" for marijuana lovers. The doctor then will turn from the one who is called to protect the health of population into the agent of the black market, able to provide paid prescriptions. Such procedure can also be dangerous for patients which will rely totally on the drug and become dependent on it. The final and most persuasive argument for marijuana ban is that the medical legalization is the step towards the permission for recreational purposes. This latter perspective could be possible option for Netherlands but is absolutely impossible for United States, at least in the visible perspective.

Finally, marijuana is nevertheless a drug. The effects of heavy marijuana use were found to cause problems in the users' daily life. While it can be used as medicine, marijuana abuse, on the other hand, leads to depression, anxiety and personality disturbances. The plant excessive use has negative effect on brain, particularly on the ability to memorize. Teenagers who use marijuana are likely to fall behind the learning process, losing ability to work, discipline and social skills.

Since marijuana is a light drug compared to heroin it nevertheless causes addiction if used for long time. The habit of smoking marijuana is hard to quit for long-term abusers. When devoid of the ability to smoke the patients show irritability, anxiety, insomnia and aggression. (Marijuana 2006).

Today, we have strict laws regulating substance abuse. Nevertheless, marijuana abuse is widespread in United States. The 2002 study of patients in treatment for marijuana abuse exposed the following data: all the users started to abuse marijuana at an early age; 92% of them still had used it by the age of 18. (Marijuana 2006). In a world rating of most popular mind-affecting drugs marijuana abuse is number four making way only for those which are legal – caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. All the efforts on eradicating cannabis crops or the wars on marijuana have never made any success in reducing the abuse of cannabis. (History of Cannabis 2006).

Today, the use of marijuana is outlawed in majority of countries. The cultivation, use, possession and transfer of cannabis for recreational purposes are heavily punishable. The governments waste billions of dollars on fighting the drug dealers. Nevertheless, the drug empires, cartels and individual vendors keep on producing and selling vast quantities of marijuana. While the plant was used through the entire history of a man this day society is not ready for its legalization. On the other hand, the laws regulating marijuana policy, at least in United States, are too severe, while the war on drugs the US government conducts is helpless in dealing with the substance. To tackle the issue of marijuana the government needs new strategies, but not the direct counteraction.




Works Cited

Abel, E. L. "Marijuana - The First Twelve Thousand Years". UK Cannabis Internet Activists. 20 Jul. 1998. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://www.ukcia.org/research/abel.htm>.
"Cannabis (drug)". Wikipedia, the Free Encyclolpedia. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug)>.
"History of Cannabis". UK Cannabis Internet Activists. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://www.ukcia.org/culture/history/default.html>.
"Marijuana". NIDA. Apr. 2006. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://www.drugabuse.gov/PDF/InfoFacts/Marijuana06.pdf>.
"Medical cannabis." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclolpedia. 8 Sept. 2006. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis>.
"Medical" Marijuana - The Facts." Drug Enforcement Administration. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ongoing/marinol.html>.
Mickleburgh, Rod. "Approval for cannabis spray sought in Canada." 12 May 2004. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://www.cannabis.net/articles/sativex.html>.
Roth, Rebecca. "Medical Marijuana." Serendip. 2001. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f01/web3/roth.html>.
"Spiritual use of cannabis." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclolpedia. 8 Sept. 2006. 10 Sept. 2006. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(spiritual_use)>.
Monitoring the Future Survey, 2005
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Posted by: FICHTNER, SANDEE

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