Investigation of Marijuana

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Investigation of Marijuana

Marijuana is the dried buds and leaves of the Cannabis sativa

plant. This plant contains more than 400 chemicals, including

delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the plant's main psychoactive

chemical. THC is known to affect our brain's short-term memory.

Additionally, marijuana affects motor coordination, increases your

heart rate and raises levels of anxiety. Studies also show that

marijuana contains cancer-causing chemicals typically associated with

cigarettes. Although banned by the U.S. federal government in 1937,

there were 11 million current users of the drug in 1999, according to

the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, "current"

meaning that they had used the drug within 30 days of the survey. In

this article you will learn about marijuana, why this drug is so

popular and what effects it has on your mind and body.

[IMAGE]The Plant Cultivation of the Cannabis sativa plant dates back

thousands of years. The first written account of cannabis cultivation

is found in Chinese records dating from 28 B.C., according to the book

"Buzzed: The Straight Facts about the Most Used and Abused Drugs from

Alcohol to Ecstasy." However, the book's authors point out that the

plant was likely cultivated long before then. They recount the

discovery of a nearly 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy containing traces

of THC, the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana. It could be that

cannabis was used as some type of medicinal herb during this time.

Cannabis sativa is perhaps the most recognizable plant in the world.

Pictures of the ubiquitous green cannabis leaf show up in the news

media, textbooks and drug...

... middle of paper ...

...rst tried marijuana at

age 13 or younger.

Buying, selling, using or growing marijuana is illegal in every part

of the United States. Penalties vary from place to place, but usually

consist of jail time, a fine or both. In some states, you can be

arrested for just being in a place where you know drug activity is

taking place. The severity of the penalty varies on several factors:

* Quantity - Penalties vary based on the amount of marijuana found

in the person's possession.

* Selling - Penalties are more severe for those intending to sell.

* Growing - Penalties are also more severe for those cultivating

cannabis.

* Location - A person arrested for selling marijuana near a school

will often face harsher penalties.

Source:

http://shop.grasscity.com/shop/grasscity/marijuana.html

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