University of California, Davis

Marijuana
A Modern Review

Joseph Flores
Drugs and Society / PHE 040
Professor Simpson
01 September 2016

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Joseph Flores
Professor Simpson
Drugs and Society
01 September 2016
Marijuana: A Modern Review
Of the 4000 or so plants on Earth that produce psychedelic effects in humans,
one of the most prevalent in todays society is the Cannabis plant. More readily known
by one of its colloquialisms, such as Marijuana, weed, grass, etc., the cannabis plant can
be traced by to ancient Asia. According to the DEA Museum, The oldest known
written record on cannabis use comes from the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2727
B.C. (DEA Museum). It would be centuries later before cannabis was able to make its
way into the western hemisphere. In 1545Spaniards imported it to Chile for its use
as fiber(DEA Museum). When used in this manner, cannabis was grown in a form
known as Hemp, which lacked Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive
compound, associated with the plant. Prior to arriving in the Americas the use of
cannabis spread throughout many of the different countries and cultures in Europe, Asia,
and parts of Northern Africa. Initially cannabis, in the form of hemp, was grown on
many plantations for use in rope, clothing and paper, in North America on an industrial
scale until cannabis, in the form of marijuana, prohibition due to the Marijuana Tax Act
of 1937.
As with many other substances now labeled as drugs, such as opium, cocaine,
and heroin, cannabis was initially thought of as a wonder drug and was used medicinally
as well as recreationally through out the world. In the United States it could be found in

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many different tinctures and medicines found at the local corner drug stores. However
as political and racial issues changed so did the policy on cannabis. In much the same
way that lawmakers used the outlawing of opium to target Chinese immigrants, fear was
spread around the use of Marijuana, as a way to combat the large influx of Mexican
immigrants following the Mexican revolution. Luckily the Act was ruled
unconstitutional years later, but unfortunately it was replaced with the Controlled
Substances Act in the 1970s (Burnett). Currently Cannabis is labeled as a Schedule 1
controlled substance at the federal level. However, at the state level there is a solid
majority that has either decriminalized cannabis or approved its use in a medicinal
capacity. There are even 4 states that currently allow for the legal, recreational use.
Those states being: Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Alaska, and even Washington D.C.
The ways in which cannabis can be used are as vast and varying as its user base.
In general there are a total of five ways for a user to get drugs into their system. In order
of fastest to slowest acting these methods are inhaling (smoking), injecting, snorting (or
absorption through another mucous membrane), transdermal (across the skin)
absorption, and ingestion (eating or drinking). Cannabis has not only been used in every
single one of these methods, but has found great success for varying purposes in each.
While the specific effects of cannabis can very in appearance and severity from user to
user, generally it produces relaxation, pain relief, feelings of euphoria, as well as an
intensifying of sounds and colors. While most users smoke the dried flowers of the
cannabis plant, the active ingredients can be extracted and smoked as oils, or solid
versions of the oil know as glass, shatter, or wax. These extracts can also be used to
infuse alcohol, drinking or rubbing, as well as butter (since it is uniquely fat soluble),

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lotions, creams, and candies. Even mints are not exempt from the reach of the cannabis
community.
Due to the current classification of cannabis at the federal level as a schedule 1
drug there has yet to be any FDA approved studies to prove the medical merits of
cannabis. While the proof and success stories are only anecdotal at the time they are still
quite staggering and as the Marijuana movement gains momentum more and more
stories are being filmed, written, and experienced each day. Cannabis advocates claim
that it can cure seizers in epileptic children and relieve pain more effectively and in a
healthier manner than prescription pain medications. There have even been stories of
cannabis use being credited with, not only stopping cancerous tumor growth but,
shrinking and eliminating tumors. However as with all things there are also negatives
that need to be avoided if cannabis is to be used. Potential dangers include the harm that
smoking cannabis can do to an individuals lungs. Another danger lies in the actions of
people while under the influence. Cannabis can cause a reduction in reaction times
leading to possible dangers if people try to drive or perform similar acts while
intoxicated.
In response to my research, not only for this paper but through out my life, I feel
that governments have overstepped their boundaries in outlawing cannabis. However
due to its psychoactive effects I do believe it needs to be regulated in a manner similar to
cigarettes and alcohol. The amount of revenue created by the regulation and taxation of
cannabis as a resource rather than treating it as an illegal substance could be used to
bring progress to areas that the drug war has ravaged. Also by legalizing cannabis, the
sale and purchase of this plant can be brought out of dark alleys and shady

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neighborhoods and treated as a normal transaction. This can prevent the casual weed
smoker from coming in contact with drug dealers who would much rather have their
customers hooked on other more profitable and addicting substances. This alone would
help to change popular opinion on cannabis by greatly discrediting the idea that it serves
as a gateway drug. Overall it is my view that, since the initial push for outlawing
cannabis was to oppress a specific race/group of people, that at a minimum cannabis
needs to be completely decriminalized, removed from the list of Schedule 1 Controlled
Substances, and approved at the federal level for medicinal use so that it can be more
easily prescribed, better regulated, and scientifically improved.

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Works Citied
AnimatedSingAlongs. Family Guy Bag of Weed with Lyrics. Online video clip.
Youtube.com. YouTube, November 30, 2011. Web. September 01, 2016.

Burnett, Dr. Malik and Amanda Reiman, PhD, MSW. "How Did Marijuana Become
Illegal in the First Place?" Drug Policy Alliance. N.p., 09 Oct. 2014. Web. 01
Sept. 2016.
"Cannabis, Coca, & Poppy Nature's Addictive Plants." Cannabis: History. N.p., n.d.
Web. 01 Sept. 2016.
Golub, Andrew Lang. The Cultural/subcultural Contexts of Marijuana Use at the Turn of
the Twenty-first Century. New York: Haworth, 2005. Print.
Hall, W (January 2015). "What has research over the past two decades revealed about
the adverse health effects of recreational cannabis use?". Addiction (Abingdon,
England). 110 (1): 1935.