Barbă Andreea

Mihăilă Ștefania
Engleză-Română1
Marijuana in the U.S.A
For centuries, human have been using substances to alter the their state of mind to
caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol to more extreme dugs.
Marijuana—also called weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and a vast
number of other slang terms—is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis
sativa. Some people smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints; in pipes, water
pipes (sometimes called bongs), or in blunts (marijuana rolled in cigar wraps). Marijuana can
also be used to brew tea and, particularly when it is sold or consumed for medicinal purposes,
is frequently mixed into foods (edibles) such as brownies, cookies, or candies. (Mihăilă
Ștefania)
History of marijuana in the U.S.A
The United State’s relationship with marijuana dates back to the Colonial Era.
American production of hemp(the cannabis plant) was encouraged by the government in the
17th century for the produci=tion of rope, sails and clothing. Domestic production of hemp
flourished until after the Civil War, when imports replaced hemp. In the late 19th century,
marijuana became a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in
pharmacies.
In 1937, Congress passed the Marijuana Text Act, effectively criminalizing
marijuana. Meanwhile the New York Academy of Medicine issued an extensive report
declaring marijuana didn’t induce violence, or insanity, or lead to addiction or other drugs
use. During War World II, the U.S. Departament of Agriculture turned to hemp to produce
marine cordage, parachutes and other military gear. It launched a ,,Hemp for Victory”
program and registred 375,000 acres of hemp in the United States.
In the 1950s federal laws which set mandatory sentences for drug-related offenses
were enacted. Yet in the 1960s a cultural climate shift lead to more lenient attitudes towards
marijuana. Again, reports commissioned by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson found that
marijuana use did not induce volence or lead to us of heavier drugs.
By 1970, Congress repealed most of the mandatory penalties for drugs-related
offenses. In 1972, the bipartisan Shafer Conission, appointed by President Nixon at the
direction of Congress, considered laws regarding marijuana and determined that personal use
of marijuana should be decriminalized. Nixon rejected the recommendation, but over the
course of the 1970s, eleven states decriminalized marijuana and most others reduced their
penalties.
However,in 197 a parent’s movement against marijuana began and was instrumental
in affecting public attitudes which lead to thw 1980s War on Drugs. Mandatory sentences
were re-enacted by President Reagan. The ,,three strikes you’re out” policy, required life
sentences for repeat drug offenders. The War on Drugs continued under President George
Bush in 1989.
Yet a major shift in public perception of marijuana was underway. In 1996 California
passed Proposition 215 allowing for the sale and medical use of marijuana for patients with
AIDS, cancer and other serious painful diseases. Thus the tension between federal law
Barbă Andreea
Mihăilă Ștefania
Engleză-Română1
k,criminalizing marijana and state laws permitting marijuanain certain circumstances began
which continues today. (Barbă Andreea)
Law:
Despite medical cannabis laws in 46 states, cannabis is still illegal under federal law.
The federal government regulates drugs through the Controlled Substances Act which does
recognize the difference between medical and recreational use of cannabis. These laws are
generally applied only against persons who possess, cultivate, or distribute large quantities of
cannabis.
Under federal law, cannabis is treated like every controlled substance, such as cocaine
and heroin. The federal government places every controlled substance in a schedule in
principle according to its relative potential for abuse and medicinal value. Under the CSA,
cannabis is classified as a Schedule 1 drug, which means that the federal government views
cannabis as highly addictive and having no medical value. Doctors may not prescribe
cannabis for medical use under federal law, though they can recommend its use under the
First Amendment. (Mihăilă Ștefania)
First of all , Marijuana has a lot of medical implication that reduce some disease like
cancer, seizures, crohn’s disease, anxiety and depression and PTSD. For cancer further
research regarding this topic is still needed, several studies have shown that cannabis can be
effective treatment for cancer. Not only does it stop the side effects of chemotherapy like loss
of appetite, nausea and vomiting, but it also can slow down the growth of cancer cells in the
lungs, brain and breast. What’s more, one of the studies showed that cannabis is even able to
stop cancer by turning off the Id-1 gene. For seizures, people were trying for years to figure
out whether cannabis actually helps with epileptic seizures or not. Its usefulness was proven
in 2017 when children with epilepsy who were given CBD experienced a reduction in a
number of seizures of at least 50%. What’s more, 5% of them became utterly seizure-free.
Also, a study performed in Israel shown that cannabis can be used as an effective treatment of
Crohn’s disease, which is an inflammatory bowel disorder. The study consisted of 11
patients. Ten of them experienced a reduction of symptoms, while 1 of them have been cured
completely. You might think this is just one study. However, other studies dealing with this
subject have confirmed the results. For PTSD cannabis has been proven to be affective when
it comes to treating symptoms of it, especially the nightmares and improving the quality of
sleep of those who suffer from it. While further research is still needed, it is already being
used by many military veterans experiencing PTSD. Cannabis increases the production of
anandamine, which is a body’s natural antidepressant. As it turns out, its elevated level
results in a better mood and reduce anxiety. Smoking or taking cannabis also increases the
sense of calm.
Also, cannabis has some social effects, Smoking cannabis can help you create a new
network of friends and widen your social circle. You enter a welcoming community, engage
in similar activities, and gain knowledge on safe and responsible use. What’s more, positive
effects encourage further use in the future. (Barbă Andreea)
Second of all, cannabis has some negative effects like: brain Side-Effects, affects
Lungs and social effects. The active ingredient in marijuana, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol
or THC, acts on cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and influences the activity of those
Barbă Andreea
Mihăilă Ștefania
Engleză-Română1
cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors, but other areas of the brain have
few or none at all. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that
influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory and time perception, and
coordinated movement. When high doses of marijuana are used, users can experience the
following psychotic symptoms: delusions, disorientation/disorganization. Smoking
marijuana, even infrequently, can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, and
cause heavy coughing. According to a review published in 2019, scientists have found that
regular marijuana smokers can experience many of the same respiratory problems as tobacco
smokers do, including: daily cough and phlegm production, increased risk of lung infections,
Most marijuana smokers consume a lot less cannabis than cigarette smokers consume
tobacco, however, the harmful effects of smoking marijuana should not be ignored.
Marijuana contains a similar amount of carcinogenic hydrocarbons as tobacco smoke and
because marijuana smokers typically inhale deeper and hold the smoke in their lungs longer
than tobacco smokers, their lungs are exposed to those carcinogenic properties longer, when
smoking. When cannabis consumption gets out of hand, there are some negative social
effects. It’s quite easy to see why some people would like to consume cannabis
recreationally. Not only can it positively influence your body, but it can also strengthen your
bonds with other members of your community. Nevertheless, this doesn’t apply to excessive
use of cannabis. Reason an moderation are your best bet. (Mihăilă Ștefania)
Political and public perception on legalizing marijuana in the U.S.A
Joe Biden say in his website that he believes ``no one should be in jail because of
cannabis use.”
Going further USA democratic senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Bernie
Sanders and Michel Bennet who all co-sponsored a senate proposal called The Marijuana
Justice Act that would make marijuana legal.
Pete Buddha judge has called for eliminating incarceration of drug possession in his
healing and belonging in America plan.
Andrew Yang says it would improve safety, social equity and generate tens of billions
in new revenue. (Barbă Andreea)
So where does the public stand?
Well, a recent PEW Research centre survey 62% of American’s say the use of
marijuana should be legalized. According to PEW research the percent of US adults who
support marijuana legalization has doubled over the past two decades. In 2000 was only 31%.
There are also generational and partisan splits when it comes to this topic.
74% of millennials, 63% of Gen-X and 54% of Baby-Boomers support legalization.
Older Americans are the only age group that is still supportive of prohibition.
Along party lines a 69% of democrats says marijuana should be legal as republicans
are more divided: 45% support legalization. (Mihăilă Ștefania)
In conclusion, JUST REMEMBER, YOU PASS IT ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE!