Marijuana is a substance that comes from cut and dried leaves from a plant called "cannabis sativa". Marijuana is also commonly referred to by most people as "grass", "pot", "Mary Jane", "herb", "weed", as well as many other nicknames. There are two main ingredients in marijuana: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) (Cox). THC is the ingredient that is most responsible for the psychological effects of marijuana. THC causes these effects as it stimulates cells in the brain; these brain cells then send signals to the brain to release dopamine, creating euphoria (Cox). Dopamine plays a role in the way the brain controls the body's movements, and when there is an excess of euphoria, a state of happiness or excitement, giving people the "high" effect (Cox). The other ingredient, CBD, is also a very highly debated ingredient in marijuana. CBD is the non-psychoactive drug in marijuana, making it not very popular for recreational use but is often significant in medicine as it causes minimal side effects. People in the medical prefer CBD to some modern medicines as studies have shown that CBD has a wide range of medical benefits such as: anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant, anti-oxidant, and many more (5 Must-Know). Furthermore, marijuana should be considered a viable medicine as it caters to many ailments and is safer than most prescription drugs.
The history of marijuana goes back as far as 2900 BC, where its medical use is varied yet still well documented. Documents have shown that early Chinese and Indian cultures knew the benefits of marijuana many years before any other major civilizations. Historians have also cited that many early civilizations use marijuana as a medicine to treat many of the conditions that it is used for in recent years including: arthritis, pain, nausea, and migraines. Iconic figures in American history have also been noted to have used marijuana for many reasons.