In a speech to the Illinois House of Representatives, on December 18, 1840, Abraham Lincoln said,.
"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded." (36123).
His opinions were the same as some Americans feel today over the prohibition of drugs. The criminalization of marijuana, and other substances, has violated the people's rights. Legalizing marijuana would vastly improve society today.
Possessing marijuana was criminalized when Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act, in 1937. (Marijuana Legalization) It has done little to prevent people from using the herb. Currently marijuana is the most commonly used illegal substance in America. In 1998, 76.5million people had browsed the Internet and 71 million had smoked marijuana. (Bonsor).
Marijuana is the dried buds and leaves of the female Cannabis sativa plant. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, the main psychoactive chemical, is one of 400 found in the plant. THC affects the brain's short-term memory and coordination, increases heart rate, and anxiety. (Bonsor).
Marijuana has been around for many millennium. The first record of Cannabis cultivation is in 28 B.C., although many believe marijuana was used before. The oldest record of Marijuana was found on a 3,000 year-old Egyptian mummy, it had traces of THC. Some believe marijuana was an herbal treatment in the Egyptian culture. The vast history of Marijuana use is unknown. (Bonsor).
Cannabis might be the most recognized plant in the world but few actually know much about its horticulture. It is believed to be a native plant of India, just north of the Himalayan Mountains. It can grow between 13 and 18 feet tall, and have one of two flowers, male and female.