The legalization of marijuana in the United States is a controversial issue that has been around for years. Groups have been formed to legalize the drug for medicinal purposes, and other groups have been formed to keep marijuana illegal.
Outline.
I. The Drug.
II. Usage.
A. Methods.
B. Slang.
III. Entering Your Body.
A. THC and the body.
B. Reactions in the brain.
IV. Symptoms.
A. Heavy use.
B. Light use.
V. Benefits.
VI. Government Issues.
A. History.
B. Penalties.
The legalization of marijuana in the United States is a controversial issue that has been around for years. Groups have been formed to legalize the drug for medicinal purposes, and other groups have been formed to keep marijuana illegal.
The hemp plant Cannabis sativa, commonly known as marijuana, is a very popular drug in the United States for its unique effects. These effects are caused by the carbon oxide, nitrosamines, benzopyrene, and over sixty other cannabinoid compounds. All of the chemicals are respiratory irritants and potential carcinogens, which are substances that increase the risk of abnormal growth of tissue (drugs.Indiana.edu/publications/iprc/factline/marijuana.html).
Among all these harmful chemicals, there is the main ingredient delta-nine tetrahydrocannabinol, otherwise known as THC. The more of this chemical there is, the more potent the marijuana is. The concentration of THC is located in the flowering top of the plant. The flowering tops can be processed to make a potent resin called hashish in most of the world, or charas in India. This resin has at least 8 times more THC than regular marijuana. The THC content of the normal plant can be from 0.5% to 6%. The THC content of hashish may be up to 50%. Where the plant is grown also has an effect on the potency. The best climate is hot, dry, and upland (Microsoft Encarta 2001, Marijuana).
There are two ways to take in marijuana. One way is to eat it, baking it into foods and mixing it into beverages seems to be popular.
