Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used for medical or recreational purposes. The main psychoactive part of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of 483 known compounds in the plant, including at least 65 other cannabinoids. Cannabis can be used by smoking, vaporizing, within food, or as an extract.
Cannabis has mental and physical effects such as creating a “high” or “stoned” feeling, a general change in perception, heightened mood, and an increase in appetite. Short-term side effects may include a decrease in short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills, red eyes, and feelings of paranoia or anxiety. Long-term side effects may include addiction to cannabis if one uses it frequently enough; however tolerance typically develops within days to weeks of continuous use leading some people who use cannabis on a daily basis not to experience any withdrawal symptoms when they stop using it suddenly. Other long-term side effects include bronchitis and lung damage if smoked; cancer if consumed orally; immunosuppression and increased risk of infections if consumed by pregnant women; psychosis and schizophrenia with prolonged use; and damage to reproductive system causing lowered sperm count and testicular atrophy if used during adolescence when the brain is still developing. Some studies have shown that regular users of cannabis have increased rates of testicular cancer.
Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. In ancient China it was used as a treatment for various disorders including gouty arthritis pain relief,, malaria,, constipation,, rheumatism,, lack of concentration,,and absentmindedness,. The first recorded use of cannabis as medicine was in 2737 BC by Chinese Emperor Shen Neng who prescribed it for malaria,. India has also utilized cannabis for medicinal purposes since ancient times where it was mentioned in the Atharvaveda around 1500–1000 BCE., In medieval Islamic societies its medical usage became widespread after receiving endorsements from prominent physicians such as Avicenna,. It was introduced into Western medicine in 1839 by William O’Shaughnessy who had observed its clinical effects while working as a doctor in Bengal., Its therapeutic properties were subsequently described throughout Europe and North America over the next few decades by many other doctors including Richard Reynolds,. By 1851 more than 100 papers on the medical applications of cannabis had been published making it “one step away from being commonly accepted” according to historian Michael Horrigan., However its acceptance dwindled following political opposition led by religious groups until finally becoming illegal under United States federal law with passage of the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937.. Despite this setback progress towards legalization began again slowly but surely beginning with individual states decriminalizing possession starting with Ohio in 1972 followed closely behind by Alaska Colorado Oregon Maine Montana Nevada Wyoming New Mexico North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Illinois Indiana Michigan Minnesota Wisconsin Iowa Missouri Arkansas Louisiana Texas Oklahoma Kansas Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Florida Georgia Mississippi South Carolina Virginia West Virginia Maryland Delaware Pennsylvania New York Connecticut Rhode Island Massachusetts Vermont New Hampshire Maine
The legal landscape changed rapidly beginning In 1996 when California voters approved Proposition 215 aka The Compassionate Use Act which legalized possession and cultivation “for personal medical purposes upon recommendation or approval by a licensed physician”., This victory jumpstarted a domino effect culminating two decades later with 33 states plus Washington D C having passed similar laws legalizing either possession only or both possession cultivation! And 11 more states having passed laws allowing limited access to low THC high CBD products primarily intended for medicinal use but sometimes also recreational.. While these state laws provide some protections they are quite different from each other often conflict with each other AND most importantly do NOT supersede US federal law which classifies Cannabis as a Schedule I drug alongside heroin LSD MDMA mescaline peyote psilocybin reefer(marijuana) making it illegal under US federal law regardless what state laws say about it!