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Medicinal Marijuana

Commonly known as marijuana, cannabis is the worlds most used illicit drug. [ACDE] Dating as far back as 2500 B.C., Marijuana has not only been used for its feeling of euphoria, but also for medicinal purposes. The plant was first documented being used in the ancient Chinese cultures as an effective pain killer when ingested. [Rawson] Texts from Pakistan confirm that marijuana was used to treat illnesses such as gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia, headaches, and pain relief; especially in childbirth. In the 1800's, Marijuana was used throughout the world as a general pain reliever before the invention of Aspirin. Then, in 1937, the United States passed the Marijuana Tax Act to ban marijuana, becoming the third country to do so. Its only protestor was the American Medical Association; how ironic. [Rawson]
Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the mind altering and relaxing ingredient found in marijuana. On average, the THC content of marijuana is 4% but may vary slightly on the conditions of the plants growth surroundings. Sinsemilla is a form of marijuana made from just the buds and flowering tops of the female plants and averages 7.5% in THC. [ACDE]
In the 1970's, a synthetic version of THC was designed in pill form known as Marinol. [ACDE] It has been used to treat Glaucoma, people undergoing chemotherapy and in some cases, for AIDS patients. Marinol has worked not only as a pain reliever but also to control nausea and increased appetite. Marinol is easy to regulate dosages and does not get the patient a high feeling, which may or may not affect the patient's routine day. [Grinstead] Marijuana is known as a gateway drug and may lead to an addiction or a dependency.
Marijuana is mostly smoked which may lead to heart and lung disease, throat cancer and a decreased memory capacity. [ACDE] While driving under the influence of marijuana, the user is ten times more likely to get into an accident due to perception distortion. [Rawson] Smoking marijuana may...