The Crime of Marijuana Criminalization

Essay by pengun07College, UndergraduateA-, November 2008

download word file, 9 pages 3.0

Cannabis, more widely known to as marijuana, refers to the budded flowers and leaves of the female cannabis sativa plant. These flowers contain psychoactive components called cannabinoids, which are also naturally produced in our bodies. When smoked or eaten properly cannabis releases cannabinoids into the bloodstream to be binded with cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body. There are thousands of different cannabinoids in cannabis but the most common of these cannabinoids is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. People have been using cannabis since the Neolithic age for a variety of purposes. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over twenty percent of Americans use marijuana, making it the most widely used illicit drug in the world (Drug Facts). Only recently governments have passed legislation banning the possession, use, growth, and distribution of marijuana The cultivation and use of marijuana has a rich and ancient history that in no way justified its ban.

The criminalization of marijuana is an injustice to our society and has negative impacts on our economy. The initial ban of marijuana had little to no justification and the move to keep marijuana illegal is found to be costly. In contrast to its setting in the current judicial system, it is clearly evident why the laws prohibiting marijuana use need to be reexamined and changedThe use of marijuana has a long ancient history. Cannabis sativa is known to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia where hemp was used for clothing as the first woven fabric between 7,000 and 8,000 B.C. (Guither). Throughout history, marijuana or hemp has been used to manufacture fine linen, canvas, and rope. The use of hemp as a strong fiber has been an important resource in many ancient civilizations, as well as more modern societies. There are even several references to marijuana in...