Cannabis: the good, the bad and the illegal

Cannabis is the most widespread illicit substance in the United States. Arguably it's also the most controversial one. Cannabis is a psychoactive drug derived from strains of the Cannabis Sativa plant. Nowadays, cannabis is illegal in most counties and used primarily only for medical purposes. But it was not always so.

(primarily means “in the first place or priority” whereas “only” refers to one single subject. Consider making this thought clearer by choosing one word)

About a hemp’s unique properties, people have known for over 5 000 years. Earliest mentions of cannabis date back to the third millennium BC in China. Since then the cannabis used for many different purposes: textile, oil, paints, cosmetics, ropes, medicines, etc. But first thing first. Discover what cannabis is and how it influences the human body.

(please consider rebuilding: People have known about hemp’s unique features for over 5000 years. Probably, it is more reader-friendly)

What is cannabis?

Cannabis is a plant from Central Asia. Its flowers and leaves contain hundreds of different chemical compounds called cannabinoids. They are the ones to produce cannabis’s mind-altering effects. This substance consists of:

1. Cannabigerol
2. Cannabidiol
3. Cannabichromevarin
4. Cannabichromene
5. Cannabidivarin
6. Tetrahydrocannabivarin
7. Tetrahydrocannabinol

The last one is the component that mainly affects the main metamorphosis in the human body. Effortlessly it is called THC. THC and cannabidiol (CBD) are the main chemicals used for medical purposes.

How does it work?

When Tetrahydrocannabinol from cannabis leaves is ingested or inhaled, it overwhelms the body’s natural level of THC in the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. In the brain, THC causes a decrease in the number of neurotransmitters, thereby decreasing the amount of information transmitted. As a result, it necessitates such psychoactive side effects as:

1. Lack of coordination
2. Memory loss
3. Hallucinations
4. Stunting brain development
5. Increased appetite

However, if we are talking about CBD medicine, which it uses for medical purpose, then it’s available to:

1. Treating seizures
2. Relieving chronic pain
3. Preventing nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy

Medical cannabis: how does it help?

1. Besides mentioned symptoms that cannabis can reduce, there are more different serious conditions medical hemp is used for. They include:
2. Alzheimer’s disease. The active components can slow the development of the disease. Thanks to anti-inflammatories in endocannabinoids oppose brain inflammation.
3. Appetite loss and anorexia. Cannabis can regulate insulin and manage caloric intake efficiently.
4. Cancer. THC and CBD oil slow growth and/or cause death in certain types of cancer cells.
5. Epilepsy. Research proves that CBD can help control seizures for epilepsy patients.
6. Glaucoma. Cannabis can reduce the pressure applied to the eyeball.
7. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)/Attention deficit disorder (ADD). Cannabis may be a safer alternative to Adderall and Ritalin for focus promoting as well as cognitive promotions.

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It has been scientifically proven to have a positive effect on patients suffering from schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other mentalconditions. The cannabinoid chemical can reduce anxiety and inflammation, relieve pain, stimulate appetite and weight gain in patients with cancer, AIDS, and anorexia, abstinence treatment for drug addicts, and more.

Why is cannabis illegal today?

It would seem that cannabis, with all its beneficial properties, does not deserve to be ranked alongside hard drugs such as cocaine.

For a long time, thanks to its medicinal effect, hemp remained legal. But as the policy of states to opiates and cocaine was determined, the plant more often came under the close supervision of the authorities.

In 1937, forty-six American states banned marijuana as a 'violent' drug that 'spread violence among young Americans.' In 1941, cannabis preparations were removed from the US Pharmacopoeia and made illegal. All over the world, campaigns to ban the held use, cultivation, and research of the plant were raised. The main arguments of the opponents of marijuana:

• It induces heart attacks
• It decreases sperm count
• It stunts brain development.

Where is cannabis legal?

Since 1937 many things have happened, and because of the vast number of features that cannabis has, the governments of many countries already make a decision to fully or partially legalize the drug.

If you are interested in cannabis tourism, yes, there is such a thing, then you may visit such locations as:

1. Monroe, Washington. Be careful, it’s still illegal to consume hemp in public, but googled the place called Mountain Views TreeHouse Joint.
2. Barcelona, Spain. There are over 200 bars where you don’t need to hide to get a little bit ‘high’.
3. Bay Area, California. One of the world’s top cannabis destinations where visitors can go on a tour sipping cannabis-infused wines.
4. Amsterdam, Netherlands. The obvious one with hundreds of ‘Coffee shops’. Old-timey Grey Area Coffee Shop may be an exciting tourist attraction for cannabis tourists.
5. St. Louis, Missouri. Cannabis is still illegal in the region, but thanks to the ‘magical’ features of CBD (no, it's not the kind of magic you think about), St.Louis is quite known for its CBD-infused facial and SPA.
6. Coachella Valley, California. We all know of the Coachella musical festival, but the Coachella Valley region is also a cannabis-friendly spa with numbers of CBD beauty care and health resorts.
7. Westmoreland, Jamaica. There is a unique Coral Cove Cannabis Resort with 18-rooms based on the ocean beach.
8. Christchurch, New Zealand. Another location for cannabis tourism. Even though marijuana is not legalized in the region, low-level THC cannabis is acceptable. For example, hemp.*

The list of the states of America where cannabis is fully or partially legalized and completely illegal:

*Drugs use is harmful to your health

Cannabis: where used, uses, and may be used?

Eastern culture holds the most archaic written records of hemp oil. In ancient China, it was used as a pain reliever and listed in the medicine book of the Chinese emperor Shen Nong (2737 BC) as cough medicine.

A little later, cannabis began to be used as a medicine for nervous disorders.

But marijuana is unique not only for its chemical composition. For centuries cannabis products were used for the most different purposes. One of the examples, clothes, and shoe sewing. The popularity of hemp plant fibers provided its properties:

1. Resistance to transformation. Such fabric did not stretch or tear.
2. Ability to absorb moisture and not change color after washing.
3. Favorable effect on the human nervous system when touching the body.

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It is significant that for the year 1820, 80% of all textile, linen, and other fabrics were made from hemp. It also includeds ship sails and ropes that hadve been made from hemp fiber for half of human history.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn and Vincent Willem Van Gogh painted their masterpieces on hemp canvases. Before 1937, quality paints were also made based on hemp oil.

Until the early 19th century, even taxes could be paid with hemp.

Significantly, the active CBD cannabis compound took a new breath today and became more and more popular as a beauty product ingredient. But this is not at all surprising:

Marijuana is legal in most US states now, so it’s not a problem to produce CBD oil.

Hemp is an excellent alternative to beeswax, fish oil, and other animal components.

Developers added only cannabidiol to cosmetics sold all over the world, which does not have intoxicating properties and is not prohibited by law to use.

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Today, such beauty products as moisturizing oils, creams, even mascaras, and perfumes are made from hemp.

There are many opinions and disputes on cannabis legalization. But one cannot deny its positive effect on human physiological health.