Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit… unnatural?
Bill Hicks
The earliest use of Marijuana or Cannabis Sativa can be dated over 6000 years ago as early civilizations cultivated it for; food, fiber, oil, and paper. A Chinese medical journal dating nearly 2700 BC encouraged its use in the treatment of constipation, malaria, rheumatic pain, and female disorders. It spread across continents before reaching Europe at around 500 BC. In 2015 United Nations’ (World Drug Report) estimated that 3% of the world’s population had consumed it, i.e. 128-232 million (between the ages of 15-65 years). In a 2015 Gallup poll, 43% of Americans have tried marijuana in their lifetime and a 2016 poll conducted by CBS revealed that 60% of Americans supported the legalization of Marijuana. More than 20 countries have decriminalized or limited it to personal or medicinal purposes, with North Korea having one of the laxest laws on the consumption & sale of Marijuana, and more countries joining the fray in introducing legislation that will allow limited or controlled use.
What is Marijuana?
Marijuana is from the Cannabis plant which grows 8-12 feet high and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is its main ingredient affects cannabinoids receptors found in the brain resulting in the High effect one feels after partaking it, as affirmed by Bob Marley “When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself”. It has 2 different species; indica and sativa where pure or hybrid strains can be derived with OG Kush as the most potent. Its effect begins a few minutes after smoking it, and last several hours later, while if consumed as a food or liquid the effects take longer to be felt. It affects the user physically & mentally which include; increased heart rate, dry mouth, bloodshot eyes, increased appetite(munchies), lowered inhibition, drowsiness, silliness, and in some cases anxiety or paranoia. There are four ways of consuming it, i.e. through smoking, vaporizing (heating it to 165-190 degrees Celsius causing the main ingredient to evaporate), cannabis tea, and edibles (added as the main ingredient to a variety of food).
In India & Nepal, Cannabis has been used as an entheogenic context (a chemical substance used in a religious context) since 1500 BCE; while in Greek mythology, there are references to a powerful drug that eliminated anguish and sorrow. Rastafarians use it as a sacrament and in meditation and have become the symbol of its consumption worldwide.
Cannabis has various street names varying by region or demographic with pot, herb, Mary Jane, grass, reefer, dope, weed, Ganja, bud, chronic, and skunk as the most commonly used. 4:20 (April 20th) has been designated as the unofficial holiday celebrating its use and also the time to smoke it.
Cultural Phenomena
It has become a cultural phenomenon as the wave spreads worldwide with celebrities, politicians, activists, writers, actors, and musicians embracing its consumption. From Snoop Dogg, Oliver Stone, Hugh Hefner, Robert Downey Jr, Sarah Palin, Maya Angelou, and Martha Stewart all have professed using it, influencing millions globally. Also, historical icons like Joan of Arc, Alexander Dumas, William Shakespeare, Christopher Columbus, and George Washington were known Cannabis users, with Elizabeth 1, Queen of England decreeing landowners to grow it and fining those who didn’t allocate land (above 60 acres) for its cultivation and kept her own stock for palace parties.
There has never been a documented case of Cannabis overdose, for an overdose you need to smoke approximately 800 joints (which is practically impossible) in one sitting, and it's carbon monoxide poisoning that will eventually kill you. According to Scientific Reports journal, researchers found that Cannabis is 114 times safer than alcohol, with a 2014 survey conducted showing seven out of ten Americans see it harmful than marijuana e.g. in 2012 there were 3.3 million alcohol related deaths according to World Health Organization against zero deaths on cannabis consumption. No wonder Bob Marley said, “Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction.”
Economic Sense
In mid-2017, sales reached as high as 750 million USD in Colorado, U.S.A earning it 115 million USD in tax revenue & licensing fees and in 2010, 3.6 billion USD was spent on cannabis law enforcement (prohibition costs). The cannabis market grew by 74% in 2014 making it the fastest growing industry in the U.S, and the health industry cashed 1.2 billion USD the same year with analysts estimating the U.S state & federal Governments save 17.5 billion USD each year by legalizing marijuana. Imagine hypothetically if Kenya legalized & controlled the consumption & sale of cannabis by putting proper structures in licensing & tax revenues, the amount of money it could realize in funding its perennial budget deficits.
Health Purposes
Besides being an effective relief for chronic pain, it alleviates cramps, headaches, and breast tenderness in women. Studies have confirmed that cannabis kills cancer cells from halting metastasis to triggering cell suicide, with others suggesting THC (active ingredient in cannabis) in preventing H.I.V from progressing into A.I.D.S. It’s a good stress reliever, decreases anxiety, and triggers relaxation, with studies proving adults who partake in marijuana have smaller waist size, better regulated insulin levels, and good cholesterol levels than none partakers.
It’s not addictive as people think; actually, you’re more likely to get addicted to coffee than marijuana, Matthew Lazenka, a researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System argued caffeine is the same as THC in classification for drug abuse, and the common misconception that decriminalizing marijuana will increase crime level in society is unfounded as evidenced in Colorado, U.S.A where crime & murder fell by 15% & 50 % respectively since it was legalized.
Just as a DEA Administrative Law judge demystified it in 1988 by stating, “In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis, marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care.”