History of Marijuana Flashcards

History of Marijuana

• Earliest reference: 2737 BC in China for medicinal purposes.
• First grown in America in Virginia.
• Smoking became a social phenomenon in the 1920s due to Prohibition; tea clubs emerged.
• Mexican Revolution of 1910 led to negative campaigns and criminalization due to association with cheaper Mexican labor.
• Nationwide movement of renewed use in 60s and 70s; April 20th (4/20) became a celebration day.
• 1936-1938: Hearst's newspaper fueled propaganda against marijuana, promoting racist attitudes.
• Marijuana Tax Act of 1937: Imposed tax on cannabis sale; violation could result in a 2000 fine and five years' imprisonment.
• Nixon’s “War” on Drugs in 1970: Criminalizing marijuana to disrupt communities.
• Legalization depends on culture and social conventions.
• In 2021, nationwide revenue from legal marijuana was 9.7 billion (3.7B in taxes).
• 12% of Americans supported legalization in 1969; 68% support it today.

Cannabis Plant and Products

• Stem: Used for hemp, rope, cloth, paper.
• Leaves/Flowers: Psychoactive and medicinal effects.
• Seeds: Animal feed and oil.
• Cannabis Sativa: Has psychoactive properties and is a lanky plant reaching 15-20 feet.
• Cannabis Indica: Has psychoactive properties and grows a few feet high as a thicker, bushier plant.

Hashish and Hash Oil

• Hashish: Resin separated from plant material with 8-20% THC.
• Hash Oil: Plant boiled in alcohol, solids filtered, THC: 20-70%$$.

Headache Pot vs. Hospital Pot

• Low-grade ("Headache Pot"): Made from all leaves, contain very little THC.
• Medium-grade: Dried flowering tops of female plants fertilized by male, fertilization limits psychoactive properties, 7-8% THC
• High-grade ("Hospital Pot"): Flowering tops of female plants (non-fertilized), resin continues to be produced, can get as high as 20%.

Marijuana and Neuroscience

• Endocannabinoids: Neurotransmitters that indirectly affect dopamine signals.
• THC resembles endocannabinoids.
• Restricts GABAs inhibiting influence; endocannabinoids take the “break” off dopamine release.

Effects on the Brain

• Hippocampal cells not activated normally; influences new memory formation.
• Decreased attention and concentration.
• Virtually impossible to take a fatal overdose of marijuana (no receptors in the brain stem).

Subjective Effects of the High

• "Intellectually interesting" and emotionally pleasing.
• Auditory subtleties and visual images may seem more intense.
• Emotional well-being may give way to fear/paranoia.
• Distorted sense of time.

Other Body Parts

• Affects the Immune System, Heart, Lungs, and Reproductive System.

Marijuana Use by Teenagers

• Sustained use is detrimental to teens, posing risks to brain development.
• Correlational with increased risk of mental illness.
• Disrupts learning, resulting in lower IQ.

Tolerance, Dependence, and Withdrawal

• Frequent users report less of a high.
• Mild withdrawal effects associated with marijuana.

Medical Marijuana Uses

• Nausea: To combat nausea caused by chemo treatment for cancer
• Glaucoma: Significantly reduces pressure of fluid within the eye.
• Seizure Disorders: Effective anti-convulsant
  • Spasticity: Treats impaired muscle control, seizures, chronic pain, and migraine headaches

Usage while Pregnant and Breastfeeding

• Difficult to conduct research; Jamaica Study.