CP

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.