Study Notes on Marijuana from Drug Use and Misuse, 9th Edition

Earliest Evidence of Use: 10,000 years ago in the Stone Age with pots made from cannabis plant fibers.
Pharmacological Properties: Earliest references to cannabis use date back to c. 2700 B.C. with Chinese emperor and pharmacist Shen Nung discussing medicinal cannabis usage. Cannabis use spread from China to surrounding Asian nations, where it held religious significance in India.
Middle Eastern and North African Use: Hashish identified by the 10th century in the Middle East and by the 11th century in North Africa.
Western Exposure: The Western world first encountered cannabis in the 19th century through medical and popular publications.

1545: Spaniards introduced cannabis to Chile.
1611: Settlers in Jamestown, Virginia cultivated cannabis plants primarily for fiber. Cannabis became a staple crop in America, promoted by notable figures like George Washington.
1629: Cannabis was harvested in New England and remained an important crop in the U.S. until after the Civil War.
Medical Use: Followed by U.S. physicians in the 1800s who recognized cannabis as a versatile medication, listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia by the 1850s until 1942.
Recreational Usage: Generally limited during this period.

Wider Recreational Use: Emerged in the 1920s, coinciding with alcohol prohibition. Early tea-pads opened in New York for social marijuana smoking with minimal public concern; only one law against marijuana existed (1926 in Louisiana).
Anti-Marijuana Laws: By 1932, Federal Bureau of Narcotics Director Anslinger began advocating for anti-marijuana policies, leading to an increase in laws from 16 states in 1930 to nearly all states by 1937. Penalties escalated, including life imprisonment and death sentences by the 1960s.
Decriminalization Movement: Since the 1970s, gradual movement towards decriminalizing both personal and medicinal marijuana use, with 14 states and D.C. legalizing its use by 2020. In contrast, six states remained where marijuana use and possession were illegal.

Comprehensive Reports: Included several investigations over the past century:
  - 1894: Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report.
  - 1944: LaGuardia Committee Report, which concluded marijuana was not particularly harmful, emphasizing a lack of aggression or violence associated with its use, although it could lead to "mental confusion and excitement of a delirious nature".
  - Reports from 1968 to 2017 highlighted various health impacts, including recommendations for medical use of marijuana to treat certain conditions.

Notable Reports:
- 1972: National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse report emphasized misunderstandings around marijuana.
- 2017: National Academies of Sciences report found significant evidence for cannabis' medicinal properties, including pain relief, nausea control, and effects on appetite.

Marijuana Use Worldwide: Recognized as the most widely used illicit drug in the Western world, and the third most commonly used recreational drug after alcohol and tobacco.
WHO Claims: Cannabis is the most cultivated, trafficked, and misused illicit substance globally.
Statistics: UN Office on Drugs and Crime reported approximately 128.5 to 232.1 million people aged 15-64 used cannabis in the previous year, with usage rates highest in Oceania.

Changes Over Time: Use declined between 1979-1992 and 2001-2006 but increased again from 1992-2001 and 2006-2019.
Demographics: NSDUH indicates higher usage rates among males compared to females and an upward trend across most racial and ethnic groups following legalization.

Consumption Methods: Historically ingested in liquid or food forms, nowadays predominantly smoked in joint, bong, or blunt forms. Vaping and dabbing are increasingly popular methods.

Chemical Compounds: Over 400 compounds in the cannabis plant, with 60+ being unique cannabinoids. 1964 isolation of main psychoactive component delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), responsible for the majority of marijuana's pharmacological effects.
Cannabinoids Role: Other compounds like cannabidiol and cannabinol can influence THC's effects and possess biological activity.
Potency Changes: Current U.S. marijuana has a THC content averaging 10-12%, significantly elevated from 2% in 1980, with hash oil being substantially more potent.