Many marijuana activists are quick to draw a parallel between the alcohol prohibition in the twenties and the present federal ban on marijuana. The main reasons for repealing the prohibition law was the huge unpopularity of the ban and the poor economic situation the country faced in the thirties. The proponents of marijuana legalisation argue that such are conditions today in the case of the marijuana ban. The popular opinion in favour of legalisation Every poll conducted in the recent years has shown that the majority of the Americans are in favour of the legalization of cannabis for medical as well as recreational use. All the state referendums conducted on this question has resulted in a situation where marijuana is now legal in at least 18 states for medical use and 2 states for recreational use. In a few years, the popularity of marijuana use will be so high that

Many researches are being conducted to ascertain the actual medical benefits of marijuana. The effects of marijuana have always been disputed over the years. Even now, there is no consensus about the smoking weed effects on human body. Doctors do find that the psychoactive elements in the drug make it a very powerful painkiller. More on Marijuana smoking and cancer risk A report published recently based on the research done on 83000 men for 11 years, claims that marijuana smoking can overtime reduce the risk of bladder cancer. The 83000 include men who smoke cigarettes, men who smoke marijuana and those who smoke both. The researchers who went through the data made the following conclusions: the marijuana smokers showed a reduced risk of 45% for bladder cancer while the tobacco smokers showed an increase risk of 52%. The heavy users of marijuana – those who smoked 500 times or more

It is unfortunate that the federal government refuses to accept the medical benefits of cannabis. The different cannabinoids present in the cannabis including the Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has medicinal properties that can be used for treating cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, etc. Legalizing at least the medical use of cannabis will be a great help to many of the patients who are suffering from such life-threatening diseases throughout the country. The medical benefits of cannabis The legalization of medical marijuana in as many as 18 states means that it may be possible for some of the patients to move to these states to get the treatment that they need. However, the existing federal laws give the power and authority to the federal officials to crack down on any one producing, processing, distributing and using marijuana. Cannabis is a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act. This means that the possession and

Colorado is the first state to have taken the bold decision of legalizing the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. This step is expected to go hand in hand with the medical marijuana legalization in the state. The voters of the state have been reported to be enthusiastic about the new changes in the marijuana laws by state. “I’m glad to live in a progressive state,” said Boone Olearain, who is twenty two years old. According to Boone, this act of legalization of marijuana is bound to lead the state of Colorado in a better direction. “It’s really readily available and you could be doing worse things”, said Boone. Once the bill of recreational marijuana legalization becomes law, the drug will essentially be treated like alcohol and would be legally purchasable by anyone above the age of 21. The state house has been busy formulating regulatory legal limits for drivers

Ever wondered what marijuana really is? It is actually a mix of stems, shredded leaves and buds of the plant which goes by the name, Cannabis sativa plant. In a survey held in 2010, 17.4 million US residents responded that they has used marijuana in the previous month. It has been stated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse that marijuana is the illegal drug which is used most frequently by the people. How Is Marijuana Used? Though people usually smoke marijuana, it can also be mixed with your food, eaten alone or brewed in the form of tea. Generally speaking, the effects of smoking marijuana are faster compared to when you ingest marijuana. Smoking marijuana can cause numerous psychological effects. These effects take just around 30-to 60 minutes to experience because the psychoactive chemical THC gets absorbed into the blood. This passes through the lungs and gets circulated to

Marijuana is one plant that many people feel is forbidden and have the opinion that it should be banished from the surface of the earth. Governments in every nook and corner of the world want to make the use of marijuana illegal. To date, no one has ever lost their lives because of an overdose of marijuana. Still, possessing this drug is considered illegal. This is despite the fact that marijuana is known to provide relief from the following conditions. It reduces blood pressure. It suppresses cancer. It helps in treating glaucoma. It is an effective painkiller It inhibits HIV. It is an antioxidant. It possesses neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. Did You Know? There exists no direct correlation between marijuana and psychosocial problems. Cannabis possesses powerful healing properties. Many studies have been undertaken to establish that cannabis users experience psychosocial problems. No conclusive proof for the same was obtained. This

A massive gathering was held in Washington Square Park by those in favor of legalizing marijuana. They referred to this move as a “massive action of civil disobedience. “ This rally is held on an annual basis. The event reached its peak at 4:20 pm. By the time, those who attended the event smoked marijuana in the park. These people who are staunch supporters of the legalization of cannabis commented on the facebook post of their event that “Marijuana is a natural plant that grows in the ground. There is no reason why it should be illegal. All it does is make people hungry and lazy. Is that really so bad?” Some of the participants and police officers who showed up in the park were photographed for the Village Voice. However, it is not sure whether any arrests are made or not. Current Scenario Legalization of marijuana for medical as

The state of Colorado has permitted the use of recreational marijuana under the States’ power to determine a criminal activity. The Colorado legislature has passed a bill to regulate taxes on the commercial sales of marijuana earlier this month. The bill, forwarded to the Governor, is supposed to be the first of its kind in the United States, to control cannabis purchase for recreational use. The bill aims to impose a 15 percent excise tax plus a 10 percent statewide sales tax on retail cannabis purchases. The legalization of cannabis in the state was enacted around November last year. Colorado is one of the two states (the other state is Washington), to allow recreational marijuana use for adults, where more than a dozen other states in the US have permitted medical marijuana use only. Christian Sederberg, a marijuana activist says, “The passage of these bills marks a major milestone toward

In the club of arguments, Ohio legislation is going to discuss the matter of legalization of pot in the state. Medical marijuana is allowed in more than 18 states in the United States, where the states of Colorado and Washington have moved a step forward to allow recreational marijuana use for adults. State Rep. Robert F. Hagan, who supported marijuana legalization for a long time, has introduced a bilateral bill in the House to allow medical marijuana in Ohio. The House Bill 153 proposes to allow medical pot to the public based on proper diagnosis and medical prescriptions. Hagan’s bill also offers to allow adults to legally purchase, cultivate, and use cannabis for recreational use. Following the lead of a recent bill passed in Colorado, Hagan’s amendment includes creating state-licensed dispensaries and imposing tax on pot sales at 15 percent. However, Ronal V. Gerberry, one of Hagan’s democratic colleagues said

Reports say that more than 50 percent of the youngsters in Canada smoke marijuana. Dr. David Juurlink, a lead toxicologist and drug safety researcher in the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, answered some of the FAQ’s related to cannabis in this regard. Speaking on the acute effects of smoking marijuana, Dr. Juurlink said, “Unlike many other recreational drugs, marijuana is not accepted as a depressant, hallucinogen, or stimulant.” The effect of cannabis solely depends upon the type of plant consumed and the amount smoked. “While alcohol is a depressant, cocaine is a stimulant, and mushrooms are hallucinogens, marijuana can exhibit all the three features together, but up to an extent. The most common cannabis effects are stimulation of appetite, an altered perception of time, and motor in-coordination,” he further added. Dr. Juurlink said that there is no proper data to determine the carcinogenic effects of marijuana use. “Some evidence suggests that