Marijuana comes from the hemp plant Cannibus Sativa. It is mosty smoked by means of a cigarette, pipe or a bong. In some instances, it is boiled and drank like tea. Conflicting reports suggest that marijuana is use by the American Indians, but only for ”ceremonial” uses. Reports have shown that if used in small amounts, marijuana can heighten senses and awareness. Same reports have shown that prolonged usage can affect the memory later on in life. Compared to cigarette smoking, marijuana has up to 5 times the amount of tar and carbon monoxide output. For medical uses, delta-9-THC, which is the main part of marijuana, has been synthesized for a drug named Marinol to used by patients who have ahd chemotherapy. The delta-9-THC have also been linked to help those with glaucoma. On a side note, if delta-9-THC is mixed with an appetite suppresent, I wonder if this would be the ultimate weightloss pill.

The real reason marijuana is getting so much publicity is that lawmakers have looked towards marijuana to collect taxes. In California, marijuana yields about $14 billion a year. A 10% tax would give the California government $1.4 billion. I imagine the numbers comes from drug busts with the “estimated” street value. If marijuana was legal, it would save the US around $70 billion on policing and courts and would reduce those that are serving for nonviolent drug crimes by about a 1/3 and around the $30 billion to jail them.

Even if marijuana is made legal with restriction, it will be the same as alcohol and cigarettes. It will still be produced “underground”. Underage people will still get some. There will be unlicensed “street vendors”. It will still be smoked at school in a hidden area. Our court system will be filled with underage users, unlicensed dealers, etc.

Seems the lawmakers are letting greed get in the way for a healthy America. They must have forgot what the real effects that marijuana has on the unborn child to a mother who is smoking marijuana. Babies are usually born smaller, low immune systems and if the woman breast feeds, then the baby will develop slower motor functions.