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History of Marijuana

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While marijuana may seem like a relatively new drug, it has been used since ancient times to give users a euphoric high. The first mention of marijuana comes from a Chinese emperor writing in 2727 BC. Ancient cultures in Greece and in Rome also used marijuana during that timeframe. In 1545, marijuana plants began to spread into the western hemisphere.1 While early Americans used marijuana plants to make rope and other building materials, the euphoric and medicinal properties of the drug also began to turn heads. Soon, the drug was used to treat arthritis, nausea, labor pains, and even tooth pain.

Some states were alarmed by the prevalence of marijuana use and started to ban the use of the drug. California was the first to do so in a law that passed in 1913. In the mid-1930s, the United States government began a campaign to increase awareness of the dangers of marijuana use. Marijuana was shown as a highly addictive gateway drug that leads to the use of much more dangerous narcotics. Unfortunately, few people listened to this message.

“I’m worth being loved. I learned that through my recovery. It’s okay to ask for help. If you ask for help, people will help. They help because they love you and they care. I’m not alone. Addiction is the disease of loneliness. When we isolate, we are in a bad place. Today I’m not alone anymore. I let myself be around others, and I let other people in my life.” —Julie M., Heroes in Recovery

Several subgroups such as the beatniks in the 1950s and the hippie movement of the 1960s used marijuana extensively. The drug became an embodiment of fighting the establishment. Marijuana use was a way to rebel against parents and officials in position of power. Some people began to smoke the drug in public, and even boasted about their use to their friends and authority figures. In the 1970s, the US government enacted the Controlled Substances Act, which put marijuana in the same category as much harder drugs, including heroin and LSD.2

Marijuana Today

Cannabis shop signIn certain states where marijuana is legal, people can even grow their own in their own homes. On January 1, 2014, Colorado became the first state to allow sales of recreational marijuana. As a result, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment began to analyze data on marijuana-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, payer claims, mortality, and birth defects on an annual basis to identify possible trends in acute and chronic health effects related to marijuana.3

Even though laws may change, marijuana can still cause very serious cases of addiction. More than 11 million young adults ages 18 to 25 used marijuana in the past year.4 If you’re dealing with a marijuana addiction problem, please know you’re not alone.Please contact us at Michael’s House. We have programs that will help you get back on your feet again. Please call us today to get started on your road to recovery.


Sources

1 Cannabis, Coca, & Poppy: Nature’s Addictive Plants.” DEA Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 July 2017.

2 CSA Schedules.” Drugs.com. Drugs.com, n.d. Web. 04 July 2017.

3 Ghosh, Tista, Mike Van Dyke, Ali Maffey, Elizabeth Whitley, Laura Gillim-Ross, and Larry Wolk. “The Public Health Framework of Legalized Marijuana in Colorado.” American Journal of Public Health. American Public Health Association, Jan. 2016. Web. 04 July 2017.

4Marijuana.” NIDA. N.p., Feb. 2017. Web. 04 July 2017.

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