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<!---Note: this is a intended to be a summary article on Cannabis, if you believe more detail is necessary, it is likely more appropriate to the various subarticles this article links to.  Thanks.---->'''Cannabis''', known as '''marijuana'''<ref>Random House Unabridged dictionary: marijuana, n. 1. hemp. 2. the dried leaves and female flowers of the hemp plant, used in cigarette form as a narcotic or hallucinogen. Also, marihuana. [1890-95, American < MexSp marihuana, mariguana]</ref> or '''ganja'''<ref>The [[Oxford English Dictionary]]: Any of various preparations of different parts of the hemp-plant which are smoked, chewed, sniffed or drunk for their intoxicating or hallucinogenic properties and were formerly used medicinally; bhang (marijuana), ganja, and charas (hashish) are different forms of these preparations." It is also notes that "cannabis" was elliptical reference (i.e. slang) for Cannabis sativa.</ref> in its herbal form and '''[[hashish]]''' in its [[resin]]ous form,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idmu.co.uk/can.htm|title=Types of Cannabis Available in the UK|author=Matthew J. Atha - Independent Drug Monitoring Unit |accessdate=2007-09-13}}</ref> is a [[psychoactive drug|psychoactive]] product of the plant ''[[Cannabis sativa]]'' L. subsp. ''indica'' (= ''C. indica'' Lam.).  The herbal form of the drug consists of dried mature [[flower]]s and subtending leaves of pistillate ("female") plants. The resinous form consists primarily of glandular [[trichomes]] collected from the same plant material.[[Image:Macro cannabis bud.jpg|thumb|200px|A dried flowered bud of the ''Cannabis sativa'' plant.]] The major biologically active [[chemical compound]] in cannabis is Δ<sup>9</sup>-[[tetrahydrocannabinol]] (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), commonly referred to as THC. 
Humans have been consuming cannabis since prehistory,<ref name=rudgley1999>{{cite book|author=Rudgley, Richard|year=1999|title=The Lost Civilizations of the Stone Age| editor=Touchstone|id=ISBN 0-6848-5580-1}}</ref> although in the 20th century there was a rise in its use for [[Recreational drug use|recreational]], [[religious]] or spiritual, and medicinal purposes.  It is estimated that about four percent of the world's adult population use cannabis annually.<ref name="WDR2006chap2">{{citation|author=United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime|year=2006|url=http://www.unodc.org/pdf/WDR_2006/wdr2006_chap2_biggest_market.pdf|title=Cannabis: Why we should care|journal=World Drug Report|volume=1|id=ISBN 9-2114-8214-3|accessdate=2006-10-10}} p.14</ref> The possession, use, or sale of psychoactive cannabis products became [[Legal issues of cannabis|illegal]] in most parts of the world in the early 20th century.  Since then, some countries have intensified the enforcement of cannabis [[Prohibition (drugs)|prohibition]] while others have reduced the priority of enforcement, almost to the point of legalization, as is the case in [[Drug policy of the Netherlands|the Netherlands]]. 

The production of cannabis for drug use remains illegal throughout most of the world through the 1961 [[Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs]], the 1971 [[Convention on Psychotropic Substances]], and the 1988 [[United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances]], while simple possession of small quantities is either legal, or treated as an addiction rather than a criminal offense in a few countries.  The laws in the United States vary from state to state, 13 of them now having decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana for medical use ([http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3391]), although it is still a federal crime.

==History==
[[Image:Cannabissativadior.jpg|thumb|''[[Cannabis sativa]]'' from [[Vienna Dioscurides]], 512 A.D.]]
Evidence of the inhalation of cannabis smoke can be found as far back as the [[Neolithic]] age, as indicated by charred cannabis seeds found in a ritual [[brazier]] at an ancient burial site in present day [[Romania]].<ref name=rudgley1999/>  The most famous users of cannabis were the ancient [[Hindu]]s of India and Nepal, and the [[Hashshashin]]s (hashish eaters) of present day Syria. The herb was called ''ganjika'' in [[Sanskrit]] (''ganja'' in modern Indian and Nepali languages).<ref name=leary1990>{{cite book|author=Leary, Thimothy|year=1990|title=Flashbacks|editor=Tarcher/Putnam|id=ISBN 0-8747-7870-0}}</ref><ref name="ganjikaEB">{{Citation|year=1911|url=http://57.1911encyclopedia.org/H/HE/HEMP.htm|title=Encyclopædia Britannica|edition=11th|accessdate=2006-06-15}}</ref> The ancient drug [[soma]], mentioned in the [[Veda]]s as a sacred intoxicating hallucinogen, was sometimes associated with cannabis.<ref name=rudgley1998>{{cite book|author=Rudgley, Richard|year=1998|url=http://www.huxley.net/soma/index.html|title=The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Substances|editor=Little, Brown and Company|accessdate=2007-02-25}}</ref> 

Cannabis was also known to the [[Assyrians]], who discovered its psychoactive properties through the [[Aryans]].<ref>{{cite book | author=Franck, Mel | title=Marijuana Grower's Guide| publisher=Red Eye Press | year=1997| id=ISBN 0-9293-4903-2}} p.3</ref> Using it in some religious ceremonies, they called it ''qunubu'' (meaning "way to produce smoke"), a probable origin of the modern word.<ref>{{cite book | author=Rubin, Vera D.| title=Cannabis and Culture| publisher=Campus Verlag | year=1976| id=ISBN 3-5933-7442-0}} p.305</ref>  Cannabis was also introduced by the Aryans to the [[Scythia]]ns and [[Thracians]]/[[Dacia]]ns, whose [[shamanism|shamans]] (the ''kapnobatai''—“those who walk on smoke/clouds”) burned cannabis flowers to induce a state of trance.<ref>{{cite book | author=Cunliffe, Barry W.| title=The Oxford Illustrated History of Prehistoric Europe| publisher=Oxford University Press | year=2001| id=ISBN 0-1928-5441-0}} p.405</ref>  Members of the cult of [[Dionysus]], believed to have originated in [[Thrace]], are also thought to have inhaled cannabis smoke.  In 2003, a leather basket filled with cannabis leaf fragments and seeds was found next to a 2,500- to 2,800-year-old [[mummy|mummified]] [[shaman]] in the northwestern [[Xinjiang]] Uygur Autonomous Region of [[China]].<ref name=peoplesdaily>{{cite web|year=2006|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200612/23/eng20061223_335258.html|title=Lab work to identify 2,800-year-old mummy of shaman|publisher=People's Daily Online|accessdate=2007-02-25}}</ref><ref name=jiang2006a>{{cite journal|author=Hong-En Jiang ''et al.''|year=2006|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8D-4K7WC0F-2&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F06%2F2006&_rdoc=17&_fmt=summary&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235084%232006%23998919996%23636769%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5084&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=23&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3e6ac8940b4b86b94935cd7a7d7bc19d|title=A new insight into ''Cannabis sativa'' (Cannabaceae) utilization from 2500-year-old Yanghai tombs, Xinjiang, China|journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology|volume=108|issue=3|pages=414-422|accessdate=2007-02-25}}</ref>

[[Cannabis]] has an ancient  history of ritual use and is found in [[pharmacological cult]]s around the world.  Hemp seeds discovered by archaeologists at [[Pazyryk]] suggest early ceremonial practices like eating by the [[Scythians]] occurred during the 5th to 2nd century BCE, confirming previous historical reports by [[Herodotus]].<ref>{{cite book | author=Walton, Robert P. | title=Marijuana, America's New Drug Problem| publisher=J. B. Lippincott | year=1938| id=}} p.6</ref> Some historians and etymologists have claimed that cannabis was used as a religious sacrament by ancient [[Jews]] and early [[Christians]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2633187.stm|title=Cannabis linked to Biblical healing|accessdate=2007-08-20}}</ref> It was also used by [[Muslims]] in various [[Sufi]] orders as early as the Mamluk period, for example by the Qalandars.<ref>{{cite book|title=Le haschich et l'extase|author=[[Ibn Taymiyya]]|id=ISBN 2-8416-1174-4}}</ref> In [[India]] and [[Nepal]], it has been used by some of the wandering spiritual [[sadhu]]s for centuries, and in  modern times the [[Rastafari movement]] has embraced it as a sacrament.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dread, The Rastafarians of Jamaica|author=[[Joseph Owens]]|id=ISBN 0-4359-8650-3}}</ref> Elders of the modern religious movement known as the [[Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church]] consider cannabis to be the [[Eucharist]], claiming it as an oral tradition from [[Ethiopia]] dating back to the time of [[Christ]], even though the movement was founded in the [[United States]] in 1975 and has no ties to either Ethiopia or the Coptic Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/potbible.htm|title=Marijuana and the Bible|publisher=Schaffer Library of Drug Policy|author=The Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church|accessdate=2007-09-13}}</ref> Like the Rastafari, some modern [[Gnostic]] Christian sects have asserted that cannabis is the Tree of Life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rastafari.tribe.net/thread/0838144c-cce9-45ac-982b-5f0e5fccd07d|title=Zion Light Ministry|accessdate=2007-08-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | author=Chris Bennett, Lynn & Osburn, Judy Osburn| title=Green Gold: the Tree of LifeMarijuana in Magic & Religion| publisher=Access Unlimited|pages=418 | year=1938| id=ISBN 0-9629-8722-0}}</ref> Other organized [[religions]] founded in the past century that treat cannabis as a sacrament are the [[THC Ministry]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thc-ministry.org/|title=The Hawai'i Cannabis Ministry|accessdate=2007-09-13}}</ref> the [[Way of Infinite Harmony]], [[Cantheism]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ebeneezer.net/ritual/vegetable/offsite/Cantheist.html|title=Cantheism|accessdate=2007-09-13}}</ref> the [[Cannabis Assembly]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cannabisassembly.org/|title=Cannabis Assembly|accessdate=2007-09-13}}</ref> and the [[Church of Cognizance]]. 

[[Cannabis]] was introduced to the [[Americas]] in the mid-19th century by Indian laborers under the [[Indian indenture system]] implemented by the [[British Empire]] after the end of [[African slavery]] in the [[British West Indies]]. In the [[Caribbean]], cannabis is still known as ''ganja'' (the [[Sanskrit]] word for marijuana), [[India]]n or [[Coolie]] weed. The plant eventually spread into [[Mexico]], [[U.S.]], [[Canada]] and the rest of the Americas.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}

=== Medical use ===
{{main|Medical cannabis}}
Synthetic or extracts of one chemical in marijuana, is a controversial treatment for medical use. The American [[Marijuana Policy Project]], a pro-cannabis organization, contends that cannabis is an ideal therapeutic drug for cancer and [[AIDS]] patients, who often suffer from clinical depression, and from nausea and resulting weight loss due to [[chemotherapy]] and other aggressive treatments. A recent study by scientists in Italy has also shown that [[cannabidiol]] (CBD), a chemical found in marijuana, inhibits growth of cancer cells in animals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6917|title=Cannabidiol Dramatically Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Growth, Study Says|accessdate=2007-08-20}}</ref>  
 
[[FDA]] and comparable authorities in Western Europe in including the [[Netherlands]], have not approved smoked marijuana for any condition or disease. A common view is that if there is any future of marijuana as a medicine, it lies in its isolated components, the cannabinoids and their synthetic derivatives. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fda.gov/ola/2004/marijuana0401.html|title=Testimony before the 
Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources, Committee on Government Reform|author=Meyer, Robert J.|publisher=U.S. Food and Drug Administration|accessdate=2007-09-15}}</ref> 

A synthetic extract of cannabis has been shown to relieve symptoms of anorexia in elderly Alzheimer's patients.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3169901.stm|title=Cannabis lifts Alzheimer appetite|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2007-09-15}}</ref>

Glaucoma, a condition of increased pressure within the eyeball causing gradual loss of sight, can be treated with medical marijuana to decrease this intraocular pressure. There has been debate for 25 years on the subject. Some data exist, showing a reduction of IOP in glaucoma patients who smoke marijuana,<ref>{{cite journal|author=Merritt JC, Crawford WJ, Alexander PC, et al.|title=Effect of marihuana on intraocular and blood pressure in glaucoma|journal=Ophthalmol|year=1980|issue=87|pages=222-8|id=ISSN 0007-1161}}</ref> but the effects are short-lived, and the frequency of doses needed to sustain a decreased IOP can cause systemic toxicity. There is also some concern over its use since it can also decrease blood flow to the optic nerve. Marijuana lowers IOP by acting on a cannabinoid receptor on the ciliary body called the CB receptor.<ref>{{cite journal|author=|Goldberg J, Flowerdew G, Smith E, et al.|title=Factors associated with age-related macular degeneration|journal=Am J Epidemiol|year=1988|issue=128|pages=700-10}}</ref> Although marijuana is not a good therapeutic choice for glaucoma patients, it may lead researchers to more effective, safer treatments. A promising study shows that agents targeted to ocular CB can reduce IOP in glaucoma patients who have failed other therapies.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Porcella A, Maxia C, Gessa GL, Pani L.|title=The synthetic cannabinoid WIN55212-2 decreases the intraocular pressure in human glaucoma resistant to conventional therapies|journal=Eur J Neurosci|year=2001|issue=13|pages=409-12}}</ref>

Medical marijuana is used for analgesia, or pain relief. “Marijuana is used for analgesia only in the context of a handful of illnesses (e.g., headache, dysentery, menstrual cramps, and depression) that are often cited by marijuana advocates as medical reasons to justify the drug being available as a prescription medication.”<ref>{{citation|author=Blanchard Randall|publisher=Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service|title=Medical Use of Marijuana: Policy and Regulatory Issues|year=1992}}</ref> It is also reported to be beneficial for treating certain neurological illnesses such as epilepsy, and bipolar disorder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.medboardwatch.com/wb/pages/therapeutic-effects.php|title=Review of Therapeutic Effects|accessdate=2007-08-20}}</ref> Case reports have found that cannabis can relieve [[tic]]s in people with OCD and/or [[Tourette syndrome]]. Patients treated with [[tetrahydrocannabinol]], the main psychoactive chemical found in cannabis, reported a significant decrease in both motor and vocal tics, some of 50% or more.<ref name="ocd-ts-99">{{cite journal|author=K.R. Muller, U. Schneider, H. Kolbe, H.M. Emrich|title=Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome With Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol|journal=American Journal of Psychiatry|year=1999|volume=156|issue=3|url=http://www.marijuana.org/AmJoPsychMarch99.html|accessdate=2007-09-15}}</ref><ref name="ocd-ts-02">{{cite journal|author=K.R. Muller, U. Schneider, A. Koblenz, M. Jöbges, H. Kolbe, T. Daldrup, H.M. Emrich|title=Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome with Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): A Randomized Crossover Trial |journal=Pharmacopsychiatry|year=2002|volume=35|issue=2|url=http://www.thieme-connect.com/ejournals/abstract/pharmaco/doi/10.1055/s-2002-25028|accessdate=2007-09-15}}</ref><ref name="ocd-ts-88">{{cite journal|author=R. Sandyk, G. Awerbuch|title=Marijuana and Tourette's Syndrome|journal=Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology|year=1988|volume=8|issue=6|url=http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/mjtouret.htm|accessdate=2007-09-15}}</ref> Some decrease in obsessive-compulsive behavior was also found.<ref name="ocd-ts-99">{{cite journal|author=K.R. Muller, U. Schneider, H. Kolbe, H.M. Emrich|title=Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome With Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol|journal=American Journal of Psychiatry|year=1999|volume=156|issue=3|url=http://www.marijuana.org/AmJoPsychMarch99.html}}</ref>  A recent study has also concluded that cannabinoids found in cannabis might have the ability to prevent Alzheimer's disease.<ref name="ADBlock">{{cite journal|author=Ramíirez, B. G., C. Blázquez, T. Gómez del Pulgar, M. Guzmán, and M. L. de Ceballos|year=2005|url=http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/25/8/1904|title=Prevention of Alzheimer's disease pathology by cannabinoids: neuroprotection mediated by blockade of microglial activation|journal=Journal of Neuroscience|volume=25|issue=8^|pages=1904-1913|accessdate=2007-02-27}}</ref> THC has been shown to reduce arterial blockages.<ref name=steffens2005>{{cite journal|author=Steffens, S.,Veillard, N.R., ''et al.''|url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v434/n7034/abs/nature03389.html|title=Low dose oral cannabinoid therapy reduces progression of atherosclerosis in mice|journal=Nature|volume=474|issue=7034|pages=782-786|acecssdate=2007-02-27}}</ref>

Another use for medical marijuana is movement disorders. Marijuana is frequently reported to reduce the muscle spasticity associated with [[Multiple Sclerosis]], this has been acknowledged by the [[Institute Of Medicine]], but it noted that these abundant anecdotal reports are not well-supported by clinical data. Evidence from animal studies suggests that there is a possible role for cannabinoids in the treatment of certain types of epileptic seizures.<ref>{{cite book | author=Randall, Blanchard| title=Medical use of marijuana policy and regulatory issues| publisher=Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress| year=1992| id=OCLC 29975643}}</ref>  The marijuana will numb the nervous system slightly so the body won’t go into shock. A synthetic version of the major active compound in cannabis, THC, is available in capsule form as the prescription drug dronabinol (Marinol) in many countries. The prescription drug Sativex, an extract of cannabis administered as a sublingual spray, has been approved in Canada for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.<ref name="SativexC">{{cite web|author=Koch, W.|date=23 Jun 2005|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-06-23-pot-spray_x.htm|title=Spray alternative to pot on the market in Canada|publisher=USA Today|accessdate=2007-02-27}}</ref> Dr. William Notcutt states that the use of MS as the disease to study “had everything to do with politics”.<ref name="Respectable Reefer">{{cite news|last=Greenberg|first=Gary|title=Respectable Reefer|publisher=Mother Jones|date=[[2005-11-01]]|url=http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2005/11/Respectable_Reefer-3.html|accessdate=2007-04-03}}</ref>

=== New breeding and cultivation techniques ===
{{main|Cannabis (drug) cultivation}}
[[Image:Orange Crush1.jpg|thumb| Cannabis Strain: Orange Crush]]
It is often claimed by growers and breeders of herbal cannabis that advances in breeding and cultivation techniques have increased the potency of cannabis since the late 1960s and early '70s. However, potent seedless marijuana such as "Thai sticks" were already available at that time. In fact, the [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Sinsemilla|''sinsemilla'' technique]] of producing high-potency marijuana has been practiced in India for centuries. Sinsemilla (Spanish for "without seed") is the dried, seedless inflorescences of female cannabis plants. Because [[tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] production drops off once pollination occurs, the male plants (which produce little THC themselves) are eliminated before they shed pollen to prevent pollination.  Advanced cultivation techniques such as [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Hydroponic cultivation|hydroponics]], [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Feminized seeds|cloning]], [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Lighting|high-intensity artificial lighting]], and [[Cannabis (drug) cultivation#Sea of green|the sea of green method]] are frequently employed as a response (in part) to prohibition enforcement efforts that make outdoor cultivation more risky. These intensive horticultural techniques have led to fewer seeds being present in cannabis and a general increase in potency over the past 20 years. The average levels of THC in marijuana sold in United States rose from 3.5% in 1988 to 7% in 2003 and 8.5% in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18310976/|publisher=MSNBC|title=Marijuana sold in U.S. stronger than ever|accessdate=2007-09-21}}</ref> 

"Skunk" cannabis is a potent strain of cannabis, grown through selective breeding and usually hydroponics, that is a cross-breed of ''Cannabis sativa'' and ''C. indica''. Skunk cannabis potency ranges usually from 6% to 15% and rarely as high as 20%. The average THC level in [[coffeehouse]]s in the [[Netherlands]] is about 18–19%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unodc.org/unodc/world_drug_report.html|title=World Drug Report 2006|publisher=United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime|accessdate=2007-09-21}} Ch. 2.3</ref>

The average THC content of Skunk #1 is 8.2%; it is a 4-way combination of the cannabis strains Afghani indica, Mexican Gold, Colombian Gold, and Thai: 75% ''sativa'', 25% ''indica''. This was done via extensive breeding by cultivators in California in the 1970s using the traditional outdoor cropping methods used for centuries.

Many opponents of cannabis use, both in and out of government, have exaggerated the increases in potency and ramifications thereof. In the United States, government advertisements encourage parents to disregard their own experiences with cannabis when speaking to their children, on the premise that the <!-- don't change this, it is intentionally -->"pot"<!-- like in the ads to which I refer --><!-- could you cite those ads? --> of today is significantly stronger, and thus more dangerous, than that which they used in the past.<ref name="More potent">{{cite press release|publisher=[[United States Department of Health and Human  Services]]|date=[[2004-09-09]]|url=http://www.dhhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040909b.html|title=Nation's Youth Turning Away from Marijuana, as Perceptions of Risk Rise; Most Adults with Substance Abuse Problems Are Employed|accessdate=2006-05-30}}</ref> In proposed revisions to [[Cannabis reclassification in the United Kingdom|cannabis rescheduling]] in the UK, the government is considering scheduling the more potent cannabis material as a separate, more restricted substance. Many cannabis proponents are vehemently opposed, reasoning that if one can smoke less cannabis to achieve the same effect, then it is safer in the long run than smoking a less potent product. 

A Dutch double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of male volunteers with a self-reported history of regular cannabis use aged 18–45 years concluded that smoking of cannabis, with higher THC reflecting the content levels of ''netherweed'' (marijuana with 9–23% THC) as currently sold in coffee shops in the Netherlands, may lead to higher THC concentrations in serum (the internal dose). Smoking of cannabis with higher THC concentrations leads to an increase of the occurrence of effects, particularly among younger or inexperienced cannabis smokers, who do not adapt their smoking to the higher THC.<ref>{{citation|author=Tj. T. Mensinga et al.|url=http://www.rivm.nl/bibliotheek/rapporten/267002002.pdf|title=A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study on the pharmacokinetics and effects of cannabis|publisher=[[RIVM]]|accessdate=2007-09-21}}</ref> Smoking of cannabis with higher THC concentrations was associated with a dose-related increase of physical effects (such as increase of heart rate, and decrease of blood pressure) and psychomotor effects (such as reacting more slowly, being less concentrated, making more mistakes during performance testing, having less motor control, and experiencing drowsiness).

What was well observed in the Dutch study was that the effects based from a single dose—the smoking of one piece of a [[joint]] for 20–25 minutes—lasted for more than eight hours. The reaction time was still significantly slower about five hours after smoking. At that time, the THC serum concentration was low, but still present. This means that even when individuals have the impression that their state has returned to baseline and that they can smoke another piece of joint, the effect of the first joint may be still present. When subjects smoke on several occasions per day, accumulation of THC may occur. 

Another study showed that 15 mg THC result in no learning whatsoever occurring over a three-trial selective reminding task at two hours. In several tasks, delta(9)-THC increased both speed and error rates, reflecting “riskier” speed–accuracy trade-offs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12373420&dopt=AbstractCurranCurran|author=Curran H.V., et al.|title=Cognitive and subjective dose-response effects|year=2002|publisher=[[NCBI|National Center for Biotechnology Information]]|accessdate=2007-09-21}}</ref> 

There are two recognized types of herbal cannabis, ''sativa'' and ''indica''.  So-called ''sativa'' strains are reputed to induce a noticeably more "cerebral" high, while ''indica'' strains induce more of a body high.  These two drug types are often hybridized or crossed with early-maturing (but low in THC) ''ruderalis'' strains to increase the range in desirable characteristics.

==Criminalization and legalization==
[[Image:World-cannabis-laws.png|right|thumb|201px|World laws on [[cannabis]] possession (small amount). Data is from multiple sources detailed on the [[Image talk:World-cannabis-laws.png|full source list]]. This map is a work in progress. Please give corrections and additions [[User talk:CL8|here]].]]
[[Image:Killerdrug.jpg|right|thumb|200px|U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics [[public service announcement|PSA]] used in the late 1930s and 1940s.]]

Since the beginning of the 20th century, most countries have enacted laws against the cultivation, use, possession, or transfer of cannabis for recreational use. These laws have impacted adversely on the cannabis plant's cultivation for non-recreational purposes, but there are many regions where, under certain circumstances, handling of cannabis is legal or licensed. Many jurisdictions have lessened the penalties for possession of small quantities of cannabis, so that it is punished by [[confiscation]] or a [[fine]], rather than [[imprisonment]], focusing more on those who [[Trafficking|traffic]] and sell the drug on the [[black market]]. There are also changes in a more restrictive direction such as the closing of ''[[coffee shop]]s'' in the [[Netherlands]] and the closing of the open drug market in [[Freetown Christiania|Christiania]], [[Copenhagen]]. Some jurisdictions use mandatory treatment programs for frequent known users with freedom from narcotic drugs as goal. Simple possession can carry long jail sentences in some countries, particularly in [[East Asia]], where the sale of cannabis may lead to a sentence of life in prison or even execution.

==Effects==
{{main|Health issues and the effects of cannabis}}

It has [[Psychoactive drug|psychoactive]] and [[physiological]] effects when consumed, usually by smoking or ingestion.  The minimum amount of THC required to have a perceptible psychoactive effect is about 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight<ref>  http://www.marijuanalibrary.org/brain2.txt </ref> (which, in practical terms, is a varying amount, dependent upon potency). A related compound, Δ<sup>9</sup>-[[tetrahydrocannabivarin]], also known as [[THCV]], is produced in appreciable amounts by certain drug strains.  This [[cannabinoid]] has been described in the popular literature as having shorter-acting, flashier effects than THC, but recent studies suggest that it may actually inhibit the effects of THC.  Relatively high levels of THCV are common in African dagga (marijuana), and in hashish from the northwest Himalayas.
===Intoxication===
The state of intoxication due to cannabis consumption is colloquially known as a “high”; it is the state where mental and physical facilities are noticeably altered due to the consumption of cannabis. Each user experiences a different high, and the nature of it may vary upon factors such as potency, dose, chemical composition, method of consumption and [[set and setting]].

===Health issues===

Cannabis use has been alleged to be associated with several illnesses. Due to its illegal status in many countries, it has been difficult to research these claims. Smoked cannabis, especially together with [[tobacco]], has been linked to [[lung cancer]] by some studies, but others have found no significant evidence of a link.<ref name="Study Finds No Link Between Marijuana Use And Lung Cancer">{{cite news |url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060526083353.htm |publisher=Science Daily |date=[[2006-05-26]] |title=Study Finds No Link Between Marijuana Use And Lung Cancer}}</ref>

Cannabis use has been linked to [[psychosis]] by several [[peer-reviewed]] studies. A 1987 Swedish study claiming a link between cannabis use and schizophrenia was criticized for not differentiating between cannabis use and the use of other narcotics, and its results have not been verified by other studies. More recently, the [[Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study]] published research showing an increased risk of psychosis for cannabis users with a certain genetic predisposition, held by 25% of the population.<ref name="Dunedin study">{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10122930|title=Cannabis study finds gene linked to psychosis}}</ref> In 2007, a study published in ''[[The Lancet]]'' and a poll of mental health experts showed that a growing number of medical health practitioners are convinced that cannabis use increases susceptibility to mental illness, accounting for 14% of [[United Kingdom]] psychosis cases; however, the risk to an individual smoking cannabis is only increased by 2%.<ref name="The Great Cannabis Debate">{{cite news|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/health/article2814755.ece|title=Independant: Poll of Mental Health Practitioners}}</ref>

A recent study by the Canadian government found cannabis contained more toxic substances than tobacco smoke.<ref name="Cannabis smoke 'has more toxins'">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7150274.stm|publisher=BBC|date=2007-12-19|title=Cannabis smoke 'has more toxins'}}</ref>  The study determined that marijuana smoke contained 20 times more [[ammonia]], and five times more [[hydrogen cyanide]] and [[nitrous oxide]]s than tobacco smoke.  In spite of this, a recent large-scale study found no correlation between heavy marijuana use and lung cancer, despite noting that cannabis contains the same carcinogens as tobacco.  The same study found a 20-fold increase in lung-cancer rates of smokers who consumed two or more packs of cigarettes per day.<ref name="Study Finds No Link Between Marijuana Use And Lung Cancer">{{cite news |url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060526083353.htm |publisher=Science Daily |date=[[2006-05-26]] |title=Study Finds No Link Between Marijuana Use And Lung Cancer}}</ref>  These researchers postulated that the THC present may have a "protective effect" by causing aging cells to die before they become cancerous.<ref name="Study finds no marijuana-cancer connection">{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729_pf.html |publisher=Washington Post |date=[2006-5-26] |title=Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection}}</ref>  Other recent research suggest the cannabinoid CBD may stop certain cancers from spreading, although not in concentrations consumed during smoking.<ref name="Marijuana compound may stop spread of breast cancer">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312132,00.html |publisher=Fox News |date=[[2007-11-19]] |title=Marijuana compound may stop spread of breast}}</ref>

In contrast, a study published in the January 2008 edition of the journal Respirology found that "regular" cannabis smokers who developed bullous [[lung disease]][[http://www.ctsnet.org/sections/clinicalresources/clinicalcases/article-1.html]] did so on average 24 years sooner than tobacco smoking counterparts.<ref>http://www.scienceedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123104017.htm |publisher=Science Daily |date=[[2008-01-27]] |title=Marijuana Smokers Face Rapid Lung Destruction -- As Much As 20 Years Ahead Of Tobacco Smokers}}</ref>  Researchers attributed this to the inhalation of a larger volume of smoke, and typically holding it for four times longer than tobacco smokers.  Bullous lung disease is considered an uncommon cause of respiratory distress.<ref>[http://www.ctsnet.org/sections/clinicalresources/clinicalcases/article-1.html Bullous Lung Disease<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>  In general, habitual inhalation of any kind of smoke is detrimental to lung health.<ref>[[http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobac-tabac/res/news-nouvelles/herb_e.html]]</ref>

In July 2007, British medical journal [[The Lancet]] published a study that indicates that cannabis users have, on average, a 41% greater risk of developing psychosis than non-users. The risk was most pronounced in cases with an existing risk of psychotic disorder, and was said to grow up to 200% for the most-frequent users.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673607611623/abstract |title=Cannabis could increase risk of psychotic illness later in life by 40% |publisher=The Lancet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Prospective cohort study of cannabis use, predisposition for
psychosis, and psychotic symptoms in young people|url=http://www.bmj.com/cgi/rapidpdf/bmj.38267.664086.63v1?ehom|publisher=BMJ}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070727/marijuana_psychosis_070727?s_name=&no_ads=|title=Marijuana may increase psychosis risk|publisher=CTV}}</ref>

===Relationship with other drugs===
Since its origin in the 1950s, the "[[Gateway drug theory|gateway drug]]" hypothesis has been one of the central pillars of cannabis drug policy in the United States. One variant is that people, upon trying cannabis for the first time and not finding it dangerous, are then tempted to try other, harder drugs. These models of cause and effect has been debated.<ref name=Rand>{{cite web|date=2002-12-02 |url=http://www.rand.org/news/press.02/gateway.html|title=RAND study casts doubt on claims that marijuana acts as "gateway" to the use of cocaine and heroin|publisher=RAND Corporation|accessdate=2007-02-27}}</ref> A 2005 comprehensive review of the literature on the cannabis gateway hypothesis found that pre-existing traits may predispose users to addiction in general, the availability of multiple drugs in a given setting confounds predictive patterns in their usage, and drug sub-cultures are more influential than cannabis itself.  The study called for further research on "social
context, individual characteristics, and drug effects" to discover the actual relationships between cannabis and the use of other drugs.<ref>{{cite journal
|publisher=Drug and Alcohol Review
|author=WAYNE D. HALL & MICHAEL LYNSKEY
|title=Is cannabis a gateway drug? Testing hypotheses about the relationship between cannabis use and the use of other illicit drugs
|date=January 2005
|volume=24
|issue=1
|url=http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=4&sid=823f2f63-a315-433c-94cc-3ab0b1b01dc6%40sessionmgr2
|page=39 – 48
}}</ref>

Some argue that the purported relationship between marijuana and more illicit drugs, as proposed by the "gateway theory", is methodologically flawed. A common argument is that a new user of cannabis who doesn't find it dangerous will see the difference between public information regarding the drug and their own experiences, and apply this distrust to public knowledge of other, more powerful drugs. Some studies support the "gateway drug" model.<ref name=journalwatch>{{cite web|author=Saitz, Richard|date=2003-02-18|url=http://general-medicine.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2003/218/1|title=Is marijuana a gateway drug?|publisher=Journal Watch|accessdate=2007-02-27}}</ref> An example from 2007: A stratified, random sample of 1943 adolescents was recruited from secondary schools across [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]], [[Australia]], at age 14–15 years. This cohort was interviewed on eight occasions until the age of 24–25 years. At age 24 years, 12% of the sample had used amphetamines in the past year, with 1–2% using at least weekly. Young adult amphetamine use was predicted strongly by adolescent drug use and was associated robustly with other drug use and dependence in young adulthood. Associations were stronger for more frequent users. Among young adults who had not been using amphetamines at age 20 years, the strongest predictor of use at age 24 years was the use of other drugs, particularly cannabis, at 20 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01906.x|author=Degenhardt, Louisa et al|title=Who are the new amphetamine users? A 10-year prospective study of young Australians|year=2007|accessdate=2007-09-22}}</ref> Those who were smoking cannabis at the age of 15 were as much as 15 times more likely to be using amphetamines in their early 20s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/18/1981329.htm|publisher=ABC News Australia|title=Cannabis linked to use of amphetamines|date=2007-07-18|accessdate=2007-09-22}}</ref> 

Analysts have hypothesized that the illegal status of cannabis is a possible cause of a gateway drug effect, reasoning that cannabis users are likely to become acquainted with people who use and sell other illegal drugs in order to acquire cannabis. But it is said that Marijuana is not as harmful or addicting as any other drug.<ref name=morral2002>{{cite journal |author=Morral AR, McCaffrey DF, Paddock SM |title=Reassessing the marijuana gateway effect |journal=[[Addiction (journal)|Addiction]] |volume=97 |issue=12 |pages=1493-504 |year=2002 |pmid=12472629 |doi=10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00280.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mpp.org/site/c.glKZLeMQIsG/b.1146183/k.AE54/FAQ.htm|title=Marijuana Policy Project- FAQ|accessdate=2006-12-24}}</ref> Some contend that by this argument, alcohol and tobacco may also be regarded as gateway drugs. Studies have shown that tobacco smoking is a better predictor of concurrent illicit hard drug use than smoking cannabis.<ref name=Torabi1993>{{cite journal |author=Torabi MR, Bailey WJ, Majd-Jabbari M |title=Cigarette smoking as a predictor of alcohol and other drug use by children and adolescents: evidence of the "gateway drug effect" |journal=The Journal of school health |volume=63 |issue=7 |pages=302-6 |year=1993 |pmid=8246462 |doi=}}</ref>[[Image:Rational scale to assess the harm of drugs (mean physical harm and mean dependence).svg|right|thumb|Comparison of dependency vs. physical harm for 20 drugs as estimated by an article in ''[[The Lancet]]'']]

A current doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, on the neurobiological effects of early life cannabis exposure, gives support for the cannabis gateway hypothesis in relation to adult opiate abuse. THC exposed rats showed increased motivation for opiate drug use under conditions of stress. However, the cannabis exposure did not correlate to amphetamine use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://diss.kib.ki.se/2007/978-91-7357-064-0/|author=Ellgren, Maria|title=Neurobiological effects of early life cannabis exposure in relation to the gateway hypothesis|year=2007|publisher=[[Karolinska Institutet]]|accessdate=2007-09-22}}</ref>

A study<ref>{{cite journal |author=Nutt D, King LA, Saulsbury W, Blakemore C |title=Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse |journal=Lancet |volume=369 |issue=9566 |pages=1047-53 |year=2007 |pmid=17382831 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60464-4}}</ref>  published in The Lancet on [[24 March]] [[2007]] was twenty drugs were assigned a risk from zero to three. Dr. David Nutt et al. asked medical, scientific and legal experts to rate 20 different drugs on nine parameters:          
* Physical harm (Acute, Chronic, and Intravenous harm)
* Dependence (Intensity of pleasure, Psychological dependence, Physical dependence)
* Social harms (Intoxication, Other social harms, Health-care costs)

Cannabis was ranked seventeenth of twenty for mean physical harm score and eleventh for mean dependence score. Not shown is the mean social harm score, which rated ninth, in a tie with Amphetamine.

[[Poly drug use]] is not unusual among established users; statistics from Spain show that cannabis users aged 15 -34 also used [[amphetamine]] (9%), [[ecstasy]] (11%) or [[cocaine]] (18%) the same year.<ref>[http://ar2006.emcdda.europa.eu/en/page012-en.html?CFID=7908701&CFTOKEN=472a97577904fd31-16A12971-F8FA-A4BE-70FBED3F5065929B&jsessionid=2e30fd1d0c7948157239  EMCDDA Annual report 2006: the state of the drugs problem in Europe, ch. 8]</ref>

===Classification===
While many drugs clearly fall into the category of either Stimulant, Depressant, Hallucinogen, or Antipsychotic, cannabis, containing both [[THC]] and [[Cannabidiol|CBD]], exhibits a mix of all sections, leaning towards the Hallucinogen section due to THC being the primary constituent. <ref name="mckim">{{cite book | author=McKim, William A | title=Drugs and Behavior: An Introduction to Behavioral Pharmacology (5th Edition)| publisher=Prentice Hall| year=2002| pages=400| id=ISBN 0-13-048118-1 }}</ref><ref name="nida">{{cite web | title=Information on Drugs of Abuse | work=Commonly Abused Drug Chart | url=http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/DrugsofAbuse.html | accessdate=July 15| accessyear=2007}}</ref><ref name="Stafford">{{cite book | author=Stafford, Peter | title=Psychedelics Encyclopedia| year=1992 | id=ISBN 0914171518 }}</ref>

==Methods of consumption ==

[[Image:HOcannabis.jpg|thumb|200px|Herbal cannabis "buds"]]

Cannabis is prepared for human consumption in several forms:

* ''Marijuana'' or ''ganja'': the flowering tops of female plants, from less than 1% [[THC]] to 22% THC; the large differences are probably one of the reasons for the conflicting results from different studies.
* ''[[Hashish]]'' or ''[[charas]]'': a concentrated resin composed of heated glandular trichomes that have been physically extracted, usually by rubbing, sifting, or with ice 
* ''[[Kief]]'': (1) the chopped flowering tops of female cannabis plants, often mixed with tobacco; (2) Moroccan hashish produced in the Rif mountains<ref name=kif>{{cite web|author=Zijlma, Anouk|url=http://goafrica.about.com/od/morocco/a/moroccokif.htm|title=Smoking hashish in Morocco|publisher=About.com|accessdate=2007-02-27}}</ref>; (3) sifted cannabis trichomes consisting of only the glandular "heads" (often incorrectly referred to as "crystals" or "pollen"); (4) the crystal (trichomes) left at the bottom of a grinder after grinding marijuana; then smoked.
* ''[[Bhang]]'': a beverage prepared by grinding cannabis leaves in milk and boiling with spices and other ingredients
[[Image:HOresin.jpg|thumb|150px|Hashish]]

These forms are not exclusive, and mixtures of two or more different forms of cannabis are frequently consumed.  Between the many different strains of cannabis and the various ways that it is prepared, there are innumerable variations similar to the wide variety of mixed alcoholic beverages that are consumed.

===Smoking===
[[Image:Joints22.jpg|thumb|150px|Joints]]{{main|Cannabis smoking}}

=== Vaporization ===
A ''[[vaporizer]]'' heats herbal cannabis to 365&ndash;410 °F (185&ndash;210 °C), which turns the active ingredients into [[gas]] without burning the plant material (the boiling point of THC is 200°C at 0.02 mm Hg pressure, and somewhat higher at standard atmospheric pressure).<ref name=volcano>{{cite web|url=http://www.storz-bickel.com/pics/down/Lufttemperaturtabelle%20-%20Air%20temperatur%20table.pdf|title=Air Temperature Table|accessdate=2007-09-22}}. Volcano<sup>tm</sup> Operating Manual. Storz & Bickel, Tuttlingen, Germany.</ref><ref name=merck1989>1989. ''The Merck Index'', 11th ed., Merck & Co., Rahway, New Jersey</ref> Toxic chemicals are released at much lower levels than by smoking, although this may vary depending on the design of the vaporizer and the temperature at which it is set. A [[Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies|MAPS]]-[[NORML]] study using a [[Volcano vaporizer|Volcano&trade; vaporizer]] reported 95% THC and no toxins delivered in the vapor.<ref name="norml1">{{cite journal
 | quotes = 
 | last = Gieringer
 | first = Dale H.
 | authorlink = 
 | coauthors = Joseph St. Laurent, Scott Goodrich
 | date = 
 | year = 2004
 | month = 
 | title = Cannabis Vaporizer Combines Efficient Delivery of THC with Effective Suppression of Pyrolytic Compounds
 | journal = Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics
 | volume = 4
 | issue = 1
 | pages = 7-27
 | doi = 10.1300/J175v04n01_02
 | id = 
 | url = http://www.maps.org/mmj/Gieringer-vaporizer.pdf
 | language = 
 | format = pdf
 | accessdate = 2006-04-21
 }}</ref> However, an older study using less sophisticated vaporizers found more toxins.<ref name="norml2">{{cite web|url=http://www.maps.org/news-letters/v06n3/06359mj1.html|title=Marijuana Water Pipe and Vaporizer Study|last=Gieringer|first=Dale|accessdate=2006-04-21}}</ref> The effects from a vaporizer are noticeably different to that of smoking cannabis. Users have reported a more euphoric hallucinogen type high, because the vapor contains more pure THC.

=== Eating ===
As an alternative to smoking, cannabis may be consumed orally.  Although [[hashish]] is sometimes eaten raw or mixed with water, THC and other cannabinoids are more efficiently absorbed into the bloodstream when dissolved in [[ethanol]], or combined with butter or other [[lipid]]s. The effects of cannabis administered this way take longer to begin, but last longer.  They are sometimes perceived as more physical than mental, although there are many claims to the contrary.  An oral dose of cannabis is often considered to give a more intense experience than the equivalent dose of smoked cannabis. Some people report unpleasant experiences after ingesting cannabis, because they experience a more intense effect than they are comfortable with.

Smoking cannabis results in a significant loss of THC and other cannabinoids in the exhaled smoke, by decomposition on burning, and in smoke that is not inhaled.  In contrast, all of the active constituents enter the body when cannabis is ingested.  It has been shown that the primary active component of cannabis, Δ9-THC, is converted to the more psychoactive [[11-hydroxy-THC]] by the liver.<ref name="11-hydroxy">{{cite journal| author=Paulo Borini; Romeu Cardoso Guimarães; Sabrina Bicalho Borini| year=2004| month=May| title= ''Possible hepatotoxicity of chronic marijuana usage''| journal=Sao Paulo Medical Journal| volume=122| issue=3| doi=10.1590/S1516-31802004000300007| url=http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1516-31802004000300007&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en| accessdate=2006-05-02}}</ref> [[Titration]] to the desired effect by ingestion is much more difficult than through inhalation.  

As with other drugs taken orally, it is sometimes customary to [[Fasting|fast]] before eating cannabis to increase the effect, possibly because an empty stomach will enable the THC to enter the bloodstream more quickly.  However, some people eat ordinary food before consuming the drug, because eating it on an empty stomach can cause nausea. The time to onset of effects is usually about an hour and may continue for a considerable length of time, whereas the effects of smoking herbal cannabis are almost immediate.
===Other methods===
Cannabis material can be [[Leaching|leached]] in high-proof spirits (often [[neutral grain spirit|grain alcohol]]) to create “[[Green Dragon (drink)|Green Dragon]]”. This process is often employed to make use of low-potency stems and leaves.

Cannabis can also be consumed as a [[tea]]. Although THC is [[lipophilic]] and only slightly [[water]] [[solubility|soluble]] (with a solubility of 2.8 grams per liter<ref name="water solubility">{{cite web|url=http://lib1.bmcc.cuny.edu/studres/projectsakinde.html|title=The Medical Applications of Cannabinoids|author=Akinde Omotayo|publisher=[[Borough of Manhattan Community College]]|accessdate=2006-09-15}}</ref>), enough THC can be dissolved to make a mildly psychoactive tea.  However, water-based infusions are generally considered to be an inefficient use of the herb.

In 2006, hollowed-out gumballs filled with cannabis material and labeled as “Greenades” were distributed by high school students in the U.S.<ref name="Greenades">{{cite news|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/7/prweb414446.htm|title=Greenades, Marijuana Gumballs, Identified by Maryland Police, Used by High School Students|publisher=[[PR Web]]|date=[[2006-07-22]]|accessdate=2006-09-15}}</ref>

==See also==
<div style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2; -webkit-column-count:2;">
*[[420 (cannabis culture)]]
*[[1937 Marihuana Tax Act]]
*[[Cannabis political parties]]
*[[Emerald Triangle]]
*[[Fitz Hugh Ludlow]] ("The Hasheesh Eater")
*[[Global Marijuana March]]
*[[Head shop]]
*[[International Opium Convention]]
*[[Legality of cannabis by country]]
*[[List of cannabis strains]]
*[[Marc Emery]]
*[[National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (United States)|National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws]]
*[[Proposition 215]]
*[[Hemp]]
</div>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite news|url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10E1FFB35580C748EDDA90994DA404482|author=Howard Markel|title=For Addicts, Relief May Be an Office Visit Away|publisher=New York Times|date=[[2002-10-27]]}}
* {{cite journal|url=http://www.ukcia.org/research/CannabisUseInAdolescenceAndRiskForAdultPsychosis.pdf|author=Louise Arsenault, Mary Cannon, Richie Poulton, Robin Murray, Avshalom Caspi, and Terrie E. Moffitt|title=Cannabis use in adolescence and risk for adult psychosis: longtudinal prospective study|year=2002|journal=British Medical Journal|volume=325|pages=1212 &ndash; 1213}}
* {{cite journal|url=http://www.ukcia.org/research/COMTgene.pdf|Author=|title=Moderation of the effect of adult-onset cannabis use on adult psychosis by a functional polymorphism in the Catchol-O-Methyltransferase gene: Longitudinal evidence of a gene X environment interaction|author=Avshalom Caspi, Terrie E. Moffitt, Mary Cannon, Joseph McClay, Robin Murray, HonaLee Harrington, Alan Taylor, Louise Arsenault, Ben Williams, Antony Braithwaite, Richie Poulton, and Ian W. Craig|year=2005|journal=Biol Psychiatry|volume=25|pages=1117 &ndash; 1127}}
* {{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3561-1565337,00.html|title=One in four at risk of cannabis psychosis|first=Mark|last=Henderson|publisher=The Times|date=[[2005-04-12]]}}
* Bruce Mirken and Neel Makwana (Aston Birmingham): {{cite news|url=http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/21436/|date=[[2005-03-07]]|title=Psychosis, Hype And Baloney|publisher=AlterNet}}
* {{cite journal |url=http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2000/108-10/correspondence.html#thc |title=Antitumor Effects of THC |journal=Environmental Health Perspectives |volume=108 |issue=10 |month=October |year=2000 |pages=Correspondence |author=James Huff and Po Chan |pmid=11097557}}
* {{cite book |title=Cannabis: A History |year=2005 |first=Martin |last=Booth |isbn=0-312-32220-8}}
* Long term impact of Cannabis use of 16 year olds {{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-113852471.html?refid=hbw_sw|date=[[2004-01-01]]|title=Long-term impact of the Gatehouse Project on Cannabis use of 16-year-olds in Australia. (Research Papers)|publisher=journal of school health}}

==External links==
{{wiktionarypar|marijuana}}
*[[wikt:Wiktionary Appendix:Cannabis Slang|Wiktionary appendix of cannabis slang]]
*[http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/marijuana/l/bldicmarijuana.htm Various slang terms for cannabis]
*[http://www.rollitup.org/ Marijuana Growing]
*[http://cannabis.com/faqs/ Comprehensive Cannabis Faqs and Marijuana information]
*[http://www.friendsofcannabis.com/ Extensive list of notable cannabis users]
*[http://www.veryimportantpotheads.com/ Debunking Myths about Marijuana Since 2002]
*[http://freemo.syncleus.com/marijuana.pdf Research paper on the effects of marijuana]
*[http://www.rxcbc.org/exd.html Cannabis overdose and misuse]
*[http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/C-38.8/SOR-2001-227/index.html Marihuana Medical Access Regulations in Canada]
*[http://www.alternet.org/story/9257/ Pot Shrinks Tumors; Government Knew in '74]
{{Cannabis resources}}
{{Cannabinoids}}

<!-- currently unused, need to merge back into the article

== History ==

[[Image:Seed_close_up.jpg|right|thumb|A close up picture of a cannabis seed]]

Cannabis was known as a medicinal and psychoactive compound in some early societies, and has been used continuously in many parts of the world. Other societies have developed a social [[stigma]] surrounding the drug. <!-- repression in various Islamic centuries (11th, 13th, and others), early modern (ex-Ottoman) Greece, Egypt under Mehemet Ali (19th century), need sections -->

[[Category:Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants]]
[[Category:Cannabis]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]


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