The History of Illegal Drugs The use of what are now considered illegal drugs date back as far as 300 BC in many different places of the world. Historically, it has not only been criminals that used illegal drugs. Drugs were used for many things including medicinal purposes, spiritual enlightenment, rituals, as well as for recreation. They were also used by many different cultures, age groups, and social classes. There was a time when the only thing around to alleviate physical pain either from illness, injury, or even during the process of dying were some of these drugs. There were no illegal drugs in the United States until the mid-nineteenth century. This is an essay on 12 of these illegal drugs individually as reported on in the History Channels documentary “Hooked, Illegal Drugs and How They Got That Way”.
Marijuana
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It is documented that in 430 B.C. a civilization known as the Scythians used marijuana for rituals as well as recreationally. They would gather around a bonfire and throw marijuana on top of it, they would then put a tent over the fire and inhale the smoke. Ancient Chinese herbalists used marijuana to treat menstrual cramps, stomach pain, and malaria.
The active ingredient in marijuana is “tetrahydrocannabinaol” or THC. Smoking marijuana draws the THC from the lungs to the brain where it suppresses neurons causing distortions of time and perception. It also causes lack of coordination, feelings of euphoria, heightened sensitivity, paranoia, and sometimes uncontrolled hilarity. Within seconds of smoking marijuana muscles relax, eyes redden and pulse rate increases. Marijuana is a plant that can grow and thrive just about
Marijuana was first used in ancient China by a Chinese Emperor by the name of Shen Nung. Even Queen Victoria used it. Shen Nung the Chinese Emperor was the first recorded person who used marijuana. He would use it as a pain killer during operations. In ancient India marijuana was holy. A Hindu god by the name of Shiva gave hemp as a gift to all humanity. It was inexpensive and available to almost everyone. It was known as “The Poor Man’s Heaven”. Cannabis leaves were commonly brewed, and they would add milk and sugar to make a drink. In ancient Rome there was a physician named Galen. He recommended the use of marijuana to reduce pain in operations, or for just everyday pains.
Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America, after alcohol and nicotine products. It is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves and flowers of cannabis sativa, the hemp plant. The main psychoactive part of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol or also known as THC. It contains THC as well as over a hundred other cannabinoids. THC is a psychoactive chemical. Marijuana is often used for its mental and physical effects such as a “high” or a “stoned” feeling. It has been know that there are benefits to using marijuana such as euphoria or heightened mood, increased appetite and many others. However there are short term side effects which may include dry mouth, decrease in short term memory, red eyes and often
Marijuana is a plant that people use for various reasons, whether that is for medicinal, recreational, social, personal, religious or nutritional uses. Recreational cannabis (marijuana), is designed to help get people high, the compound that recreational users chase is Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana, which bonds with specific receptors in the brain to produce a number of effects. It can have a sedative effect, relax your inhibitions, increase your appetite, lower your blood pressure and many other factors. Marijuana can also interfere with your short-term memory, lower your reaction time and make you unsteady and off balance. Even though marijuana has been classed as an illegal drug, there are some negatives, there are many studies that prove marijuana is less harmful to our bodies than other legal dangers, such as drinking or smoking.
Marijuana is a mixture of the dried parts of the cannabis sativa hemp plant. Excessive marijuana use can lead to an addiction. The main chemical in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which moves quickly through the bloodstream and to the brain, causing mild hallucinogenic effects. THC binds with cannabdnob receptors and activates neurons, which causes adverse effects on the mind and body. THC can mimic or block actions of neurotransmitters and interfere with normal functions. Marijuana use can lead to disturbed thoughts and can worsen psychotic symptoms. The short-term effects of marijuana include impaired coordination; skewed sensory and time perception; difficulty with thinking; shortened attention span and distractibility; impaired learning and memory. Long term users of marijuana often experience lowered motivation and some can experience anxiety, panic attacks, respiratory illness, and increased heart rate and risk of heart attack.
Introduction - Use of psychoactive substances for recreational purposes is not a radically new social issue. In fact, history tells us that almost every society had their own pharmacopeia of herbs, potions, and substances that not only contributed to healing, but also allowed the user to escape reality (Schules 1992, 4-5). However, it is the contemporary use of psychoactive drugs purchased through illicit or illegal channels and used by persons neither prescribed nor in quantities larger than necessary that defines modern drug abuse (Robins 2006). Prior to World War I, substances like morphine, heroin, and cocaine were available in the major American cities, particularly those with active international ports. For instance, when Chinese immigrants were first imported to work in the mines and railroads during the early 1800s, they brought opium to America. It was the leisure class, who began to experiment with this drug, and, as in Europe, many major U.S. cities had so-called opium dens. In addition, there were a substantial number of "society women" who ended up addicted because their doctor prescribed this drug to deal with female histrionics or to "cure" an excessive sexual appetite (Johnson 2002). Within major cities, this problem began to spill over into other groups: prostitutes, child laborers, orphans, and even men and women of lower social classes seeking to escape the harshness of their lives (Courtwright 2002, 3-19). Between the widespread use and general
Marijuana has been used as a medicine for more than 3,000 years. Research shows that marijuana has been used back to ancient civilizations in China, India, and Egypt. A book written by Chinese Emperor Shennung describes that marijuana can treat constipation, gout, rheumatism and
The re were no legal constraints on the importation or use of opium in the United States until the early 1900s. So prolific was the availability these elixirs and so-called “snake oil” cures that in 1900 it was estimated that 3.3 million doses of opium a month were being sold in the state of Vermont (Inciardi, 1990). At the turn of the twentieth century, a number of factors were contributing to a growing drug abuse problem in America. Primarily there was the unrestricted availability of opium and the recent invention of the hypodermic needle. However, two additional drugs would prove to be an unsettling concern that were about to explode in American culture.
Use of psychoactive substances for recreational purposes is not a radically new social issue. In fact, history tells us that almost every society had their own pharmacopeia of herbs, potions, and substances that not only contributed to healing, but also allowed the user to escape reality (Schules 1992, 4-5). However, it is the contemporary use of psychoactive drugs purchased through illicit or illegal channels and used by persons neither prescribed nor in quantities larger than necessary that defines modern drug abuse (Robins 2006). Prior to World War I, substances like morphine, heroin, and cocaine were available in the major American cities, particularly those with active international ports. For instance, when Chinese immigrants were first imported to work in the mines and railroads during the early 1800s, they brought opium to America. It was the leisure class, who began to experiment with this drug, and, as in Europe, many major U.S. cities had so-called opium dens. In addition, there were a substantial number of "society women" who ended up addicted because their doctor prescribed this drug to deal with female histrionics or to "cure" an excessive sexual appetite (Johnson 2002). Within major cities, this problem began to spill over into other groups: prostitutes, child laborers, orphans, and even men and women of lower social classes seeking to escape the harshness of their lives (Courtwright 2002, 3-19). Between the widespread use and general
Marijuana or better known as Cannabis is one of the planes oldest known agricultural plants. So it has a great presence in the long history of the world, Researchers uncovered Woven Fabrics which were discovered and are believed to have been made with Hemp fibers (Cannabis) from a period as far back as 8000 to 7000 B.C. Some of the very first uses of Hemp were in china during 4500 B.C. Its usages were for making nets, Ropes and Fabrics/Clothe weaving, Also china was known for using it for its psychoactive properties. Even in India there was documented usage of marijuana or as they like to call it “bhang”, a lot of their religious books called “The Four Vedas” during the times of 1400 and 1000 B.C. The books consider marijuana to be one of the “Five Kingdom of Herbs which transcend and releases the human body from anxiety, Stress, and pain”.
In exploring how to stop smoking weed, you have to understand why you become addicted to it. Marijuana is extracted from a hemp plant called cannabis sativa. Cannabis sativa contains a property that can cause the smoker to become unconscious. In marijuana, there are more than 400 chemicals. The psychoactive property in marijuana is THC. The effects of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) in the smoker depend on a variety of factors including type of cannabis, soil, weather and the harvest time. Nowadays, the pots are made
Medical marijuana has been used all throughout history in many ways, and some of those uses are still practiced to this day. The earliest record of medical marijuana comes from ancient China. According to their texts in 2737 BC, cannabis was used to treat gout, rheumatism, and constipation (Stack). Another use of cannabis was to treat tumors, which was first practiced by ancient Egyptians. Their texts contain information about marijuana as an ingredient in medicine. Although not much is known about the success of these practices, cannabis continues to receive interest in cancer treatment today. Not only was cannabis used to treat humans, but in ancient Greece they used it to help animals, such as horses, to dress their injuries after battle.
It is well known how marijuana as a medical treatment dates back as far as five thousand years ago. Different ancient civilizations have been found to use medical marijuana as a medical treatment dating all the way back to 8000 B.C. The Chinese emperor Shen-Nung was a firm believer of the plant, he was known to prescribe marijuana in tea as a treatment for various conditions like rheumatism, and poor memory to many people (Bostwick 173). Other notable civilizations who used the plant included the
Marijuana is the most used illegal drug out there, with about three hundred million users nationwide. The psychoactive chemical in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. It is used to get users the metaphoric “high” they experience. The effects it has on the brain, early use is started by younger kids. The use by earlier generations can lead to loss of iq, stunted growth of the lungs, possible chance of lung cancer, tar buildup in the lungs, mellow and either hunger or sleep. Along with those the common use of marijuana can cause a lowered immune system making you more vulnerable to an illness. The thc and cbd are the main chemicals that contribute to the “high” you get.When you come down from the high, you may feel tired or a bit depressed.
Marijuana is a dried, shredded leaf, stem, seed, and flower of the hemp plant. Teens who engage in heavy marijuana use often show disadvantages in neurocognitive performance, microstructural brain development, and alterations in brain functioning. What could also happen when you smoke cannabis is, that it produces a diverse range of effects, including impairments in learning and memory. Your speed also drops a lot when you are under the influence. If you are a big cannabis user, you have a chance of getting schizophrenia if they carry a high genetic risk for the mental illness. Some short-term side effects of cannabis are short-term memory loss, severe anxiety, paranoia, strange actions, and lack of physical coordination. Smoking pot can increase your heart rate by as much as two times for up to 3 hours.
Marijuana is a preparation of the Cannibas Sativa plant. Though there are many different developments of the Cannibas Sativa plant, marijuana is the most widely consumed variation. Marijuana is formed when leaves and female flowers of the hemp plant are dried. When smoked, marijuana produces over two thousand chemicals that enter the body through the lungs. These chemicals have a variety of immediate short- term effects, which produce both psychological and physical reactions. The psychological reaction known as “high” consists of changes in the users feelings and thoughts. Such changes are mainly caused by the psychoactive constituent THC. THC has mild to moderate analgesic effectsGeneral effects include but are not limited to heightened