| − | '''Marijuana''' (colloquially known as "weed" or "pot" or "dope" or "reefer") is the name given to the flowering buds of the ''Cannabis'' genus of plant, divided into the species ''Sativa, Indica'' and ''Ruderalis'', prepared for human consumption. The main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana is [[tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]], or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, an [[organic chemistry|organic chemical]] compound which imitates natural cannabinoids produced in the human body. Because THC is considered harmfvul, marijuana is generally illegal to possess, cultivate and sell in most countries, although it is legal in a some liberal jurisdictions when prescribed as by a physician.<ref>The sale of marijuana is illegal virtually everywhere in the world (other than Uruguay, and as of mid-2018 Canada), and results in long prison sentences in many places. In Portugal, Argentina, California and South Australia, the use (rather than the sale) of small quantities of marijuana is allowed. In only one country in the world, the Netherlands, the sale of marijuana in small quantities is reportedly allowed by law enforcement.</ref> In some ''extremely'' liberal jurisdictions, you can even buy it in a vending machine.<ref>E.g. [[Seattle]]</ref> | + | '''Marijuana''' (colloquially known as "weed" or "pot" or "dope" or "reefer") is the name given to the flowering buds of the ''Cannabis'' genus of plant, divided into the species ''Sativa, Indica'' and ''Ruderalis'', prepared for human consumption. The main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana is [[tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]], or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, an [[organic chemistry|organic chemical]] compound which imitates natural cannabinoids produced in the human body. Because THC is considered harmful, marijuana is generally illegal to possess, cultivate and sell in most countries, although it is legal in some liberal jurisdictions when prescribed as by a physician.<ref>The sale of marijuana is illegal virtually everywhere in the world (other than Uruguay, and as of mid-2018 Canada), and results in long prison sentences in many places. In Portugal, Argentina, California and South Australia, the use (rather than the sale) of small quantities of marijuana is allowed. In only one country in the world, the Netherlands, the sale of marijuana in small quantities is reportedly allowed by law enforcement.</ref> In some extremely liberal jurisdictions, you can even buy it in a vending machine.<ref>E.g. [[Seattle]]</ref> |
| − | In the past two decades, the number of brain tumors has increased by up to 40% in the U.S. and Europe, particularly among men between ages of 20 and 40<ref>http://www.healthandenvironment.org/brain_cancer/peer_reviewed</ref> — the same demographic that is most likely to have smoked pot. However, conclusions based on a review of published biomedical research find that cannabinoid compounds unique to cannabis actually exhibit promising anticancer properties, reducing both tumor size and cancer pain.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Nikan|first=Marjan|last2=Nabavi|first2=Seyed Mohammad|last3=Manayi|first3=Azadeh|date=2016-02-01|title=Ligands for cannabinoid receptors, promising anticancer agents|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26764235|journal=Life Sciences|volume=146|pages=124–130|doi=10.1016/j.lfs.2015.12.053|issn=1879-0631|pmid=26764235}}</ref> | + | In the past two decades, the number of brain tumors has increased by up to 40% in the U.S. and Europe, particularly among men between ages of 20 and 40<ref>http://www.healthandenvironment.org/brain_cancer/peer_reviewed</ref> — the same demographic that is most likely to have smoked pot. However, conclusions based on a review of published biomedical research found that cannabinoid compounds unique to cannabis actually exhibit promising anticancer properties, reducing both tumor size and cancer pain.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Nikan|first=Marjan|last2=Nabavi|first2=Seyed Mohammad|last3=Manayi|first3=Azadeh|date=2016-02-01|title=Ligands for cannabinoid receptors, promising anticancer agents|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26764235|journal=Life Sciences|volume=146|pages=124–130|doi=10.1016/j.lfs.2015.12.053|issn=1879-0631|pmid=26764235}}</ref> |
| | The [[liberal media]] typically downplay or completely ignore the role of marijuana in [[Young mass murderers|mass killings]], horrific accidents, and other types of harm to innocent people victimized by users of the drug. For example, authorities conceal from the public how much marijuana was in the system of "College Weed Dealer" [[Young Mass Murderers|Dzhokhar Tsarnaev]] when he went on his killing rampage.<ref>http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/04/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-dealing-drugs/64529/</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://canadafreepress.com/article/can-marijuana-fuel-jihad|title=Can Marijuana Fuel Jihad?|last=Kincaid|first=Cliff|date=|newspaper=Canada Free Press|access-date=February 17, 2017|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|work=|language=en|via=}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, which has often featured musicians who abuse drugs, put Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on its July 13, 2013 cover. The magazine's article described him as "a dedicated pot smoker" and local dealer who "always had big Tupperware containers of weed in his fridge." <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/jahars-world-20130717|title=Jahar: The Making of a Monster|last=Reitman|first=Janet|date=July 17, 2013|newspaper=Rolling Stone|access-date=February 17, 2017|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|work=|via=}}</ref> | | The [[liberal media]] typically downplay or completely ignore the role of marijuana in [[Young mass murderers|mass killings]], horrific accidents, and other types of harm to innocent people victimized by users of the drug. For example, authorities conceal from the public how much marijuana was in the system of "College Weed Dealer" [[Young Mass Murderers|Dzhokhar Tsarnaev]] when he went on his killing rampage.<ref>http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/04/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-dealing-drugs/64529/</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://canadafreepress.com/article/can-marijuana-fuel-jihad|title=Can Marijuana Fuel Jihad?|last=Kincaid|first=Cliff|date=|newspaper=Canada Free Press|access-date=February 17, 2017|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|work=|language=en|via=}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, which has often featured musicians who abuse drugs, put Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on its July 13, 2013 cover. The magazine's article described him as "a dedicated pot smoker" and local dealer who "always had big Tupperware containers of weed in his fridge." <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/jahars-world-20130717|title=Jahar: The Making of a Monster|last=Reitman|first=Janet|date=July 17, 2013|newspaper=Rolling Stone|access-date=February 17, 2017|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|work=|via=}}</ref> |