The Chemistry of Marijuana
The active substance in marijuana that produces its mind-altering effects is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The amount of THC varies greatly depending on the genetic type of the plant, the part of the plant involved (for example, the leaves or the flowers), and whether the plant is young or old. Plants used for hemp fibers, such as those that grow wild in the U.S. Midwest, contain no THC or only very small traces. Other plants, such as sensemilla, have a high THC content.
Who Uses Marijuana?
After caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, marijuana is probably the most widely used drug in the world. It is estimated that between 200 and 300 million people use cannabis in one way or another. In the United States alone, according to the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, about 86 million people report having used marijuana at some time in their lives, and about 18 million report using it in the past year. The number of regular users in the United States may be around 10 million. In 2001, 49 percent of all 12th graders and 40 percent of 10th graders reported having used marijuana at least once; 37 percent of 12th graders reported having used it within the past year.
This is a free page. This page contains 191 words. This
article contains 2,290 words (approx. 8 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Article with our Marijuana Access Pass.
