( Hemp from Old English hænep see cannabis etymology is the common name for plants of the entire family of Cannabis although the term is often used to refer only to Cannabis strains cultivated for industrial non-drug use.
||||||||||||| Hemp is cultivated virtually everywhere in the world except for the United States and its cultivation in western countries is growing steadily.
| For example Canadian Hempseed exports surged 300% last year.
| China and other eastern countries never prohibited its cultivation and use it extensively.
| Industrial hemp has thousands of potential uses from paper to textiles to biodegradable plastics to health food to fuel but it has not been the great commercial success that the enthusiast hoped for in countries where it is legal to harvest.
| It is one of the fastest growing biomasses on the planet and one of the earliest domesticated plants known.
| It also runs parallel with the Green Future objectives that are becoming increasingly popular.
| Hemp requires little to no pesticides replenishes soil with nutrients and nitrogen controls erosion of the topsoil and produces lots of oxygen considering how fast it grows.
| Furthermore Hemp could be used to replace many potentially harmful products such as tree paper the process of which uses bleaches and other toxic chemicals apart from contributing to deforestation cosmetics which often contain synthetic oils that can clog pores and provide little nutritional content for the skin plastics which are petroleum based and cannot decompose and more.
| Licenses for hemp cultivation are issued in the European Union and Canada.
| In the United Kingdom these licenses are issued by the Home Office under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
| When grown for non-drug purposes hemp is often called industrial hemp and a common product is fiber for use in a wide variety of products.
| Feral hemp or ditch weed is usually a naturalized fiber or oilseed strain of Cannabis that have escaped from cultivation and are self-seeding.
| Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa var.
| sativa is the variety grown for industrial use in Europe Canada and elsewhere while C. sativa subsp. indica generally has poor fiber quality and is primarily used for production of recreational and medicinal drugs.
| A major difference is the amount of ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol THC secreted in a resinous mixture by epidermal hairs called glandular trichomes.
| Strains of Cannabis approved for industrial hemp production in Europe and elsewhere produce only minute amounts of this psychoactive drug.
| Some botanists use a different taxonomic classification to circumscribe the various taxa within the genus Cannabis.
| Hemp is used for a wide variety of purposes including the manufacture of cordage of varying tensile strength clothing and nutritional products.
| The bast fibers can be used in 100% hemp products but are commonly blended with fabrics such as linen cotton or silk for apparel and furnishings most commonly a 5545 HempCotton blend.
| The inner two fibers of hemp are more woody and are more often used in non-woven items and other industrial applications such as mulch animal bedding and litter.
| The oil from the fruits seeds dries on exposure to air similar to linseed oil and is sometimes used in the manufacture of oil-based paints in creams as a moisturising agent for cooking and in plastics.
| Hemp seeds are often added to wild bird seed mix
| In Europe and China hemp fibers are increasingly used to strengthen cement and in other composite materials for many construction and manufacturing applications.
| Hempcrete is used as a construction material containing hemp hurds especially in France.
| Mercedes-Benz uses a biocomposite composed principally of hemp fiber for the manufacture of interior panels in some of its automobiles.
| Hemp seeds are highly nutritious and contain beneficial omega fatty acids amino acids and minerals.
| The seeds can be eaten raw ground into a meal sprouted made into milk akin to soy milk prepared as tea and used in baking.
| The fresh leaves can also be eaten in salads. Products range from cereals to frozen waffles hemp tofu to nut butters.
| A few companies produce value added hemp seed items that include the seed oils whole hemp grain which is sterilized as per international law hulled hemp seed the whole seed without the mineral rich outer shell hemp flour hemp cake a by-product of pressing the seed for oil and hemp protein powder.
| Hemp is also used in some organic cereals for non-dairy milk somewhat similar to soy and nut milks and for non-dairy hemp ice cream.23 Given that seeds account for 50% of the weight of a female plant grown for seed these products can be made cheaper than with soy almonds or flax.
| Within the UK the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Defra treats hemp as purely a non-food crop.
| Seed can and does appear on the UK market as a legal food product although cultivation licenses are not available for this purpose.
| In North America hemp seed food products are sold in small volume typically in health food stores or by mail order.
| 30–35% of the weight of hempseed is oil containing 80% essential fatty acids EFAs linoleic acid LA 50-70% alpha-linolenic acid ALA 15–25% and Gamma-Linolenic acid GLA 1–6%.
| The proportions of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid in hempseed oil meet human requirements for EFAs.
| Unlike flax oil and others hempseed oil can be used continuously without developing a deficiency or other imbalance of EFAs.
| Unfortunately the unsaturated fat makes the oil rancid quickly unless it is stored in dark coloured bottles or mixed with chemical preservatives.
| This makes hemp oil difficult to transport or store.
| The high unsaturated fat content also makes the oil unsuitable for frying.
| This severely limits hemp oils potential on the food market although some marketing potential exists as a nutritional supplement.
| Cold-pressed hempseed oil is nutritionally superior to olive or flax oil and so makes a great alternative in salads smoothies and other non-frying uses. Cooking of any oil reduces its nutritional value and may convert beneficial fatty acids to less benign substances.
| Hemp seed also contains 20% complete and highly-digestible protein 13 as edestin protein and 23 as albumins.
| Its high quality amino acid composition is closer to complete sources of proteins meat milk eggs than all other oil seeds except quinoa and soy.
| The fiber is one of the most valuable parts of the hemp plant.
| It is commonly called bast which refers to the fibers that grow on the outside of the woody interior of the plants stalk and under the most outer part the bark. Bast fibers give the plants more strength which is especially true with the hemp plant.
| Hemp fibers can be 3 feet 0.91 m to 15 feet 4.6 m long running the length of the plant.
| Depending on the processing used to remove the fiber from the stem the hemp naturally may be creamy white brown gray black or green.
| The use of hemp for fiber production has declined sharply over the last two centuries but before the industrial revolution hemp was a popular fiber because it is strong and grows quickly it produces 250% more fiber than cotton and 600% more fiber than flax when grown on the same land.
| Hemp has been used to make paper.
| The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Jefferson on hemp paper.
| It was used to make canvas and the word canvas itself derives from cannabis.
| Hemp was very popular as it had many uses.
| However as other coarse-fiber plants were more widely grown and lobbying by various industries increased hemp fiber was replaced in most roles.
| Manila replaced its use for rope.
| Burlap made from jute took over the sacking market.
| The paper industry began using wood pulp. The carpet industry switched over to wool sisal and jute then nylon.
| Netting and webbing applications were taken over by cotton and synthetics.
| The world hemp paper pulp production was believed to be around 120000 tons per year in 1991 which was about 0.05 % of the worlds annual pulp production volume.
| In 1916 US Department of Agriculture chief scientists Lyster H. Dewe and Jason L. Merrill created paper made from hemp pulp which they concluded was favorable in comparison with those used with pulp wood.
| Jack Herer in the book The Emperor Wears No Clothes summarized the findings of Bulletin No. 404.
| In 1916 USDA Bulletin No. 404 reported that one acre of cannabis hemp in annual rotation over a 20-year period would produce as much pulp for paper as 4.1 acres of trees being cut down over the same 20-year period.
| This process would use only 14 to 17 as much polluting sulfur-based acid chemicals to break down the glue-like lignin that binds the fibers of the pulp or even none at all using soda ash.
| The problem of dioxin contamination of rivers is avoided in the hemp paper making process which does not need to use chlorine bleach as the wood pulp paper making process requires but instead safely substitutes hydrogen peroxide in the bleaching process. … If the new 1916 hemp pulp paper process were legal today it would soon replace about 70% of all wood pulp paper including computer printout paper corrugated boxes and paper bags.
| New technology has allowed for more environmentally-friendly paper production from wood pulp The recovery boiler was invented in the early 1930s.
| The first recovery boilers were commissioned to wood-pulp mills during the mid-1930s.
| ECF Elemental Chlorine Free or TCF Total chlorine Free bleaching better fiber filters etc. has created less of a demand for alternative raw materials.
| Hemp is currently of little significance as raw material for paper however it is still scarcely grown in the developed world.
| The long-term price for pulpwood has been low compared with any alternative except recycled paper.
| More about wood pulp technology in Bleaching of wood pulp.
| The decision of the United States Congress to pass the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act was based in part on testimony derived from articles in newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst who had significant financial interests in the timber industry which manufactured his newsprint.
| The background material also included that from 1880 to 1933 the hemp grown in the United States had declined from 15000 to 1200 acres 4.9 km² and that the price of line hemp had dropped from $12.50 per pound in 1914 to $9.00 per pound in 1933.
| In 1935 however hemp would also make a significant rebound.
| In the wake of this rebound Hearst began a campaign against hemp and published stories in his newspapers associating hemp with marijuana. and attacking marijuana usage.
| As a result of the act the production and use of hemp was discontinued.
| Characteristics of hemp fibre are its superior strength and durability resistance to ultraviolet light and mold comfort and good absorbency 8%.
| Hemp rope is notorious for breaking due to rot as the capillary effect of the rope-woven fibres tended to hold liquid at the interior while seeming dry from the outside.
| Hemp rope used in the age of sailing-ships was protected by tarring a labor-intensive process and also the reason for the Jack Tar nickname for sailors. Hemp rope was phased out when Manila which does not require tarring became available.
| There is a niche market for hemp paper but the cost of hemp pulp is approximately six times that of wood pulp mostly due to the small size and outdated equipment of the few hemp processing plants in the Western world.
| Hemp pulp is bleached with hydrogen peroxide.
| Hydrogen peroxide can also be used for wood pulp.
| Kenaf is another fast-growing plant which can be used as a replacement for wood pulp.
| Kenaf paper has been produced in commercial quantities.
| A modest hemp industry exists. Recent developments in processing have made it possible to soften up coarse fibres to a wearable level.
| Smallholder plots are usually harvested by hand. The plants are cut at 2 to 3 cm above the soil and left on the ground to dry.
| Mechanical harvesting is now common using specially adapted cutter-binders or simpler cutters.
| The cut hemp is laid in swathes to dry for up to four days.
| This was traditionally followed by retting either water retting the bundled hemp floats in water or dew retting the hemp remains on the ground and is affected by the moisture in dew moisture and by molds and bacterial action.
| Modern processes use steam and machinery to separate the fibre a process known as thermo-mechanical pulping.
| Biofuels such as biodiesel and alcohol fuel can be made from the oils in hemp seeds and stalks and the fermentation of the plant as a whole respectively but the energy from hemp is low compared with the volume of the harvested hemp.
| It does however produce more energy per acre per year than corn sugar flax or any other crop currently grown for ethanol or biodiesel.
| Henry Ford grew industrial hemp on his estate after 1937 possibly to prove the cheapness of methanol production at Iron Mountain.
| He made plastic cars with wheat straw hemp and sisal.
| Popular Mechanics Dec. 1941 Pinch Hitters for Defense. In 1892 Rudolph Diesel invented the diesel engine which he intended to fuel by a variety of fuels especially vegetable and seed oils.
| Millennia of selective breeding have resulted in varieties that look quite different.
| Also breeding since circa 1930 has focused quite specifically on producing strains which would perform very poorly as sources of drug material.
| Hemp grown for fibre is planted closely resulting in tall slender plants with long fibres.
| Ideally according to Defra in 2004 the herb should be harvested before it flowers.
| This early cropping is done because fibre quality declines if flowering is allowed and incidentally this cropping also pre-empts the herbs maturity as a potential source of drug material.
| However in these strains of industrial hemp the tetrahydrocannabinol THC content would have been very low regardless.
| The name Cannabis is the genus and was the name favoured by the 19th century medical practitioners who helped to introduce the herbs drug potential to modern English-speaking consciousness.
| Cannabis for non-drug purposes especially ropes and textiles was then already well known as hemp.
| The name marijuana is Spanish in origin and associated almost exclusively with the herbs drug potential.
| That marijuana is now well known in English as a name for drug material is due largely to the efforts of US drug prohibitionists during the 1920s and 1930s.
| A nominal if not legal distinction is often made between hemp with concentrations of the psychoactive chemical THC far too low to be useful as a drug and Cannabis used for medical recreational or spiritual purposes.
| While the fibre has been grown for millennia in Asia and the Middle East commercial production of hemp in the West took off in the eighteenth century.
| Due to colonial and naval expansion of the era economies needed large quantities of hemp for rope and oakum.
| The endless European Wars and ever expanding naval fleets all used the material.
| To this end the young Republic of America became a large hemp producer.
| The Gulf and Carolina states had very large hemp industries.
| In fact the market was second only to cotton fibre.
| Machinery was invented in the United States for producing hemp fibre.
| An unpleasant task performed by prison labour was the manufacture of rope and boat caulking.
| Before the age of nylon rope hemp rope had a short lifetime and was ever in need of replacement.
| In the 19th century it was cultivated by binders.
| The soils most suited to the culture of this plant are those of the deep black putrid vegetable kind that are low and rather inclined to moisture and those of the deep mellow loamy or sandy descriptions.
| The quantity of produce is generally much greater on the former than on the latter but it is said to be greatly inferior in quality.
| It may however be grown with success on lands of a less rich and fertile kind by proper care and attention in their culture and preparation.
| In order to render the grounds proper for the reception of the crop they should be reduced into a fine mellow state of mould and be perfectly cleared from weeds by repeated ploughings.
| When it succeeds grain crops the work is mostly accomplished by three ploughings and as many harrowings the first being given immediately after the preceding crop is removed the second early in the spring and the last or seed earth just before the seed is to be put in.
| In the last ploughing well rotted manure in the proportion of fifteen or twenty or good compost in the quantity of twenty-five or thirty-three horse-cart loads should be turned into the land as without this it is seldom that good crops can be produced.
| The surface of the ground being left perfectly flat and as free from furrows as possible as by these means the moisture is more effectually retained and the growth of the plants more fully promoted.
| It is of much importance in the cultivation of hemp crops that the seed be new and of a good quality which may in some measure be known by its feeling heavy in the hand and being of a bright shining color.
| The proportion of seed that is most commonly employed is from two to three bushels per acre according to the quality of the land but as the crops are greatly injured by the plants standing too closely together two bushels or two bushels and a half may be a more advantageous quantity.
| As the hemp plant is extremely tender in its early growth care should be taken not to put the seed into the ground at so early a period as that it may be liable to be injured by the effects of frost nor to protract the sowing to so late a season as that the quality of the produce may be effected.
| The best season on the drier sorts of land in the southern districts is as soon as possible after the frosts are over in April and on the same descriptions of soil in the more northern ones towards the close of the same month or early in the ensuing one.
| The most general method of putting crops of this sort into the soil is the broadcast the seed being dispersed over the surface of the land in as even a manner as possible and afterwards covered in by means of a very light harrowing.
| In many cases however especially when the crops are to stand for seed the drill method in rows at small distances might be had recourse to with advantage as in this way the early growth of the plants would be more effectually promoted and the land be kept in a more clean and perfect state of mould which are circumstances of importance in such crops.
| In whatever method the seed is put in care must constantly be taken to keep the birds from it for some time afterwards.
| This sort of crop is frequently cultivated on the same piece of ground for a great number of years without any other kind intervening but in such cases manure must be applied with almost every crop in pretty large proportions to prevent the exhaustion that must otherwise take place.
| It may be sown after most sorts of grain crops especially where the land possesses sufficient fertility and is in a proper state of tillage.
| As hemp from its tall growth and thick foliage soon covers the surface of the land and prevents the rising of weeds little attention is necessary after the seed has been put into the ground especially where the broadcast method of sowing is practised but when put in by the drill machine a hoeing or two may be had recourse to with advantage in the early growth of the crop.
| In the culture of this plant it is particularly necessary that the same piece of land grows both male and female or what is sometimes denominated simple hemp. The latter kind contains the seed.
| When the grain is ripe which is known by its becoming of a whitish-yellow color and a few of the leaves beginning to drop from the stems this happens commonly about thirteen or fourteen weeks from the period of its being sown according as the season may be dry or wet the first sort being mostly ripe some weeks before the latter the next operation is that of taking it from the ground which is effected by pulling it up by the roots in small parcels at a time by the hand taking care to shake off the mould well from them before the handsful are laid down.
| In some districts the whole crop is pulled together without any distinction being made between the different kinds of hemp while in others it is the practice to separate and pull them at different times according to their ripeness.
| The latter is obviously the better practice as by pulling a large proportion of the crop before it is in a proper state of maturity the quantity of produce must not only be considerably lessened but its quality greatly injured by being rendered less durable.
| After being thus pulled it is tied up in small parcels or what are sometimes termed baits.
| Where crops of this kind are intended for seeding they should be suffered to stand till the seed becomes in a perfect state of maturity which is easily known by the appearance of it on inspection.
| The stems are then pulled and bound up as in the other case the bundles being set up in the same manner as grain until the seed becomes so dry and firm as to shed freely.
| It is then either immediately threshed out upon large cloths for the purpose in the field or taken home to have the operation afterwards performed.
| The hemp as soon as pulled is tied up in small bundles frequently at both ends.
| It is then conveyed to pits or ponds of stagnant water about six or eight feet in depth such as have a clayey soil being in general preferred and deposited in beds according to their size and depth the small bundles being laid both in a straight direction and crosswise of each other so as to bind perfectly together the whole being loaded with timber or other materials so as to keep the beds of hemp just below the surface of the water.
| It is not usual to water more than four or five times in the same pit until it has been filled with water.
| Where the ponds are not sufficiently large to contain the whole of the produce at once it is the practice to pull the hemp only as it can be admitted into them it being thought disadvantageous to leave the hemp upon the ground after being pulled.
| It is left in these pits four five or six days or even more according to the warmth of the season and the judgment of the operator on his examining whether the hempy material readily separates from the reed or stem and then taken up and conveyed to a pasture field which is clean and even the bundles being loosened and spread out thinly stem by stem turning it every second or third day especially in damp weather to prevent its being injured by worms or other insects.
| It should remain in this situation for two three four or more weeks according to circumstances and be then collected together when in a perfectly dry state tied up into large bundles and placed in some secure building until an opportunity is afforded for breaking it in order to separate the hemp.
| By this means the process of grassing is not only shortened but the more expensive ones of breaking scutching and bleaching the yarn rendered less violent and troublesome.
| After the hemp has been removed from the field it is in a state to be broken and swingled operations that are mostly performed by common laborers by means of machinery for the purpose the produce being tied up in stones.
| The refuse collected in the latter process is denominated sheaves and is in some districts employed for the purposes of fuel.
| After having undergone these different operations it is ready for the purposes of the manufacturer.
| Hemp use dates back to the Stone Age with hemp fibre imprints found in pottery shards in China and Taiwan over 10000 years old.
| These ancient Asians also used the same fibres to make clothes shoes ropes and an early form of paper.
| Hemp cloth was more common than linen until the mid 14th century.
| The use of hemp as a cloth was centered largely in the countryside with higher quality textiles being available in the towns.
| Virtually every small town had access to a hemp field.
| In late medieval Germany and Italy hemp was employed in cooked dishes as filing in pies and tortes or boiled in a soup.
| The traditional European hemp was by tradition and due to its low narcotic effect not used as a drug in Europe.
| It was cultivated for its fibers and for example used by Christopher Columbus for ropes on his ships.
| In the Napoleonic era many military uniforms were made of hemp.
| While hemp linens were coarser than those made of flax the added strength and durability of hemp as well as the lower cost meant that hemp uniforms were preferred.
| Hemp was used extensively by the United States during WWII. Uniforms canvas and rope were among the main textiles created from the hemp plant at this time. Much of the hemp used was planted in the Midwest and Kentucky.
| Historically hemp production made up a significant portion of Kentuckys economy and many slave plantations located there focused on producing hemp.
| By the early twentieth century the advent of the steam engine and the diesel engine ended the reign of the sailing ship.
| The advent of iron and steel for cable and ships hulls further eliminated natural fibers in marine use although hemp had long since fallen out of favour in the sailing industry in preference to Manila hemp.
| The invention of artificial fibers in the late thirties by DuPont further put strain on the market.
| From the 1950s to the 1980s the Soviet Union was the worlds largest producer 3000 km² in 1970.
| The main production areas were in Ukraine32 the Kursk and Orel regions of Russia and near the Polish border.
| Since its inception in 1931 the Hemp Breeding Department at the Institute of Bast Crops Russian ??????-????????????????? ???????? ??????? ??????? in Hlukhiv Glukhov Ukraine has been one of the worlds largest centers for developing new hemp varieties focusing on improving fiber quality per-hectare yields and low THC content.
| Other important producing countries were China North Korea Hungary the former Yugoslavia Romania Poland France and Italy.
| In Japan hemp was historically used as paper and a fiber crop it was restricted as a narcotic drug in 1948.
| The ban on marijuana imposed by the US authorities was alien to Japanese culture as the drug had never been widely used in Japan before.
| There is archaeological evidence that cannabis was used for clothing and the seeds were eaten in Japan right back to the J?mon period 10000 to 300 BCE. Many Kimono designs portray hemp or Asa Japanese ? as a beautiful plant.
| France 8000ha cultivated is Europes biggest producer. Canada 2500 hectares in 2004 the United Kingdom and Germany all resumed commercial production in the 1990s.
| British production is mostly used as bedding for horses other uses are under development.
| The largest outlet for German fibre is composite automotive panels.
| Companies in Canada UK US and Germany among many others process hemp seed into a growing range of food products and cosmetics many traditional growing countries still continue to produce textile grade fibre.
| Hemp is illegal to freely grow in the US and several other countries because the plant is related to marijuana.
| In such countries hemp is imported from China and the Philippines.
| The US is the only industrialized country where hemp is illegal to grow.
| Hemp advocates foresee a bright future for hemp. As mentioned earlier as a health food hemp has become increasingly popular in America and abroad.
| Canada has been increasing its crop and exports although Canada only grows hemp for seed and oil not fiber.
| The real future for hemp remains under the surface and prices remain too high for any significant consumer use.
| Hemp laws are being passed around the United States in states such as Kentucky Vermont and North Dakota.
| Pro-hemp laws have been passed in a dozen states five in North Dakota ND alone.
| Under the new ND law farmers no longer need permission from the DEA to grow industrial hemp which now is distinguished from marijuana.
| ND was very close to its first growing season but the DEA delayed the applications too late to begin the season.
| The bright future exists in the environmental merit of hemp.
| Hemp is sold alongside organic cotton for clothes and is becoming popular as environmental awareness becomes more prevalent.
| Hemp has been written about in newspapers and magazines across the country though few people know about hemp and its various benefits and uses.
| Hemp Plastic is a new technology based on 20-100% hemp fiber-based plastics that can be molded or injection molded.
| Demand for fiber-reinforced composites and other natural plastics could become more popular as oil prices rise and environmental awareness increases.
| The increased demand for health food has stimulated the trade of shelled hemp seed hemp protein powder and hemp oil as well as finished and ready-to-eat food products waffles granola bars ice cream and milk for example using these derivatives as ingredients.
| The use of hemp oil in the manufacture of body care products has also increased.
| Hemp contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol THC which is the psychoactive ingredient found in hashish and marijuana.
| While THC is present in all Cannabis plant varieties to some extent industrial Hemp does not contain an amount to produce any intoxicating effect even in significant quantities.
| In varieties grown for use as a drug where males are removed in order to prevent fertilization THC levels can reach as high as 20-30% in the unfertilized females which are given ample room to flower.
| In hemp varieties grown for seed or fibre use the plants are grown very closely together and a very dense biomass product is obtained rich in oil from the seeds and fibre from the stalks and low in THC content.
| EU and Canadian regulations limit THC content to 0.3% in industrial hemp.
| On October 9 2001 the US Drug Enforcement Administration DEA ruled that even traces of THC in products intended for food use would be illegal as of February 6 2002.
| This Interpretive Rule would have ruled out the production or use of hempseed or hempseed oil in food use in the USA but after the Hemp Industries Association HIA filed suit the rule was stayed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on March 7 2002.
| On March 21 2003 the DEA issued a nearly identical Final Rule which was also stayed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on April 16 2003.
| On February 6 2004 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a unanimous decision in favor of the HIA in which Judge Betty Fletcher wrote
| They DEA cannot regulate naturally-occurring THC not contained within or derived from marijuana-i.e. non-psychoactive hemp is not included in Schedule I. The DEA has no authority to regulate drugs that are not scheduled and it has not followed procedures required to schedule a substance.
| The DEAs definition of THC contravenes the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress in the Controlled Substances Act CSA and cannot be upheld.
| On September 28 2004 the HIA claimed victory after DEA declined to appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States the ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals protecting the sale of hemp-containing foods.
| Industrial hemp remains legal for import and sale in the U.S. but U.S. farmers still are not permitted to grow it.
| Strong opposition to trace amounts of THC a chemical shown by scientific research to be less addictive and less harmful than nicotine or alcohol leads some of its critics like Jack Herer in The Emperor Wears No Clothes to charge ulterior motives such as protection of the synthetic-fibre wood pulp petrochemical and pharmochemical industries.
| The US governments position has not been completely constant as shown by the wide-spread cultivation of industrial hemp in Kentucky and Wisconsin during World War II.
| Critics of the HIA however argue that the necessities of the war and the unavailability of adequate synthetic substitutes outweighed the social health and public safety risks of producing hemp.
| The presence of THC in hemp varieties and the fear that fields with hemp can hide cultivation of cannabis with more THC has hampered the development of hemp in many countries most notably the United States.
| However this has been proven as a fallacy by marijuana growers and botanists alike.
| Regulations in certain countries in EU demand approved variety of the seed and registration of the field in advance every year.
| Marijuana is often female only and kept completely isolated from any males to keep the THC production up and seed production low.
| There are specially developed strains that require a very specific growing operation and there is much care put into increasing THC production.
| Hiding marijuana in a hemp field would create a variety of problems.
| One is the dense hemp would most likely choke out the marijuana taking valuable and necessary nutrients and sunlight that the marijuana needs to produce THC.
| Even more the male hemp plants would fertilize the marijuana plants which would have several side effects.
| First the marijuana would produce seeds quickly lowering its value. Energy growing seeds quickly diminishes THC content.
| More importantly the fertilization essentially crossbreeds the Hemp and marijuana only in the THC potent Females.
| While the Hemp will not produce any more THC the marijuana once tainted by the Hemp will produce significantly less THC depending on how long and how close the contact is with the Hemp.
| If marijuana was successfully hidden and grown in a hemp field the resulting plant matter would be of very little street value.
| It would be full of seeds and stems because of fertilization be malnourshed because Hemp like a strong weed sucks up nutrients and grows taller taking the available sun and above all have a very low THC content making it undesirable to even the indiscriminate marijuana users.
| There is a consensus between experts and marijuana growers alike the risk to reward ratio is so far out of proportion for it to even be considered.
| Tetrahydrocannabinol also known as THC ?9-THC ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol ?1-tetrahydrocannabinol using an older numbering scheme or dronabinol is the main psychoactive substance found in the Cannabis plant.
| It was isolated by Raphael Mechoulam Yechiel Gaoni and Habib Edery from the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot Israel in 1964.
| In pure form it is a glassy solid when cold and becomes viscous and sticky if warmed.
| An aromatic terpenoid THC has a very low solubility in water but good solubility in most organic solvents such as butane or hexane.
| As is the case with nicotine and caffeine the role of THC in Cannabis it seems is to protect the plant from herbivores or pathogens.
| THC also possesses high UV-B 280-315 nm absorption properties protecting the plant from harmful radiation.
| The pharmacological actions of THC result from its binding to the cannabinoid receptor CB1 located in the brain.
| The presence of these specialized receptors in the brain implied to researchers that endogenous cannabinoids are manufactured by the body so the search began for a substance normally manufactured in the brain that binds to these receptors the so-called natural ligand or agonist leading to the eventual discovery of anandamide 2-arachidonyl glyceride 2-AG and other related compounds.
| This story resembles the discovery of the endogenous opiates endorphins enkephalins and dynorphin after the realization that morphine and other opiates bind to specific receptors in the brain.
| In addition it has been shown that cannabinoids through an unknown mechanism activate endogenous opioid pathways via the ?1 opioid receptor precipitating a dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens.
| The effects of the drug can be suppressed by the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist rimonabant SR141716A or interesting to note the opioid receptor antagonists opioid blockers naloxone and naloxonazine.
| The mechanism of endocannabinoid synaptic transmission is understood by the following events An excitatory transmission of the neurotransmitter glutamate causes an influx of calcium ions into the post-synaptic neuron.
| Through a mechanism not yet fully understood the presence of calcium post-synaptically induces the production of endocannabinoids in the post-synaptic neuron.
| These endocannabinoids such as anandamide are released into the synaptic cleft.
| Once in the synaptic cleft binding occurs at cannabinoid receptors present in pre-synaptic neurons where they can then modulate neurotransmission pre-synaptically.
| This form of neurotransmission is termed retrograde transmission as the signal is carried in the opposite direction of orthodox propagation it provides an interesting insight into neurotransmission which previously was thought to be exclusively one way.
| THC has analgesic effects that even at low doses cause a high thus leading to the fact that medical cannabis can be used to treat pain.
| The mechanism for analgesic effects caused directly by THC or other cannabinoid agonists is not fully elucidated.
| Other effects include relaxation euphoria altered space-time perception alteration of visual auditory and olfactory senses disorientation fatigue and appetite stimulation related to CB1 receptor activity in the central nervous system.
| The mechanism for appetite stimulation in subjects is somewhat understood and explained through a gastro-hypothalamic axis.
| CB1 activity in the hunger centers in the hypothalamus increases the palatability of food when levels of a hunger hormone ghrelin increase as food enters the stomach.
| After chyme is passed into the duodenum signaling hormones such as cholecystokinin and leptin are released causing reduction in gastric emptying and transmission of satiety signals to the hypothalamus respectively.
| Cannabinoid activity is reduced through the satiety signals induced by leptin release.
| It also has anti-emetic properties and also may reduce aggression in certain subjects.
| THC has an active metabolite 11-Hydroxy-THC which may also play a role in the analgesic and recreational effects of the herb.
| According to the Merck Index 12th edition THC has a LD50 value of 1270 mgkg male rats and 730 mgkg female rats administered orally dissolved in sesame oil.
| If this were scaled up to an adult human the LD50 would be between approximately 86 g and 50 g for a 68-kg 150-lb male or female person respectively.
| This would be equivalent to 1-1.8 kg of cannabis with a 5% THC content roughly average taken orally.
| The LD50 value for rats by inhalation of THC is 42 mgkg of body weight. It is important to note however that toxicity in animal models does not necessarily correlate to human toxicity.
| THC receptor distribution in the rat central nervous system is different from that of humans meaning that there is the significant possibility that toxicity in humans varies from the published animal LD50 studies.
| There has never been a documented fatality from marijuana or THC overdose.
| Absorption is limited by serum lipids which can become saturated with THC thus the inherent solubility may mitigate toxicity.
| In order to create a lethal overdose in a human one would have to consume 1500 pounds in under 15 minutes
| Studies of the distribution of the cannabinoid receptors in the brain explain why THCs toxicity is so low i.e. the LD50 of the compound is so large Parts of the brain that control vital functions such as respiration do not have many receptors so they are relatively unaffected even by doses larger than could ever be ingested under any normal conditions.
| A number of studies indicate that THC may provide medical benefits for cancer and AIDS patients by increasing appetite and decreasing nausea.
| It has been shown to assist some glaucoma patients by reducing pressure within the eye and is used in the form of cannabis by a number of multiple sclerosis patients to relieve the spasms and pain associated with their condition.
| New scientific evidence is showing that THC can prevent Alzheimers Disease in an animal model by preventing the inflammation caused by microglia cells which are activated by binding of amyloid protein.
| Some studies also claim a variety of negative effects associated with constant long-term use including short-term memory loss.
| Other studies have refuted this by evidence of MRIs of long term users showing little or no difference to MRIs of the non-using control group.
| Although using positron emission tomography PET at least one study claims to have observed altered memory-related brain function in marijuana users.
| The long-term effects of THC on humans have been disputed because its status as an illegal drug makes research difficult.
| Preliminary research on synthetic THC has been conducted on patients with Tourette syndrome with results suggesting that it may help in reducing nervous tics and urges by a significant degree.
| Animal studies suggested that Marinol and nicotine could be used as an effective adjunct to neuroleptic drugs in treating TS.
| Research on twelve patients showed that Marinol reduced tics with no significant adverse effects.
| A six-week controlled study on 24 patients showed the patients taking Marinol had a significant reduction in tic severity without serious adverse effects. Seven patients dropped out or had to be excluded from the study one due to adverse side-effects.
| More significant reduction in tic severity was reported with longer treatment.
| No detrimental effects on cognitive functioning and a trend towards improvement in cognitive functioning were reported during and after treatment.
| Marinols usefulness as a treatment for TS cannot be determined untilunless longer controlled studies on larger samples are undertaken.
| Recent research has shown that many adverse side-effects generally known as the stoner stereotype fail to hold up to the scientific method.
| Recent studies with synthetic cannabinoids show that activation of CB1 receptors can facilitate neurogeneration as well as neuroprotection and can even help prevent natural neural degradation from neurodegenerative diseases such as MS Parkinsons and Alzheimers however neurogeneration has occurred only in rats due to the introduction of an optical isomer of THC and not THC itself.
| This along with research into the CB2 receptor throughout the immune system has given the case for medical marijuana more support.
| In in-vitro experiments THC at extremely high concentrations which could not be reached with commonly-consumed doses caused inhibition of plaque formation the cause of Alzheimers disease better than currently-approved drugs.
| THC may also be an effective anti-cancer treatment with studies showing tumor reduction in mice conducted in 1975 and 2007.
| On July 28 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.
| Recent research has also shown a correlation between cannabis use and increased cognitive function in schizophrenic patients.
| A two-year study in which rats and mice were force-fed tetrahydrocannabinol dissolved in corn oil showed reduced body mass enhanced survival rates and decreased tumor incidences in several sites mainly organs under hormonal control.
| It also caused testicular atrophy and uterine and ovarian hypoplasia as well as hyperactivity and convulsions immediately after administration.
| A recent study has shown THC in moderate doses can lower chances of heart disease by 25%.
| In mice low doses of ?9-THC reduce the progression of atherosclerosis.
| In the cannabis plant THC occurs mainly as tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid THC-COOH.
| The enzymatic condensation of geranyl pyrophosphate and olivetolic acid gives cannabigerolic acid which is cyclized by the enzyme THC acid synthase to give THC-COOH.
| Heating decarboxylates the acid to THC.
| THC is mainly metabolized to 11-OH-THC 11-hydroxy-THC by the human body.
| This metabolite is still psychoactive and is further oxidized to 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC THC-COOH.
| In humans and animals more than 100 metabolites could be identified but 11-OH-THC and THC-COOH are the dominating metabolites.
| Metabolism mainly occurs in the liver by cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP2C9 CYP2C19 and CYP3A4.
| More than 55% of THC are excreted in the feces and ~20% in the urine.
| The main metabolite in urine is the ester of glucuronic acid and THC-COOH and free THC-COOH.
| In the feces mainly 11-OH-THC was detected.
| Synthetic THC also known under the substance name dronabinol is available as a prescription drug under the trade name Marinol in several countries including the U.S. and Germany.
| In the United States Marinol is a Schedule III drug available by prescription considered to be non-narcotic and to have a low risk of physical or mental dependence.
| Efforts to get cannabis rescheduled as analogous to Marinol have not succeeded thus far though a 2002 petition has been accepted by the DEA.
| As a result of the rescheduling of Marinol from Schedule II to Schedule III refills are now permitted for this substance.
| Marinol has been approved by the FDA in the treatment of anorexia in AIDS patients as well as for refractory nausea and vomiting of patients undergoing chemotherapy.
| An analog of dronabinol nabilone is available commercially in Canada under the trade name Cesamet manufactured by Valeant.
| Cesamet has also received FDA approval and has began marketing in the U.S. as of 2006 and is a Schedule II drug.
| In April 2005 Canadian authorities approved the marketing of Sativex a mouth spray for multiple sclerosis to alleviate pain.
| Sativex contains tetrahydrocannabinol together with cannabidiol.
| It is marketed in Canada by GW Pharmaceuticals being the first cannabis-based prescription drug in the world.
| Cannabis also known as marijuana1 or ganja from HindiSanskrit ????? g?nj? is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa.
| The herbal form of the drug consists of dried mature flowers and subtending leaves of pistillate female plants.
| The resinous form known as hashish consists primarily of glandular trichomes collected from the same plant material.
| The major biologically active chemical compound in cannabis is ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol commonly referred to as THC.
| Humans have been consuming cannabis since prehistory although in the 20th century there was a rise in its use for recreational religious or spiritual and medicinal purposes.
| It is estimated that about four percent of the worlds adult population use cannabis annually and 0.6 percent daily.
| The possession use or sale of psychoactive cannabis products became illegal in most parts of the world in the early 20th century.
| Since then some countries have intensified the enforcement of cannabis prohibition while others have reduced the priority of enforcement.
| 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.
| The most famous users of cannabis were the ancient Hindus of India and Nepal.
| The herb was called ganjika in Sanskrit ?????????? ganja in modern Indic languages.
| The ancient drug soma mentioned in the Vedas as a sacred intoxicating hallucinogen was sometimes associated with cannabis.
| Cannabis was also known to the Assyrians who discovered its psychoactive properties through the Aryans.
| Using it in some religious ceremonies they called it qunubu meaning way to produce smoke a probable origin of the modern word Cannabis.
| Cannabis was also introduced by the Aryans to the Scythians and ThraciansDacians whose shamans the kapnobatai—“those who walk on smokeclouds” burned cannabis flowers to induce a state of trance.
| 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 2500- to 2800-year-old mummified shaman in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.
| Cannabis has an ancient history of ritual use and is found in pharmacological cults 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.
| Some historians and etymologists have claimed that cannabis was used as a religious sacrament by ancient Jews and early Christians.
| It was also used by Muslims in various Sufi orders as early as the Mamluk period for example by the Qalandars.
| In India and Nepal it has been used by some of the wandering spiritual sadhus for centuries and in modern times the Rastafari movement has embraced it as a sacrament.
| 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.
| Like the Rastafari some modern Gnostic Christian sects have asserted that cannabis is the Tree of Life.
| Other organized religions founded in the past century that treat cannabis as a sacrament are the THC Ministry the Way of Infinite Harmony Cantheism the Cannabis Assembly and the Church of Cognizance.
| The production of cannabis for drug use remains illegal throughout most of the world through for ex.
| International Opium Convention of 1925 the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 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.
| A synthetic form of one chemical in marijuana Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol THC is a controversial treatment for medical use.
| The American Marijuana Policy Project a pro-cannabis organization claims 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.
| The FDA and comparable authorities in Western Europe including the Netherlands have not approved smoked marijuana for any condition or disease.
| The current view of the United States Food and Drug Administration is that if there is any future of marijuana as a medicine it lies in its isolated components the cannabinoids and their synthetic derivatives.
| A synthetic version of the cannabinoid THC named Dronabinol has been shown to relieve symptoms of anorexia and reduce agitation in elderly Alzheimers patients.
| Dronabinol has been approved for use with anorexia in patients with HIVAIDS and chemotherapy-related nausea.
| 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 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.
| 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 receptors can reduce IOP in glaucoma patients who have failed other therapies.
| 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.
| It is also reported to be beneficial for treating certain neurological illnesses such as epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
| Case reports have found that cannabis can relieve tics in people with obsessive compulsive disorder and 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.
| Some decrease in obsessive-compulsive behavior was also found.
| A recent study has also concluded that cannabinoids found in cannabis might have the ability to prevent Alzheimers disease.
| THC has been shown to reduce arterial blockages.
| Another use for medical marijuana is movement disorders.
| Marijuana is frequently reported to reduce the muscle spasms 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.
| Marijuana numbs the nervous system slightly possibly preventing 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.
| 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 when delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol was discovered and understood.
| However potent seedless marijuana such as Thai sticks were already available at that time.
| In fact the sinsemilla technique of producing high-potency marijuana has been practiced in India for centuriescitation needed.
| Sinsemilla Spanish for without seed is the dried seedless inflorescences of female cannabis plants.
| Because 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 hydroponics cloning high-intensity artificial lighting and 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.
| 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 coffeehouses in the Netherlands is about 18–19%.40
| 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.
| In proposed revisions to cannabis rescheduling in the UK the government is considering scheduling the more potent cannabis material as a separate more restricted substance.
| A Dutch double-blind randomized placebo-controlled cross-over study examining male volunteers aged 18–45 years with a self-reported history of regular cannabis use concluded that smoking of cannabis with high THC levels marijuana with 9–23% THC as currently sold in coffee shops in the Netherlands may lead to higher THC blood-serum concentrations.
| This is reflected by an increase of the occurrence of impaired psychomotor skills particularly among younger or inexperienced cannabis smokers who do not adapt their smoking-style to the higher THC content.
| High THC concentrations in cannabis 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.
| It was also observed during the study that the effects from a single joint lasted for more than eight hours.
| Reaction times were remained impaired five hours after smoking when the THC serum concentrations were significantly reduced but still present.
| When subjects smoke on several occasions per day accumulation of THC in blood-serum may occur.
| Another study showed that consumption of 15 mg of Delta9-THC resulted in no learning whatsoever occurring over a three-trial selective reminding task after two hours.
| In several tasks delta9-THC increased both speed and error rates reflecting “riskier” speed–accuracy trade-offs.
| Since the beginning of the 20th century most countries have enacted laws against the cultivation possession or transfer of cannabis for recreational use. These laws have impacted adversely on the cannabis plants 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 traffic the drug on the black market.
| There are also changes in a more restrictive direction such as the closing of coffee shops in the Netherlands the closing of the open drug market in Christiania Copenhagen the Gonzales v. Raich rule in 2005 that the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution allow the federal government to ban the use of marijuana including medical use anywhere in the United States.
| Some jurisdictions use free voluntary treatment programs andor mandatory treatment programs for frequent known users.
| Simple possession can carry long prison terms in some countries particularly in East Asia where the sale of cannabis may lead to a sentence of life in prison or even execution.
| Cannabis has 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 which in practical terms is a varying amount dependent upon potency.
| A related compound ?9-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.
| While cannabis is associated with certain health risks it is nearly impossible to overdose from the consumption of cannabis.
| A recent study by the Canadian government found cannabis contained more toxic substances than tobacco smoke.
| The study determined that marijuana smoke contained 20 times more ammonia and five times more hydrogen cyanide and nitrous oxides 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.
| These researchers postulated that the THC present may have a protective effect by causing aging cells to die before they become cancerous.
| Other recent research suggest the cannabinoid CBD may stop certain cancers from spreading although not in concentrations consumed during smoking.
| In contrast a study published in the January 2008 edition of the journal Respirology found that regular cannabis smokers who developed bullous lung disease did so on average 24 years sooner than tobacco smoking counterparts.
| 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.
| In general habitual inhalation of any kind of smoke is detrimental to lung health.
| Cannabis use has been linked to exacerbating the effects of psychosis schizophrenia bronchitis and emphysema by several peer-reviewed studies for those who are vulnerable to such illnesses based on personal or family history.
| 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.
| 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.
| While the long term and heavy use of cannabis is not linked to the severe or grossly debilitating cerebral effects associated with chronic heavy alcohol abuse it has been linked to more subtle impairment associated with memory attention and cognitive function.
| Since its origin in the 1950s the gateway drug hypothesis has been one of the central pillars of cannabis drug policy in the United States.
| The argument is that people upon trying cannabis for the first time and not finding it dangerous are then tempted to try other harder drugs.
| There is also a gateway theory in a broaderdifferent sense that a policy with liberal drug laws and permissive ideology in relation to the use of drugs like neglecting smaller amounts for personal use create a risk for a culture that includes other drugs drug use and drug addiction is a learned behavior Bejerot 58 etc..
| This Gateway drug theory of cause and effect has been debated.
| 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 doesnt 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.
| An example from 2007 A stratified random sample of 1943 adolescents was recruited from secondary schools across 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.
| 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.
| 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 bec

Comments are closed.