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Marijuana, common name for a drug comprising the leaves and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant Cannabis sativa (see Cannabis). Marijuana is smoked or eaten for its hallucinogenic and intoxicating effects. The active ingredient of marijuana, known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is concentrated in the flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant. Marijuana is known by a number of slang names, including pot, grass, reefer, weed, and Mary Jane.
Most countries consider marijuana an illegal substance, but individual countries vary on how they prosecute the use and possession of marijuana. Some countries only impose small fines, while others impose harsher punishment, including imprisonment. Although marijuana has not been proven physically addicting and no physical withdrawal symptoms occur when use is discontinued, psychological dependence can develop with consistent, long-term use.
Known in Central Asia and China as early as 3000 BC, marijuana has long been used as both a medicine and an intoxicant. It gained widespread use in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, becoming the second most popular drug after alcohol.
Many users describe two phases of marijuana intoxication: initial stimulation, which includes giddiness and euphoria, followed by sedation and pleasant tranquility. Mood changes are often accompanied by altered perceptions of time and space. Thinking processes become disrupted by fragmentary ideas and memories. Many users report increased appetite, heightened sensory awareness, and feelings of pleasure.
Negative effects of marijuana use can include confusion, acute panic reactions, anxiety attacks, fear, a sense of helplessness, and loss of self-control. Chronic marijuana users may develop an amotivational syndrome characterized by passivity, decreased motivation, and preoccupation with taking drugs. Like alcohol intoxication, marijuana intoxication impairs judgment, comprehension, memory, speech, problem-solving ability, and reaction time. The effects of long-term marijuana use on the intellect have not been established, and there is no evidence that marijuana induces or causes brain damage.
Marijuana may be effective in combating the unpleasant or painful symptoms associated with certain medical conditions, although clinical studies provide conflicting evidence about the drug's medicinal properties. Some people find that marijuana can improve appetite and prevent the severe weight loss associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Others find that marijuana lessens eye pressure in people with glaucoma. It may also reduce the nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Many people who suffer from these and other chronic diseases report that marijuana provides symptom relief when all other medications fail.