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CHAPTER

INTRODUCTION TO MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Marijuana is an herbal drug made of leaves and flowers from the plant Cannabis sativa . Some people may refer to marijuana by its nicknames, which include “pot,” “weed,” or “grass.” Cannabis is dioecious, meaning it comes as separate male and female plants. The active ingredient in marijuana, which produces the drug’s psychoactive effects, is

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known as tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC . This compound is found in all parts of the plant, but the most concentrated form is found in resin from the flowering female plant. Although federal laws make recreational use of marijuana illegal in the United States, in recent years the drug has become more socially acceptable. Despite the federal prohibitions, dozens of states have passed laws allowing the drug to be used to treat certain health conditions. A few, such as Colorado and Washington, have even legalized the recreational sale and use of marijuana. Marijuana could possibly become a completely legal substance, similar to alcohol and tobacco, at some time in the future, although a heated debate rages over the benefits to society of legalizing the drug.

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