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chapter 1 Marijuana in the Past Century Understanding Cannabis, Marijuana, and Hemp Cannabis is the common name for Cannabis sativa , a green, leafy plant that is also known as hemp . Marijuana refers to the dried flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds of the cannabis plant. Cannabis is an annual herb with leafy, erect stems, elongated leaves in clusters of three to seven, and pistillate flowers that spike from its branches.

The term“cannabis” refers to both the marijuana plant and hemp, but the two plants are different. The flowers of the marijuana plant (which are also known as buds) contain a natural chemical compound called tetrahydrocannabinol

(THC), which produces a feeling of euphoria and a psychoactive reaction (or “high”) when eaten or smoked. Marijuana can also refer to other products of the psychoactive cannabis plant, including extracts, oils, and concentrates. (In this textbook, both plants are referred to as “cannabis,” except where the terms “mari- huana,”“hemp,” or “marijuana” are historically accurate or necessary.) Hemp seed oil can be used to make non-toxic diesel fuel.

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