LibGuides: Cannabis Industry: Home

What is Cannabis?

Cannabis - Britannica
cannabis, (genus Cannabis), genus of medicinal, recreational, and fibre plants belonging to the family Cannabaceae. By some classifications, the genus Cannabis comprises a single species, hemp (Cannabis sativa), a stout, aromatic, erect annual herb that originated in Central Asia and is now cultivated worldwide. A tall canelike variety is raised for the production of hemp fibre, while the female plants of a short branchier variety are prized as the more abundant source of the psychoactive substance tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient of marijuana. See also medical cannabis.

CQ Researcher

Marijuana Legalization - Will the industry continue to grow?
In the Nov. 3 general election, voters in five states approved ballot initiatives legalizing marijuana use. And some state legislatures passed legalization laws this year. But other legalization efforts stalled when legislatures cut sessions short because of the coronavirus pandemic. A legalization effort also stalled in Congress, when some Democratic representatives balked at taking up a pro-drug bill before a second pandemic-relief measure could be passed. But after the November election, the House passed legislation to remove marijuana from the federal schedule of controlled substances. The pandemic also derailed some ballot initiatives after organizers decided it was too risky to seek signatures on petitions. The pandemic-caused recession led some state officials to propose legalization and taxation as a way to replenish depleted government treasuries. Already-booming marijuana sales soared after the pandemic struck as Americans used the drug to treat anxiety.
Medical Marijuana - Does cannabis offer health benefits?
Americans overwhelmingly approve of medical marijuana, and 29 states and the District of Columbia have legalized it, allowing doctors to recommend marijuana products to registered patients. Research shows some forms of marijuana, including a synthetic drug, help treat a few conditions, including chronic pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea. But solid research is limited for other forms, such as smoked or vaped marijuana, and for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, for which states have approved marijuana use. Nevertheless, medical marijuana advocates want all states to legalize it, while opponents say only the Food and Drug Administration should approve drugs for medical use. Yet, federal rules make the studies the FDA relies on difficult to undertake. Complicating the situation are Trump administration efforts to end Obama-era policies curtailing prosecution of medical marijuana in states where it is allowed. Caught in the middle are doctors, who worry they can land in legal trouble if they discuss marijuana with patients, and patients, who must rely on advice from cannabis dispensaries.

Opposing Viewpoint in Context

Marijuana - Opposing Viewpoints in Context
In common usage, marijuana refers to the dried flowers of the cannabis plant. These flowers are typically smoked to produce a psychoactive high. In addition, the flowers and other parts of the plant can be processed into hashish, oils, extracts, and other refined products that can be smoked, eaten, and vaporized. The effects of the high can be subjective and often vary depending on whether the user consumed a Cannabis sativa strain, a Cannabis indica strain, or a hybrid strain.

Tax Revenue in US States That Regulate Marijuana for Adult Use, as of November 2020

Tax Revenue in US States That Regulate Marijuana for Adult Use, as of November 2020 [Chart]. (2021). Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Gale.
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/FDWCJS294878483/OVIC?u=plan_skyline&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=5490ce31

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Gale eBooks

Cannabis Sativa - Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior (Vol. 1. 2nd ed.)
This is the botanical name for the HEMP plant that originated in Asia. It is the basis of the hemp industry as well as the source of the widely used intoxicant TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (THC), the active agent in MARIJUANA, HASHISH, GANJA, and BHANG.
Marijuana (Cannabis) - Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior (Vol. 2. 2nd ed.)
In the United States, this is the most common term for the HEMP plant Cannabis sativa and its mind-altering (PSYCHOACTIVE) products. The term derives from the Mexican Spanish mariguana/marihuana (sometimes explained as Mary's leaf or Mary's plant, or from María y Juan, that is, Mary and John, the source of the English slang Mary Jane or maryjane.) It came into recorded English about 1890 and has become the mainstream term in American publications, law, and general usage. The term cannabis is sometimes used in medical literature and by the British; it means hemp in Latin and is derived from the Greek, kannabis, itself borrowed into Greek from an unknown source. In ASIA, where the plant originated, it is grown legally and commercially both for its fiber content (it is used to make strong rope) and for its drug content; there it is called BHANG (from Sanskrit bhang) or bang, GANJA or churganja, and HASHISH.
Marijuana - The Gale Encyclopedia of Senior Health: A Guide for Seniors and Their Caregivers (Vol. 4.)
The whole cannabis plant, including buds, leaves, seeds, and root, have all been utilized throughout the long history of this controversial herb. Despite persistent legal restrictions and severe criminal penalties for illicit use, marijuana continues to be widely used in the United States, and throughout the world, both for its mood-altering properties and its proven medicinal applications. The conflicting opinions on the safety and effectiveness of cannabis in a climate of prohibition make any discussion of its beneficial uses politically charged. Marijuana has analgesic, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, anticonvulsive, and laxative actions. Clinical studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in relieving nausea and vomiting following chemotherapy treatments for cancer. The herb has also been shown to reduce intra-ocular pressure in the eye by as much as 45%, a beneficial action in the treatment for glaucoma. Cannabis has proven anticonvulsive action, and may be helpful in treating epilepsy. Other research has documented an in-vitro tumor inhibiting effect of THC. Marijuana also increases appetite and reduces nausea and has been used with AIDS patients to counter weight loss and “wasting” that may result from the disease. Several chemical constituents of cannabis displayed antimicrobial action and antibacterial effects in research studies. The components CBC and d-9-tetrahydrocannabinol have been shown to destroy and inhibit the growth of streptococci and staphylococci bacteria.
Substance Abuse - Dictionary of American History (Vol. 7. 3rd ed.)
Cannabis, more commonly called marijuana, refers to the several varieties of Cannabis sativa, or Indian hemp plant, that contains the psychoactive drug delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Canna-bis-related disorders refer to problems associated with the use of substances derived from this plant.

The New York Times

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Is Driving High as Dangerous as Driving Drunk?

We know all about the dangers of driving while drunk. But is driving while high on marijuana as dangerous?

Any form of driving while intoxicated is obviously a bad idea, but smoking a joint or taking an edible before getting behind the wheel can pose distinctive risks. That, experts say, is because of the particular ways that marijuana affects the brain, and the fact that there’s no standard dose for a federally criminalized drug.

With alcohol, there are universally accepted quantities for what constitutes a single drink: 12 ounces of regular beer, five ounces of wine and 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. There’s no agreed-upon equivalent for cannabis, said Marlene Lira, a senior research manager at the Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit at Boston Medical Center. This makes it tricky for consumers to measure how much they’ve actually consumed, and to assess how much cannabis is too much before heading on the road.

References
Blum, D. (2022,April 12). Is Driving High as Dangerous as Driving Drunk? The New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/12/well/live/driving-while-high-marijuana.html?searchResultPosition=3

More Young Kids Are Getting Sick From Cannabis Edibles

Mouthwatering chocolate, soft and chewy cookies, lollipops and fruity gummies: Marijuana edibles often look just like regular foods. Some candies even mimic familiar brands like Skittles or Starburst.

And for a young child — or anyone, really — that’s incredibly tempting.

Foods and beverages laced with cannabis have exploded in popularity. To protect children from accidentally ingesting marijuana edibles, some states have passed laws governing how these foods can be packaged and presented. Colorado, for example, requires the cannabis edibles to be contained in child-resistant packaging and include the letters “THC” (the main mind-altering chemical in cannabis). In addition, the state has banned the sale of edibles that look like people, animals or fruit.

But despite these measures, unintentional marijuana exposures have continued to climb in Colorado and elsewhere, especially in states where recreational cannabis has been legalized. In Washington state, unintentional cannabis exposures among children under 6 nearly tripled in the five years after retail cannabis stores opened. Nationally, in 2016 there were 187 exposures to marijuana edibles among kids 12 and under in the United States, according to data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers. By 2020 that number had risen to more than 3,100 — a majority of the children were 5 years old and under.

References
Caron, C. (2022, January 14). More Young Kids Are Getting Sick From Cannabis Edibles. The New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/well/family/marijuana-edibles-children.html?searchResultPosition=7

Cannabis Industry: Home