not shown ant evidence of being harmful. As with alcohol, casual use is virtually safe; more extensiveabuse may be increasingly dangerous. A cannabis “high” while occurring , may expose one to immediateerrors of judgment and movement, but to a much less degree than intoxication with alcohol. Heavy doses andlong time use may be detrimental, particularly with regard to the lungs and perhaps in other respects not yetproven in long range studies. Eight states have decriminalized the private possession of small amounts of marijuana, making it a civiloffense subject to minor punishment that does not include a criminal arrest record. Most states have made potpossession a misdemeanor rather than a felony, with others moving in that direction. Obviously the fight overmarijuana is continuing, although the principle of decriminalizing marijuana has not yet been generallyaccepted. Whatever the ultimate decision as to harmfulness, many people young and old, will choose not to usemarijuana. There is good reason still for a thumbs-down attitude regarding the drug. Casual use has not beenfound to be damaging, but there is still a chance that it is. Certainly the cruel shock of an encounter with thelaw is still real enough. However small the risk, many people consider it too great for the potential pleasure. Marijuana, whose scientific name is cannabis sativa, was mentioned in historical manuscripts as early as2700 B.C.. in China. (Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia, 1998). The cultivation of the marijuana plant beg...
