Throughout history marijuana has been used to serve many purposes in many different cultures. The purposes have changed over time as the culture changed. Marijuana, whose scientific name is Cannabis sativa, was used for congestion as early as 800 B.C. in India (Chevallier 180). China also was a country that used marijuana for medicinal purposes. They used it for any illness from constipation and malaria to absentmindedness and menstrual cramps. 11th-century monks used marijuana as an anesthetic in Scotland (Chevallier 19). Even Queen Victoria used marijuana as an analgesic (Chevallier 180). These uses fit the social norm of the time, because the main focus was on health rather than for psychoactive purposes. Therefore, up to this point in time marijuana remained legal.
During the prohibition, marijuana was widely used because of the scarcity of alcohol. Prohibition was repealed afte
On the other hand marijuana also seems to be a great tool for those who suffer form muscular diseases such as multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy (Chevallier 180). Andrew Chevallier states “…marijuana can reduce neurological activity and muscle spasm.” According to Gruenwald pressure in the eye can be reduced which explains why it is used for glaucoma. A person with glaucoma has too much pressure in the eye. Greunwald says, “Reduced intraoccular pressure was discovered accidentally during trial on the affect of inhaling high doses. During tests intraoccular pressure dropped 45%.”
It seems that marijuana is the “jack of all trades” when it comes to medicine. However, abuse of the drug causes a prejudice against its purposes. There are many sites on the Internet that are very biased whether they are pro-marijuana or anti-marijuana. Gruenwald states, “No health
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