Even though he never used marijuana for either recreational or medicinal purposes, George Washington farmed marijuana. President Washington would use the marijuana to make popular goods like rope, clothing, and paper. On the other hand, another Founding Father named Thomas Jefferson farmed marijuana for recreational purposes. In addition to President George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, six other presidents have also been known to have used marijuana for either medicinal or recreational uses. Although many prominent United States figures have been known for their marijuana use, it is still a very controversial topic in the United States. Throughout the many years that marijuana has been in the United States, there have been many taxes and laws put into place to regulating the drug's use for any reason. However, come the year 1996 California became the first state to legalize marijuana for solely medical use.
Contradictory to many studies or popular beliefs, marijuana has many health benefits. In a study conducted by the American Medical Association in 2012, they concluded that using medical marijuana for patients that smoke tobacco and those with lung problems could actually reverse the effects of the carcinogens in tobacco, as well as increase air capacity in the lungs (Welsh and Loria). Equally important, CBD as well as THC in marijuana has been shown to help reduce and control epileptic seizures in several studies. Also, marijuana is safer than most over-the-counter drugs given to patients for a range of conditions and ailments. In a report released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) they compared marijuana to 17 other FDA approved drugs like Ritalin, Adderall and Viagra. From January 1, 1997 to June 30, 2005, Ritalin, Adderall, and Viagra were major factors in 2,534 reported deaths, compared to marijuana where it was a major factor in 279 reported deaths (Deaths from Marijuana).