24 Absorbing Facts About Marijuana

1. Marijuana is the most common illegal drug used in the United States.

2. Approximately 100 million Americans have tried marijuana at least once.

3. More than 25 million Americans smoke marijuana regularly.

4. According to one report, it would take 800 joints to kill a person but the cause of death would be carbon monoxide poisoning.

5. There are over 200 slang terms for marijuana in the popular vernacular. Some of the more common nicknames include pot, grass, weed, hash, and ganja.

6. The name "marijuana" comes from a Mexican slang term for cannabis and is believed to have derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the names Mary and Jane.

7. These names were also common Mexican military slang for a prostitute or brothel.

8. The cannabis plant can grow in nearly any environment and averages one to two inches of growth per day and up to 18 feet.

9. Every 42 seconds, someone in the US is arrested for marijuana use.

10. The first recorded use of marijuana as a medicinal drug occurred in 2737 B.C. by Chinese emperor Shen Nung. The emperor documented the drug’s effectiveness in treating the pains of rheumatism and gout.

11. Research suggests that about nine percent of marijuana users became clinically dependent at some point, compared to 15 percent of cocaine users and 24 percent of heroin users.

12. Cannabis seeds were used as a food source in China as early as 6000 B.C.

13. From 1850 to 1942, marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia as a useful medicine for nausea, rheumatism, and labor pains and was easily obtained at the local general store or pharmacy.

14. During the temperance movement of the 1890s, marijuana was commonly recommended as a substitute for alcohol.

15. The reason for this was that use of marijuana did not lead to domestic violence while alcohol abuse did.

16. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 made it illegal to possess, use, buy, sell, or cultivate marijuana in the United States.

17. Legalizing marijuana would generate $8.7 billion in federal and state tax revenue per year.

18. Studies indicate that women may be more sensitive to the painkilling qualities of cannabis.

19. Paraguay is the second largest producer of marijuana. Mexico is first.

20. In 2003, Canada became the first country in the world to offer medical marijuana to pain-suffering patients.

21. In 1996, California became the first U.S. state to legally allow medical marijuana for patients with a valid doctor’s recommendation.

22. A report by the Institute of Medicine found "no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs."

23. The Dutch have never formally legalized marijuana. They have an official policy, since 1976, of not enforcing existing laws against possession of small amounts or coffee shops, about 700 of them, selling small amounts. But growing, distributing and importing pot is still a crime in the Netherlands.

24. 25.7% of Dutch citizens reported having used marijuana at least once--compared to 41.9% of US citizens.