Popularity of Marijuana in the United States
The popularity of Marijuana in the United Statesa has gained immense momentum over recent years. People may view marijuana use as a passing trend, but medical use of marijuana dates back as far as a thousand years, with Egypt and China being early pioneers.
Marijuana first became popular in the States in the 1850’s as a treatment option for diseases such as convulsion, cholera, rabies, tetanus, typhus, dysentery and a host of other ailments. This lead to its availability at over the counter pharmacies and grocery stores. Furthermore, its widespread availability led to increased recreational use. Problems of improper dosage and rise in its application for synthetic and opium-derived drugs led to the passing of legislation limiting the sale, cultivation, and use of cannabis, reducing its availability over the counter. The use of Marijuana plummeted even further when the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was passed into law.
Everything remained the same until the late 1960’s when a large portion of the population started to use marijuana recreationally which led to the rediscovery of its medical potencies.
The medical use of marijuana gained further support when Aids and Cancer patients testified to having relief when cannabis was used as a treatment option.
The Popularity of Marijuana in the United States
As of 2018, the use of medical marijuana was legal in 31 States, with 15 other states having strict laws on the use of THC contained substances (THC is a compound obtained from cannabis which possesses psychotic tendencies), but these states are lenient on the use CBD (a non-psychoactive compound also derived from cannabis). The populairty of marijuana in the United States is clearly growing.
California was the first state to legalize the use of medical marijuana in 1996 when voters voted in favor of the use of medical marijuana in the Proposition 215, which gave rise to the enactment of the Compassionate use Act of 1996, which was passed into law on November 6, 1996.
Soon after, other states followed suit with Haiti as the first state to legalize the herb by the State legislature. Recent times have shown medical marijuana acceptance move to the Southern parts of the United States such as with Florida passing of Amendment 2 in 2016.
It should be noted however that at the Federal level recreational use of marijuana is still prohibited in the United States owing to the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, which prevents marijuana from being studied more extensively in the lab in the States.
However, it is evident that the public approval for the full legalization of marijuana for medical use has been on the rise since the public poll in 1999, which showed 74% of the population in favor of medical marijuana use.
Recent surveys have revealed 94% of the public in favor of medical marijuana use as well.
In conclusion, despite the negative trail of Marijuana over the years, the popularity of marijuana in the United States is becoming increasingly supported due to the immense medical benefits the herb promises. There is no telling if the next big cure will come from the pot plant next door.
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