Hallucinogenic

Marijuana, also known as weed is the largest used illegal drug in the world. Weed is also the most controversial drug in the world, because of the effort to legalize it. Marijuana comes from the plant know as cannabis sativa. This plant can be grown inside and outside and takes an extreme amount of care to grow. Most of the weed smoked in the United States comes from within the U.S its self, other sources are Mexico and Canada. The Cannabis plant contains a chemical called cannabinoids, also known as THC (the happy chemical). This chemical is what researchers believe is the cause of the psychoactive effects of the drug.

Marijuana is the only illegal drug that is used for medicinal purposes. Marinol is the name for the pharmaceutical product. Unlike weed it is not smoked, because researches have concurred that smoking is not the best way to administer a drug into a patients system. Instead Marinol comes in a pill, and is now trying to be administered through an inhaler or patch.

"Smoking marijuana may increase the risk of cancer more than smoking tobacco. Marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke." (Source: NIDA)

Short Term Effects: Impaired short-term memory, impaired concentration, attention, and judgment; impaired coordination and balance, increased heart rate, blood shot or red eyes, dry mouth and increased appetite (the "munchies")   

Long Term Effects:  addiction (psychological), paranoia, persistent anxiety, impaired learning skills and memory difficulties.