Pranic
Professional
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2007
- Messages
- 781
- Reaction score
- 102
College name removed
Book Report by: PRANIC
“Understanding Marijuana”
Submitted in Partial
(class & section removed)
10/03/11
Mitch Earleywine, “Understanding Marijuana” Oxford University Press, 2002, 274 pgs
The Author Mitch Earleywine opens his book recalling his first experience being exposed to the usage of marijuana. He then goes on to explain how when cannabis use was at its peak in the 60’s he began to have a rising interest in the subject. Be wanted to learn about the behavioral and psychological effects the plant has on users. In the book Earleywine analyzes historical data, the basic uses and misuses, common misconceptions of marijuana as a gateway drug, as well as the impact it holds on memory and thought. He also spotlights social problems and Treatment, as well as a section on medical marijuana.
This book starts off primarily on the history of industrial and medicinal uses of marijuana, also including the social practice of using as an Intoxicant. The First recorded industrial use of marijuana was from the fibers of the stems dated back to 8000B.C. These fibers obtained from the stalks were and are used to make rope, bowstrings, cloth, paper and countless food items. Hemp rope by far was one of the most important uses for thousands of years in many cultures.
When it considers medical marijuana, The practice has dated back to around 2737 B.C. by Emperor Shen Neng. He prescribed cannabis in teas to treat the symptoms of many aliments such as Gout, malaria, rheumatism, and oddly enough Memory problems. Emperor Neng also knew of the intoxicating effects the plant possessed, and warned his patients of overuse. He believed that taking too large of a dose brought you to an altered conscious where you could commune with spirits and see devils.
The uses of medical marijuana ultimately spread from china to India around 1400 B.C. Soon after the cannabis plant found it’s way into a historical book called Atharvaveda, and was described as a holy plant that can relive tension and stress and anxiety. An ancient Indian healer by the name of Sushruta began prescribing the drug for fevers, sinus congestion, and inflammation of the mucous membranes. Quickly the uses of Medical Marijuana spread west, and it had begun being used for even more symptoms of many conditions. These conditions include but aren’t limited to, Post-partum depression, anorexia, pain, insomnia, and glaucoma. Although marijuana can not cure these, it relives the stress on one’s body or mind to help him/her relax.
Marijuana as a psychoactive drug may have started in India. Natives would smoke Ganja the flowering tops, Charas, the resin that forms on the flowers, in small clay pipes. Bhang a drink that is comprised of cannabis, nuts, milk, poppies and spices has religious assumptions and is drank primarily at holy festivals. Another form in which marijuana was consumed is called Hashish. Hashish is made from the stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds of the plant. It contains a high amount of resin, making it quite potent.
As the use of marijuana spread into France different ideas came from the concept of cannabis intoxication. Artists began using hashish to create inspiration. Often saying that it cured the blocked mind. Two French researchers inevitably began ingesting the drug and invited others to do the same, Soon after this group of people became dubbed “The Hashish Club”. Each member of the group had his/her own reasons for intoxication, but overall they wanted knowledge, and tried to understand and explain the effects they perceived.
From “The Hashish Club” came some very important writings including “On the Artificial Ideal”, a monograph published in 1858. It described changes in thought and sensation the drug creates. It clearly pointed out the euphoric and dysphoric reactions. In addition to concluding mood and setting have much to do with determining certain effects such as paranoia.
Around 1855 cannabis had made it’s way across the English channel into Britain, and continued it’s journey in The United States by the late 1850’s. John Greenleaf Whitter wrote the first historical mention of the drug in Modern American Literature, in 1854. The next American author to approach the subject was Baynard Taylor, who discussed his own uses and experiences. However many authors wrote about it, Use in the American culture didn’t become popular until the turn of the 20th century.
In 1911 a federal mandate to ban marijuana was proposed by the mainstream Caucasian Protestants, however it was appealed. Then Local governments began passing anti-marijuana legislation due to racial ideas that it caused people of ethnic backgrounds to be violent. In 1920 when alcohol prohibition came along it is said that the numbers of marijuana users went up, then when prohibition was abolished marijuana then became the focus of government control. By the time the 1930’s came around the drug was illegal in almost every state, and still in many laws surrounding the issue have been left unchanged.
Earleywine to both use and misuse. Researchers can’t be positive of the actual number, by estimation there are between 200 and 300 million people who partake in marijuana consumption worldwide. The number of estimated marijuana smokers in in-fact just that, an estimation. It can’t be concluded to a solid number, because it is based on self-reports, which may or may not be tainted. Although the numbers aren’t accurate it’s suggested that American’s alone smoke 3.25 million lbs. of marijuana in a year. This number is based on your regular daily smokers, and those referred to as addicts, and didn’t reflect the occasional smoker.
Earleywine believes it’s hard to put the term addict on marijuana users, simply because the substance isn’t particularly addictive. He mentions one study where 18 drugs were classed by the addictive qualities and Marijuana place 12th just behind alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. But regardless of being able to become addicted, there still are programs designed to help those with marijuana related problems.
The Prevalence of marijuana related problems are perhaps just as hard to estimate as the number of users. This is mostly because very few people are willing to admit to having a problem. Approximately 15% of all Americans show signs or symptoms of social, psychological, or medical problems due to their marijuana consumption.
Earleywine puts the focus onto the idea of marijuana as a gateway or stepping stone. This is a theory that a person who smokes will eventually lead to harder more illicit drugs. Earleywine prepares models, which oppose the idea and theory. He states that perhaps instead of thinking of marijuana as the cause of harder drugs, we should look at it as a contributor.
People, who are inclined to try drugs for whatever reason, are most likely to try what is most common. In every area around the world commonality differs. An example of this would be Pennsylvania to marijuana as Columbia is to cocaine. The Point I am trying to put across here is that people will use and try what is more widely available to them, first.
The only possible way of thinking that marijuana leads to the use of harder drugs is through the process of buying and selling. This would be due to the fact that some suppliers or dealers also sell the others. Therefore the idea of trying other drugs may perhaps increase, because if the dealer does it, it might not be so bad.
Surely I could include pages upon pages of information that I’ve learned in this book. However for sake that someone else will see my paper, and want to learn more they will pick up the book and read. I chose Understanding Marijuana not only because it is a topic that is controversial but also because I have general interest in the area. It is nice to have knowledge about the history and effects; one plant can have on so many cultures and civilizations. I found the book, Intellectually stimulating to me as well as others.
Your probably asking yourself how can it be stimulating to others, well to answer your question, every time I set the book down someone picked it up out of curiosity. Each time it brought a smile to my face, to know I was sharing knowledge with others just by checking the book out of the
library.
In conclusion, this book although hard to read, it’s jam packed with facts and history and was well worth the time it took to get as much as I could from it.
---------------
I thought i would share this with all of you
