Marijuana Mysteries 5 Things We Still Don t Know About...

Marijuana mysteries: 5 things we still don’t know about cannabis and how it could affect our bodies Let’s be blunt – marijuana is a hot topic in today’s political atmosphere. With more and more states legalizing it for medicinal and recreational use, the drug will likely appear on the ballot come November. Yet, despite being historically popular – the most widely used recreational drug in the world behind alcohol and tobacco – we don’t know much about this notorious plant. Marijuana remains a mysterious substance whose effects – both risky and beneficial – are widely debated. So what do we know about marijuana, and what are we yet to find out? The history of hemp The cannabis plant was used as far back as 12,000 years ago, with†¦show more content†¦In 1996, California became the first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal use. Now 23 states and the District of Columbia allow cannabis to be sold for medicinal purposes. In 2013, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, with Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia doing the same in 2014. Regulation in these states mandates that a limited amount of marijuana (usually up to an ounce at a time) can be sold to individuals over the age of 21. However, most cannabis products are not tested for potency or toxicology before going on the market. Due to the long history of prohibition, few controlled tests have been conducted on marijuana to determine its purity, safety and efficacy. So if you were to buy an ounce of marijuana at a vendor in Colorado, you may not be able to answer questions like: 1) What’s in this stuff? A bag of marijuana you buy at your local store in Colorado may look perfectly pure, but chances are, it’s not. Because unregulated cannabis is not scientifically tested before it is sold, the drug could be laced with pesticides, other more dangerous drugs, poisons or allergens. Unregulated, untested substances can cause a host of serious health problems in an individual, ranging from allergic reactions to overdose. 2) Can it hurt me? For years, marijuana legalization