| Marijuana is a narcotic drug, containing the psychoactive substances cannabinoids in dried parts of the hemp plants. Approximately 60 cannabinoids are available in nature and Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the most effective of available cannabinoids. Three main hemp types are available: (Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis; Cannabis ruderalis contains a very small quantity of psychoactive substances). A huge quantity of hybrids, combining both Sativa and indica exist.
Several versions of origination of the name prevail. According to one of them, the name came from the Portuguese mariguango (“intoxicating"); according to another, from the Spanish names of a man and woman Maria and Juan, supposedly used in the name of cigarettes, in which hemp was ingredient.
The drugs of hemp used in India, frequently are unique standards of efficacy on the organism. Three consumption types are popular: Bhang, Ganja and Charas. The least effective and cheapest drug, bhang, is obtained from dried and crushed leaves, seeds and stems. Ganja is obtained from inflorescences of cultivated female plants and is stronger by two or three times more than Bhang. The difference between them is almost the same as the difference between beer and whisky. Charas is pure resin, known in the Middle East under the name “Hashish”.
Some kinds of hemp contain psychoactive substances, named “Cannabinoids” in sufficient quantity. One of them, ТHK (Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol), is the main psychoactive substance of hemp. Usually dried hemp (marijuana), containing the psychoactive substance, with seeds, stems and leaves of the given plant, contains 2 - 4% tetrahydrocannabinol, 0.30% cannabinol, 0.05% of other derivatives cannabinol acid. In the selection grades of hemp, THK content can be increased up to 20% or on the contrary, decreasing to minimum quantities, depending on the purposes of selection. Though tetrahydrocannabinol is not a unique psychoactive substance, apparently it remains as the most important substance. Judging by the research work on animals and people, hemp extracts cause long-term effects by two or more times when compared to the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol.
Cultural and geographical habits:
Unites states of America:
In the 1960s, the contact action herbicide paraquat was used by the USA to fight against hemp plantations in South America. According to the employees of the US law enforcement bodies, hemp, with respect to harvest volume, was in the list of ten agricultural crops of the Washington State; particularly, volumes of confiscated hemp have exceeded the yield of the cherry crop.
In 2003 - 66 521 plantations, in 2004 -132 941 and in 2005 - 135 323 marijuana plantations, a yield of which is estimated at 270 million US dollars has been destroyed.
84.6% of the destroyed plantations have been detected through the air.
India:
Marijuana is widely used in India. Chillum is used for smoking and the smoking ceremony is regulated and along which direction the chillum is passed on in a circle.
The psychoactive effect of cannabinoids is due to the reaction of cannabinoid receptors – sections on membranes of synapses of the nervous cells and also interacting with anandamides on cannabinoids, identified in 1988 in the St. Louis University Medical School USA. They are divided into two groups: СВ1 and СВ2. СВ1 are located in the central nervous system (in the hippocampus, the cortex of the encephalon, the sub cortical nodes, the striatum, the cerebellum and the spinal cord), their greatest concentration is observed in coordination responsible motions, the training and memory of sections of the brain, usually these receptors are activated by anandamides and facilitate in stopping the hyperactivity, caused by surplus dopamine. Receptors СВ2 are found in the spleen, pancreas and ovaries and in other glandular tissues; they behave well with exogenous cannabinoids but show less an affinity towards anandamides. |
By tradition, cannabis lovers around the world celebrated 4/20 (April 20) by smoking marijuana communally. The tradition was started in 1971 by the teenagers in San Rafael High School in San Rafael, California - they would meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke cannabis at the Louis Pasteur statue.
The group's salute was "420 Louis!".
Later, marijuana smokers chose April 20th as "their holiday", because of the 4/20 calendar numbers for this date.
