Marijuana Usage in Modern World

According to Department of Justice statement , marijuana is easy to find everywhere in United States. It can be found in rural and urban areas, cultivated indoors and outdoors. Often it is grown in remote and hidden public spaces because of safety issues. During 1999 United States Forest Service discovered and confiscated over a million pounds of marijuana plants and processed marijuana. Marijuana is also smuggled in great amounts into United States from countries like Mexico, Venezuela, Thailand etc.

Because of safety reasons and increased know how on hydroponic growing, most of the marijuana grown today is grown indoors. Marijuana plants can be grown indoors in such places like closets, fish tanks and various indoor greenhouses. There are growers who have built special growing facilities which look like ordinary houses from outside but inside are fully adapted for growing marijuana with elaborate systems for ventilation, watering and lighting. During he 1998, DEA has found and seized over 2,600 indoor marijuana growing facilities.

According to some surveys by government agencies, in 1998 more than 70 million Americans have tried marijuana. This means that during that year more than 25% of the population of United States did try marijuana. The level of frequent usage is much lower than during the 1970's when almost 13% of the population of the United States older than 12 was using marijuana every month. In 1990's this number went down to 5%.

Marijuana users can consume marijuana in several different ways. The amount of THC and its effects can vary considerable depending on the way of consumption. Here are some ways that are mostly used:

Joints - joint is a cigarette made of marijuana buds rolled in form of cigarette. 10% - 20% of THC is ingested into the body.

Cigar: - Also known as blunt. Some pot smokers prefer to empty a cigar and refill it with dried marijuana.

Bongs - Bongs are special water pipes which look like a long tube on a bowl like base. Bongs are preserving the smoke until it is inhaled and by doing so the percentage of inhaled THC is higher than with other pipes.

Pipes - Same pipes used for smoking tobacco can be used for marijuana. When smoked in pipe, around 40% of THC from marijuana can be transferred into the body.

Eating: marijuana can be eaten if added to some foods like brownies. It can also be brewed as a tea.

Since marijuana has millions of users, it is a fact that it is not limited to some specific demographic group. Marijuana users can be found in every social group regardless of economic or racial status. Number of teenagers using marijuana has doubled from 1992 to 1998. Some government agencies indicate that marijuana is very easy to obtain. One of 13 kids (12 – 17 years old) was user of marijuana in 1999. Half of 13 teenagers said they can easily obtain marijuana. In one survey 49% of teenagers said that they have tried marijuana at age 13 or earlier.

Growing marijuana, and also buying,selling and using marijuana is illegal everywhere in Unites States. Penalties are different in different parts of the country. The penalties are fines and jail. In some states you could be arrested for being in places where someone is using the drug. Penalties vary with different factors like:

Quantity - Penalties will vary with the amount of marijuana found with the person.

Selling - Penalties are harsher toward sellers.

Growing - Growers will face higher penalties.

Location - Persons found to sell near school will face higher penalties.

Penalties have achieved little regarding the suppression of marijuana usage in U.S.

Despite the legal issues and possible health risks, marijuana continues to be popular drug among Americans.

Continue reading here: What is the safest way of marijuana seeds storing?

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