Cannabis (/ˈkænəbɪs/) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: Cannabis sativa, C. indica, and C. ruderalis. Alternatively, C. ruderalis may be included within C. sativa, or all three may be treated as subspecies of C. sativa, or C. sativa may be accepted as a single undivided species. The genus is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from Asia.
The plant is also known as hemp, although this term is often used to refer only to varieties of Cannabiscultivated for non-drug use. Cannabis has long been used for hemp fibre, hemp seeds and their oils, hemp leaves for use as vegetables and as juice. Industrial hemp products are made from cannabis plants selected to produce an abundance of fibre.
"Weed the People", officially "Weed the People: A Cannabis Legalization Celebration", was an event held in Portland on July 3, 2015, two days after recreational marijuana became legal in the U.S. state of Oregon. Sponsored by the Portland Mercury and two cannabis companies, the event was attended by an estimated 1,500–2,000 people, who were provided up to seven grams of marijuana for immediate consumption or to take home. Organizers complied with restrictions on recreational sales by distributing free cannabis and required attendees to pay an entry fee. More than 1,300 tickets were sold, but the building's 500-person capacity meant long wait times to enter. Media outlets reported on the historic nature of the event, which was described as a "stoner's paradise" and a celebration of freedom. (Full article...)
Coffeeshops are establishments in the Netherlands where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the local authorities (in Dutch called gedoogbeleid). Under the drug policy of the Netherlands, the sale of cannabis products in small quantities is allowed by 'licensed' coffee shops. The majority of these "coffeeshops" (in Dutch written as one word) also serve drinks and food. Coffeeshops are not allowed to serve alcohol or other drugs, and risk closure if they are found to be selling soft drugs to minors, hard drugs or selling alcohol. The idea of coffeeshops was introduced in the 1970s for the explicit purpose of keeping hard and soft drugs separated.
Image 19Three theories of classification for Cannabis. From left to right, monotypic with three subspecies (A), polytypic consisting of up to three species (B), and single phenotypically diverse species (C). (from Cannabis)
Image 20Illustrating various forms of medicinal cannabis (from Medical cannabis)
Image 21The variety of appearances for cannabis. Only C. sativa (left) is suited for industrial hemp, but it also has medicinal varieties. (from Hemp)
Image 39Dense raceme of female flowers typical of drug-type varieties of Cannabis (from Cannabis)
Image 40The use of cannabis, at least as fiber, has been shown to go back at least 10,000 years in Taiwan. "Dà má" (Pinyin pronunciation) is the Chinese expression for cannabis, the first character meaning "big" and the second character meaning "hemp". (from Medical cannabis)
Image 41Legal status of (whole-plant) medical cannabis worldwide (only de jure; may not reflect actual access in these countries)----
Image 53The Ebers Papyrus (c. 1550 BCE) from Ancient Egypt has a prescription for medical marijuana applied directly for inflammation. (from Medical cannabis)
Image 54Evolution of cultivated cannabis strains. The cultivar, Cannabis ruderalis, still grows wild today. (from Medical cannabis)
Image 55The Chinese character for hemp (麻 or má) depicts two plants under a shelter. Notably, the same character also means "numb". Cannabis cultivation dates back at least 3000 years in Taiwan. (from History of cannabis)
Image 56A dried bud, typical of what is sold for recreational use
I have always loved marijuana. It has been a source of joy and comfort to me for many years. And I still think of it as a basic staple of life, along with beer and ice and grapefruits - and millions of Americans agree with me.
