ABSTRACT
The controversy about the use or non-use of marihuana continues to plague people in the United States. The literature is replete with research findings of a social and physical nature. The major psychoactive ingredient of the marihuana plant is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is mostly concentrated in the resin obtained from the flowers of the female plant. Marihuana was classified according to its behavioral effects. Its active ingredients were classified as a mild, sedative-hypnotics agents, at least at low moderate doses, with clinical effects being similar to those of alcohol. In ancient times, marihuana was used primarily as a mild intoxicant and was subject to controversy even in those days. Decisions to smoke or not smoke marihuana are ones that only the individual can make. It is conceivable that social pressures from individuals or groups may provide reasons for use or non-use.
