Curating Experience

A Mini-Exhibition

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I now have absolute proof that smoking even one marijuana cigarette is equal in brain damage to being on Bikini Island during an H-bomb blast.

Ronald Reagan (1974)

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The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.

Carl Sagan (1969)

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Defining Cannabis

Marijuana has many meanings. Naturally, Cannabis sativa is a plant. Historically, humans began to grow it millennia ago. This gave marijuana its medicinal meaning, which has changed over time and is still changing today. Some people believe marijuana has health benefits and have used it to treat conditions such as seizures, glaucoma and loss of appetite. Others say marijuana has no health effects while still others think it does harm, such as increasing one’s risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The legal meaning of marijuana in the United States is not medicinal: it states that the plant has no medical use and is therefore illegal. The government spends much effort on enforcing this law, but marijuana still finds its way into the country. Some people think that legalizing marijuana will help solve this problem, while others disagree. A few states, such as Colorado and Washington, have successfully legalized Cannabis, changing its significance in their community. As other states vote on this choice, the meaning of marijuana will continue to evolve.

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What is marijuana Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The plant contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. Extracts with high amounts of THC can also be made from the cannabis plant (see "Marijuana Extracts").

drugabuse.gov: What is Marijuana?

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norml.org: About Marijuana