Cannabis
Cannabis (marijuana , pot, etc.) is the most widely used illegal substance in the world today. According to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 96.8 million (40.2%) Americans ages 12 and older have tried marijuana at least once during their lifetimes. About 25.5 million (10.6%) people reported past year marijuana use, and 14.6 million (6.1%) people reported past month use.
Additional Information
College students use marijuana at higher rates than the U.S. population generally. The Harvard School of Public Health, which has surveyed U.S. college students extensively every other year since 1989, reports that approximately 47% of U.S. college students have tried pot at least once. About 30% report past year use, and 17% report past month use.
Cannabis/Marijuana Basics
- How Marijuana Works: HowStuffWorks, a reliable online source for clear, unbiased explanations, offers a lively, in-depth description of marijuana the plant and marijuana the drug. Learn more.
- Marijuana vs. Alcohol: Which is Really Worse for Your Health? The question of whether alcohol or marijuana is worse for health is being debated once again, this time, sparked by comments that President Barack Obama made in a recent interview with The New Yorker magazine.
Marijuana Politics
- National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws: NORML: NORML is a nonprofit lobby organization that intends to provide a voice for Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition. NORML supports a policy of decriminalization, the removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession and responsible use of marijuana by adults, including cultivation for personal use, and casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts.
- Marijuana Policy Project (MPP): MPP's stated purpose is to develop and promote policies to minimize the harm associated with marijuana. They support research, policy development, lobbying, and educational initiatives.
For more cannabis information, please visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse.