Man’s taste for addictive psychoactive substances is attested to in the earliest human records. Historically, psychoactive substances have been used for religious ceremonies, medicinal purposes, or by the general population in a socially acceptable way (e.g. nicotine, alcohol and caffeine). What you may be surprised to know is that many ‘Class A’ drugs such as Heroine, Cocaine and Ecstasy were legal as little as 30 years ago.
Below is the first of 7 drugs that used to be legal (click on Next to view the others).
#1 – Marijuana (Cannabis)
The growing and usage of the cannabis plant was unrestricted in Amercia until early in the 20th century. In America in the 1950’s, mandatory sentencing was introduced for anyone found in possession of marijuana and lawmakers justified it by saying that marijuana was a ‘gateway drug’ into heavier narcotics.
Some Quick Facts About Marijuana (Cannabis)
- It is naturally occurring – it is made from the cannabis plant
- The main active chemical in it is tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC for short)
- This is the ingredient that can make you feel happy and relaxed
- Marijuana is a mild hallucigen and can make some people feel very anxious and even paranoid. For this reason, it is not recommended for people with any history of mental health problems
- Like drinking and driving, driving when high is illegal. You can get a heavy fine, be disqualified from driving or even go to prison