Marijuana in the mid 19th century was first used as a medicinal entity; there have been more than one hundred published medical literatures in the west recommending marijuana for various illnesses and discomforts (Grinspoon & Bakalar, 1993). This trend continues in our days with cannabis proposed as useful medicine for several disorders and symptoms. But there is a range between the proven and the speculative. Marijuana like every other drug has its pros and cons.
             Marijuana is classified as a 'schedule 1' drug, a category shared by drugs like heroine and morphine. Health concerns are one of the reasons why marijuana was placed in a schedule 1 category. Marijuana is also believed to be a gate to other harder drugs and its considered to be a drug with high potential of abuse.
             Suggestions of long term negative effects from marijuana use came exclusively from animal testing (Grinspoon & Bakalar, 1993). Observations of long term effects in countries such as Jamaica, Mexico and India show little disease or pathology with the use of marijuana (Rubin, 1975). There are reports showing damaged brain cells and changes in brain wave reading in monkeys that have smoked marijuana, but tests on humans done in Greece, Jamaica and Costa Rica found no evidence of brain damage (Rubin, 1975). If there were significant damages done by marijuana, we would see higher rates of diseases among the 1960's when the drug became more popular (Grinspoon & Bakalar, 1993).
             There are psychological effects of chronic use of marijuana with adults and adolescents. Among adults there is an "amotivational syndrome" described in which chronic cannabis users become apathetic, socially withdrawn, and perform at a level of everyday functioning well below their capacity before they ever started using cannabis. Among adolescents there is concern that heavy cannabis use does effect the teen's motivation, effecting his education...