Cannabis: A Not-So-Bad Drug

Cannabis is a plant that has a recorded history of medical use that can be dated back to 4,000 years ago. It has been used for its various medicinal exercises all over the world, in places such as China, the Middle East, and India. People in China used cannabis to treat ailments like malaria (a disease that kills more than a million people a year (WHO)). Not a single case of overdosing on marijuana has occurred since its noted history, making it one of the safest known drugs. However, back in the 1930s, the U.S. government saw marijuana as a major national threat, and made it illegal. Even with its criminalization, almost half of America has tried marijuana at least once. The outlawing of marijuana was a process that was driven by yellow journalism, ignorance, and bigotry, and it's obvious that these laws need to change.