What is it?
Cannabis sativa, also known as the hemp plant, has been cultivated for centuries for industrial and medical use, and for its "psychoactive," or mind-altering, effects. Marijuana, hashish and hashish oil all derive from the cannabis plant.

More than sixty-one chemicals, called cannabinoids, have been identified as specific to the cannabis plant. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive cannabinoid, and is most responsible for the "high" associated with marijuana smoke.

Many claims about the medical uses of marijuana have not been scientifically proven; however, research has shown that THC and other pure cannabinoids can relieve nausea and vomiting and stimulate appetite. This can help people who have AIDS or who take drugs used to treat cancer. Further research is needed to establish the medical value of marijauna in relieving pain, reducing muscle spasms and controlling some types of epileptic seizure.