Marijuana is the single most-used illicit drug in the United States. Despite being illegal, marijuana use rivals the popularity of browsing the Internet. In 1998, more than 76.5 million Americans logged onto the Internet, according to Computer Industry Almanac. In that same year, more than 71 million Americans over the age of 12 admitted that they have used marijuana at least once in their lifetime.


Photo courtesy Marijuana.com
Marijuana comes from the Cannabis sativa plant and is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.

Marijuana is the dried buds and leaves of the Cannabis sativa plant. This plant contains more than 400 chemicals, including delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the plant's main psychoactive chemical. THC is known to affect our brain's short-term memory. Additionally, marijuana affects motor coordination, increases your heart rate and raises levels of anxiety. Studies also show that marijuana contains cancer-causing chemicals typically associated with cigarettes.

Although banned by the U.S. federal government in 1937, there were 11 million current users of the drug in 1999, according to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, "current" meaning that they had used the drug within 30 days of the survey. In this article, you will learn about marijuana, why this drug is so popular and what effects it has on your mind and body.