History Specials Season 1 Episode 181 Hooked: Illegal Drugs: Marijuana

A look at the rise of marijuana in modern society. Marijuana, from the Indian hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), has been used worldwide as a source of rope, cloth and paper; its medicinal qualities were first documented 4000 years ago in China. In the U.S., the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 essentially taxed marijuana out of existence. However, independent medical tests of hemp at the time only found it to be intoxicating, but not in a violent way. The 1970 Controlled Substances Act classified marijuana as possessing a high potential of dependence and no medical benefits. Yet today, medicinal use of marijuana is on the upswing. With the legalization of recreational marijuana in two states, the heated debate over marijuana may never cease.