Marijuana has a long history and is one of the most controversial substances in America. While the history of the cannabis plant indicates not only its acceptance as a useful plant, but also its promotion as a source of income and medicinal use, much of the U.S. government's propaganda over the past 100-plus years has led Americans to very contemptuously accept and often false information about the plant and its uses. Based on the origin of marijuana's illegalization and the inconsistent findings of its effects compared to other substances, both legal and illegal, marijuana should be decriminalized and treated as a recreational substance just as alcohol and tobacco are. The Cultivation and Use of Marijuana The cannabis plant native to Central Asia dates back over 10,000 years, when the plants were grown for hemp, a variety of the cannabis plant used for its fibrous content. The earliest evidence found of medicinal use comes from a Chinese health publication from the reign of Emperor Chen Nung of the Chinese Dynasty over 5000 years ago (Grinspoon & Bakalar, 1997). For thousands of years, the cannabis plant has been widely accepted in various cultures as not only useful, but for many of those cultures it was a staple crop. Even in American history, hemp has had its useful place and was supported and cultivated by some of our Founding Fathers. American settlers planted the first hemp crops near Jamestown, Virginia, in 1611 (Mehling, 2003). Hemp was used for a variety of textile products, including sails, ropes, maps, and even clothing for its durability and mold resistance. Since New Earth had an ideal climate for growing the cannabis plant, King James I of England ordered its cultivation and relied heavily...... middle of paper ......paign to regulate marijuana like alcohol: http://regulatemarijuana.org/factsGrinspoon, L., & Bakalar, J.B. (1997). Marihuana, the forbidden medicine. New Haven: Yale University Press.Institute of Medicine, Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Health. (1999). Marijuana and medicine: evaluation of the scientific basis. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.Mehling, R. (2003). Marijuana. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.Miron, J. A. (2005). The budgetary implications of marijuana prohibition. Cambridge: Harvard University.ProCon.org. (2009, May 6). Medical marijuana. Retrieved March 15, 2012, from ProCon.org: http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. (2003). NORML Report on Sixty Years of Marijuana Prohibition in the United States Washington, DC: The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.