Summation of “Desire: Intoxicationâ€Plant: Marijuana”

Plants produce a variety of chemicals for a variety of reasons. Most common is the production of a toxin to repel animals. The ancient Chinese and possibly other cultures became aware of the effect of marijuana by watching animals that had eaten flowers and seeds.Cultivation for human use began untold centuries ago and plant was used for clothing and fiber as well as for the â€Å"high† produced. Cultivation in the U.S. is illegal with rare exceptions. The author considers the illegality of cultivation to be a great reason why not to grow it; he relates a story of how he feared being busted years ago when growing some. He also spent time in Amsterdam researching this topic.Pot is legal in Amsterdam and it is the unofficial headquarters for pot growers. U.S. law prohibiting growing pot inadvertently caused growers to â€Å"go indoor†. Growers soon discovered the difference between cannabis sativa and cannabis indica; indica is easier to grow.Growers soon developed highly potent strains such as Purple Haze, Northern Lights, Skunk #1. The idea is to grow and clone only female plants as the unpollinated flower has the greatest potency. Indoor growers use high-pressure sodium and other exotic lights and grow hydroponically. Profits can be huge.There is much discussion on the popularity of pot as well as the effect on users. The effect can be considered transcendental, religious, empowering, etc. Note is made that the late scientist Dr. Carl Sagan had written anonymously about the virtues of pot.Most users report greater awareness and enhanced focus on what is at hand. The brain makes a chemical (cannabinoid) virtually identical to active ingredient THC; brain is very receptive to these chemicals. There are problems with short-term memory loss. Conclusion: humans like intoxication and gardens will provide it.