On the College of Cannabis, a website offering information on marijuana, an article, titled “The 26 Most Interesting Facts About Marijuana,” stated: “Every day in the U.S. , about 6,000 new people try weed for the first time." The herb, commonly used around the world today, is scientifically called cannabis, but it has many different names. Although people don't usually use the scientific term “cannabis ”, the most popular names of the drug include marijuana, weed, forte and many others. Over the past two decades, the legalization of marijuana has been a hotly debated topic in the United States. There are those who are for it and those who are against the legalization of marijuana, and the issue has been contested on various grounds. Although marijuana has been scientifically proven to benefit a person's health, there are also disadvantages to its use. Since drug users abuse marijuana heavily, they tend to face adversity, but many other negative effects of this drug are much worse than adversity and can cause extreme downfalls in users. Few would argue that marijuana is beneficial and has harmless effects on the body and be mindful of where it is acceptable for medical use, like Cohen, who states, "Currently, those who have been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS , cancer, glaucoma, or severe muscle spasms may lead to prescriptions for medical marijuana" (Cohen) . According to author Amber Moore, it has been claimed that chemicals known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) produce psychoactive effects by combining with special receptors that are supposedly also involved in the sensation of pain (Medical Daily). Unlike the chemical THC, CBD does not contribute to the “high” sensation, but rather……middle of paper……dAdinolfi, Joseph. “Six Things You Need to Know About the Illegal Drug Trade in America: Who Uses What, Where, and at What Cost – ConvergEx Study.” International Business Times. International Business Times, November 23, 2012. Web. October 30, 2013. Cohen, Matt. “Advocates want to expand the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana.” DCist. Dcist Daily, August 21, 2013. Web. October 30, 2013 Immediate Effects of Marijuana." Immediate Effects of Marijuana and Smoking Weed | Depression, Panic Attacks, and Anxiety. Drug Free World, September 12, 2012. Web. October 30, 2013. Kreshaw , Sarah. "Marijuana is a door. " New York Times. Np, June 22, 2013. Web. October 30, 2013. Moore, Amber. "Brain scans show how marijuana relieves pain." Medical Daily. Np December 22, 2012. Web. October 30, 2013. " Np Plants and Medicine Top 10." Top 10 Plants and Medicine. Plants & Us, 24 June 2013. Web. 30 October. 2013.