Pictures from the production of medical marijuana in California, where it is quite possible that cannabis will be fully legalized.

«Medi-Cone» - a greenhouse and a plant for the production of cannabis in Marin County. Employees of the company «United Food & Commercial Workers Union» produce marijuana cigarettes to satisfy the demand for medical marijuana in California.

In the United States in the second half of XIX - early XX centuries were sold without restriction drugs from cannabis in treating migraines, stomach ulcers and other diseases.

With the psychoactive properties of cannabis Americans met by Mexican immigrants. Special popularity of cannabis has won among jazz musicians.

In the early 1930's. there have been several major lobbying campaigns, and the U.S. Congress in 1937, against the advice of the American Medical Association, a law was passed, the taxable sale of marijuana such high taxes that its use was virtually banned.

In the United States and other countries there are organizations that are engaged in promotion of the legalization of marijuana. One of the oldest is the NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana laws), founded in 1970.

It advocates the abolition of criminal penalties for possession and consumption of marijuana by adults, including, for its cultivation for their own consumption.

NORML facilitated the holding of referendums in several states, which resulted in marijuana has been decriminalized there.

In November 2010, California will also host a referendum on the legalization of marijuana.

In case of approval of legalization, persons aged 21 years will be to have an ounce (about 28 grams) of marijuana, as well as cultivate cannabis for personal use.

According to opinion polls, probably, Californians voted to legalize marijuana: California's population belongs to the drug rather liberally.

14 years ago, in 1996, California became the first state allowed to use cannabis for medical purposes.

Supporters of legalization believe that marijuana is not dangerous and addictive as alcohol and tobacco.

In addition, taxes on sales of "weed" will allow the state to make profit from 1.3 billion dollars.

Opponents of legalization lead the statistics of crimes that were committed because of marijuana, and frequent cases of marijuana use among adolescents.

One of the opponents of legalization of marijuana advocates Barack Obama, who believes believes untenable proposals to strengthen the U.S. economy through trade in cannabis.