Marihuana: current assessment

Some of the controversies surrounding marihuana have been reported. The problems of multiple species and qualifications of the analyst could be resolved by basing the law on the identification and quantitation of tetrahydrocannabinol. Decriminalization of the use and the possession of the drug could help law enforcement officers, the courts, and the user. Recently reported methods for the determination of the drug and its metabolites in biological specimens should provide a basis for establishing the relationship between blood concentrations and drug effects. The short- and long-term effects of the drug are too subtle to cause much concern over any known or potential hazards.