MARIHUANA or MARIJUANA, a drug derived from the flowers of the Indian hemp, Cannabis sativa (illustrated). Its effects are immediate stimulation followed by depression and a loss of the sense of time and distance. It is rarely used in medicine but is sold illicitly, particularly in the U.S., in the form of cigarettes. Although the harmful effects and habit-forming properties of marihuana are not so great as those of some other drugs, the use of marihuana tends to lead to the use of such highly addictive drugs as heroin and morphine.

HEMP, a plant of the genus Cannabis, of which C. sativa is the only known species. It is an annual herbaceous plant, the fiber of which constitutes the hemp of commerce. It is a native of W. and CENT. Asia, but has been long naturalized in Brazil and tropical Africa, and is extensively cultivated in many countries. The Indian variety, often called Cannabis Indica, is the source of the narcotic drug bhang or hashish. Hemp fiber, obtained from the skin or rind by rotting the stalks under moisture, is prepared by various processes for manufacturing uses. It is tough and strong, and well adapted for weaving into coarse fabrics such as sailcloth, and twisting into ropes and cables.