Medical marijuana is one of the most controversial topics in politics. Marijuana may be an addictive drug, but it has many medical uses. Many patients have found it very effective, surpassing any other medication, whether prescription or over-the-counter. Medical marijuana should be legalized in North Carolina, but it should be regulated, because it has helped people with diseases such as glaucoma, cancer, and any physical or emotional pain. Cannabis has been known to man since 7000 BC (Timeline of the legalization of marijuana). In 1619, the Jamestown colony in Virginia passed the first law related to cannabis, stating that it is mandatory for all farmers to grow cannabis sativa or hemp plant due to its strong fiber which was used to make ropes, sails and clothes (Marijuana Legalization Timeline). During the 1800s, medicines based on cannabis extracts were produced by American pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly, Parke-Davis, and Squibb (Marijuana Legalization Timeline). In 1910, Mexican immigrants introduced the recreational use of cannabis to the southwestern United States, which the immigrants referred to as “marihuana” (Marijuana Legalization Timeline). In 1915, Utah was the first state to pass an anti-marijuana law, followed by twenty-nine other states (Timeline of Marijuana Legalization). In 1922, the Narcotic Drug Import and Export Act was adopted to control all cannabis entering or leaving the United States (Timeline of Marijuana Legalization). In 1930, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (Marijuana Legalization Timeline) was created. In the 1960s, “hippies” smoked marijuana, which symbolized rebellion (Marijuana Legalization Timeline). In 1968, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and the Bureau of Dangerous Drugs merged into the Bureau... half of the paper... War on Weed." Los Angeles Times. January 22, 2013: A.11. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web 24 April 2014. MacCoun, Robert J. and Peter Reuter Drug War Heresies: Learning from Other Vices, Times and Places Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 48-49 . Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. “Pot for Medical Purposes? Safe. To get high? No." USA TODAY. October 30, 2012: A.10. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. April 24, 2014. ProQuest Staff. "At Issue: Medical Marijuana." ProQuest LLC. 2014: np SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. April 24, 2014 . ProQuest Staff. "Top Issue History." 32. MasterFILE completed. 2014.