Reply #26: Nice paper.. However.... [View All]

[Fumesucker]

Cannabis Sativa (and Indica) is indeed marijuana.

Marijuana (Marihuana) is simply the Mexican term for Cannabis, the reason that the name Marijuana was used when the plant was made illegal was that a great many Americans were familiar with Cannabis and totally unafraid of it so another, foreign sounding, term had to be used in order to scare people with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana_(etymology)

Edited to add: The link didn't format correctly on DU, if you put the (etymology) part on the end of the URL with an _ (underscore) between it will take you to a Wiki page on the etymology of the word.