ON THE LEGALITY OF CANNABIS - THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EXPERT WITNESS

• NCJ Number: 29831
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1975) Pages: 624-629
• Author(s): W T LOWRY; J C GARRIOTT
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: American Soc for Testing and Materials
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE TAXONOMIC STATUS OF THE GENUS 'CANNABIS' HAS LIMITED THE FORENSIC SCIENTIST'S TESTIMONY IN IDENTIFICATION OF MARIJUANA PLANT MATERIAL IN JURISDICTIONS DEFINING MARIJUANA AS 'CANNABIS SATIVAL'.

Abstract

THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE THE FORENSIC PROCEDURES COMMONLY IN USE FOR IDENTIFICATION OF MARIJUANA. THEY MAINTAIN THAT SINCE THE POPULAR CONCEPT OF 'MARIJUANA' IS ACTUALLY BASED ON THE CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLANT 'CANNABIS', RATHER THAN ON THE TAXONOMIC CLASSIFICATION, 'MARIJUANA' SHOULD BE REDEFINED LEGALLY TO INCLUDE ALL MEMBERS BELONGING TO THE GENUS, IN JURISDICTIONS WHERE LEGAL DEFINITION WARRANTS SUCH AN ACT, OR THAT THESE JURISDICTIONS FOLLOW THE FORMAT SET FORTH BY FEDERAL RULINGS (STATEMENT THAT 'CANNABIS SATIVAL'. REFERS TO ALL FORMS OF CANNABIS PLANT MATERIAL, ON THE BASIS OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT). REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.