Guide Information on Cannabis
marijuana in a more subtle manner. This guide can be used by any student, parent, policymaker, or just a person who wonders about cannabis as a valuable source to enhance his or her understanding and make informed decisions.
Historical Background of Marijuana
History of marijuana dates back many thousands of years. Historical and archeological evidence indicate that the cannabis plant was one of the earliest to be cultivated by human people. Ancient China had cannabis that served as a textile fiber (hemp), and as a medical herb. The earliest documented use of cannabis dates back to circa 2700 BCE when Emperor Shen Nong is said to have given the earliest written record of cannabis use, who can be described as the father of Chinese medicine. Cannabis was prescribed in the treatment of rheumatism, malaria and digestive problems.
Early Origins of Cannabis
Cannabis reached India some time around the same time and was given a new spiritual and cultural significance. As early as 1500 BCE in texts such as the Atharva Veda, cannabis is described as one of the holy plants, which was used in rituals and as a medicine. Bhang, which is cannabis-infused drinks, became a part of religious rituals, festivals and traditional systems of healing such as Ayurveda.
In the Middle East and Africa Cannabis.
Cannabis later found its way to Middle East where it was not only a recreational drug but also a fermed medicine. Use of cannabis became common by the medieval Islamic era in the form of hashish. It was even argued by some Islamic scholars on whether it was permissible and also condemned by others because of its intoxicating effects. The cannabis got firmly rooted in the culture of the region despite the religious prohibitions.
When using cannabis in Africa, it was used in traditional healing and during social events. The communities considered it to be of great importance to them beyond relaxation purposes, as it had an assumed medicinal value. The plant was versatile and hence useful as a ritual and useful crop.
Exposure to Europe and the Americas.
Trade routes brought cannabis in Europe in the early centuries CE. First hemp was valued because it had strong fibers that were utilized in the production of ropes, sails, and clothes. By the renaissance era, physicians were already observing its medicinal value even though its psychoactive application was not as well developed as in other areas.
Cannabis in the Americas came with the European colonists. Hemp was promoted to be used industrially especially in the colonial North America. Hemp was needed in the manufacture of textiles, paper, and rope. But in the late 19 th century cannabis extracts started to be used in Western medicine, in tinctures and patent reparations. Doctors used it to treat pain, insomnia and so forth.