It’s important for consumers to have a thorough understanding of cannabis history. The plant has been utilized by humans for more than 10,000 years, with writings of its medicinal and recreational effects dating back to Ancient China— over 4,000 years ago.
Unfortunately cannabis history has been tumultuous. What went from a reverence to a sacred healing plant turned to a damnation of a “narcotic with no known medical benefits”. This sad transition has caused hundreds of thousands of individuals to be punished for utilizing something that emerges naturally from the Earth. Not only does the U.S prison system currently house thousands of inmates whose sole crime was possession of small amounts of marijuana, but many Asian countries have disregarded their culture’s longstanding holistic use of the plant and now have legislation that states possesion and use is punishable by death.
Recent efforts throughout the world have begun the lift the veil of ignorance once again, by providing scientific evidence of cannabis’ medicinal impact. By understanding where cannabis history has come from, we can arm ourselves with a knowledge that can help guide its trajectory forward.
