The History of Cannabis on Earth 🌍

So when did cannabis first show up on earth and become its own plant? Around 28 million years ago, in the Central Asia / Western China regions. That's when it split from its ancestor and started evolving into the cannabis we know today.

2800 BC – Shen Nung's First Recording

This is 4825 years ago. In and around 175 generations previous. Shoutout to our family lineage back then. I wonder what our ancestors were at back then. Kinda cool to think whoever they were, they looked at the same stars as us.

Shennong first documented the use of cannabis for therapeutic reasons around this time. The Chinese can be credited with the earliest recordings of cannabis use, particularly in their western regions.

1500 BC – Egyptian and Assyrian Use

Fast forward to around 1500 BC, and we see the Egyptians documenting the use of cannabis to treat inflammation. Meanwhile, the Assyrians recorded its medicinal use on clay tablets.

1500.01 BC – Cannabis in Ancient India

In ancient India, cannabis was considered one of five sacred plants. The drink Bhang (a cannabis-infused milk drink) has been used for centuries in India to treat various ailments and it's still consumed today.

440 BC – Herodotus and the Scythians

The Greek historian Herodotus detailed a Scythian burial ritual where mourners tossed hemp seeds onto red hot stones and delighted in the smoke.

1 AD – The Roman Empire

During the Roman Empire, notable figures like Pliny the Elder, Galen, and Dioscorides documented the use of cannabis to treat pain and inflammation. Hemp was used to make ropes, sails, and nets, aiding the expansion of human civilizations.

Galen also noted the psychoactive properties of cannabis, recognizing its effects on the mind.

1205 – Medieval Persian Medicine

In medieval Persia, cannabis was used to treat epilepsy, gout, and severe headaches. The renowned medical text Avicenna's Canon of Medicine listed cannabis as a treatment for various ailments, and this work influenced Western medicine for centuries.

1841 – Irish Physician Introduces Cannabis to Western Medicine

The man, the myth, the legend. Let's raise a glass to Sir William Brooke O'Shaughnessy, an Irish physician who brought cannabis into Western medicine, yup the William lad!

1910 - The U.S. and the "Marijuana Menace"

After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, many Mexican immigrants brought the recreational use of cannabis to the U.S. The media warned against the encroaching "Marijuana Menaces," attributing terrible crimes to marijuana use by Mexicans and Black communities.

The word "marijuana" was deliberately pushed into the public vocabulary to make the plant sound foreign and threatening. By using the Mexican slang term instead of "cannabis," authorities and the media could more easily tie it to immigrants and stoke cultural fear

In the southern U.S, particularly in New Orleans, a new type of music was making waves, Jazz. Cannabis played a significant role in the Jazz Age, acting as a conduit for creativity, music production, and performance.

1925 - International Ban on Cannabis

Founded in 1920, the League of Nations was the first multinational, inter governmental organisation created to maintain world peace, following the end of the Great War (WW1). The "let's all get along" organisation.

In 1925, the international Opium Convention was held in Geneva. The aim was to ban exports of opium & cocaine across the world. This was about to happen until a last minute injury time intervention from Egypt backed by Italy, South Africa & Turkey wanted to include hashish to the list (for reaosns we can dive into a later time).

It got approved and hashish was added to the list. This marked the start of global cannabis prohibition.

1936 – Reefer Madness

Please just watch the trailer for Reefer Madness. It will take one minute thirty eight seconds of your life away. It will be well worth it...

My favourite quote I think is "It can be rolled into a harmless looking cigarette" Read that line again, lol. YouTube comments are up there with the best really aren't they.

1937 – The Marijuana Tax Act

Just have a quick read of how they came to the decision of effectively banning cannabis in the US. There were two thoughts on this.

On one side you had Harry J. Anslinger, the first Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Harold was hell bent on pushing cannabis into the crosshairs of federal law. But why? His agenda was fuelled by a mix of racism, political self interest, bureaucratic turf wars, and a moral crusade. This wasn't about evidence or public health, it was about fear, control, and power

Now on the other side of this decision you had the Legal Counsel of the American Medical Association, who were opposed to this decision of banning cannabis. Why?

• Lack of scientific evidence on the decision
• Medicinal value was being ignored
• Medical community was not involved in the bill passing

Along with the Legal Counsel of the American Medical Association, you had the New York Academy of Medicine. They issued an extensive report declaring "marijuana" did not induce violence, or insanity, or lead to addiction or other drug use.

1970s – Dutch Liberalization

The Netherlands took a progressive approach by categorizing cannabis as a less dangerous drug. The Dutch government divided drugs into more and less dangerous categories, with cannabis being in the lesser category.

In 1976, coffee shops began selling cannabis for recreational use. The country's approach to cannabis became a model for others to follow.

1992 - The Endocannabinoid System Discovery

In 1992, scientist Dr. Raphael Mechoulam discovered that humans have an entire biological system designed to interact with cannabis compounds. It's called the endocannabinoid system. This discovery completely changed the conversation from "dangerous drug" to "wait, maybe there's actually something here."

1996 - California Legalizes Medicinal Cannabis

In 1996, California went for it. Going against federal law, California voters passed Proposition 215 allowing for the sale and medical use of marijuana for patients with AIDS, cancer, and other serious and painful diseases.

This law still stands in tension with federal laws prohibiting possession of marijuana.

2000s – The Global Shift

Since the turn of the millennium, more and more countries have moved toward decriminalizing and legalizing cannabis. The trend is decriminalisation followed by legalisation.

So they first realise that ok maybe we were too harsh with all these regulations and bans in the past, let's stop punishing people for doing what they do (decriminalisation). They then think "Right, so now how can we make money out of this" where a plan is put in place for the drug to be sold legally (legalisation).

Unless your country is called Thailand ye mad bastards.

Meanwhile, while everyone was figuring out what to do with laws and policies, Uruguay just went and became the first country in the world to fully legalize cannabis in 2013. Not decriminalize, proper legalization. Their approach was simple: why are we letting criminals make all the money from this?

Then in 2018, Canada became the first major Western country to legalize cannabis nationwide. Their government had three simple goals: keep it away from kids, keep profits away from criminals, and don't let society fall apart. Spoiler alert: society didn't fall apart.