Let’s take a trip through time. From ancient rituals to modern-day debates, cannabis has been a part of human history for thousands of years. This journey will give you a glimpse into how humans have interacted with the cannabis plant throughout history.
Lez go
Где всё началось — Происхождение каннабиса
So, when exactly did cannabis first show up on Earth? We’re looking at about 28 million years ago in central Asia or western China. That’s when cannabis is believed to have diverged from its ancestor plant.
And here’s a fun fact: Humulus lupulus diverged from the same ancestor as cannabis. Cool fact isn’t it? The end.
Ah no so what that actually means means is that cannabis and beer are literal botanical cousins, like first cousins. They’re good mates.
Humulus lupulus is the scientific name for “hops”, the same hops that is used in brewing beer.
They are always somewhat pitted against one another unfortunately 🙁 But now you know they are actually cousins, so stop trying to break the family up please x
Что мы точно знаем, так это то, что самое раннее зафиксированное использование каннабиса датируется 2800 годом до н.э., благодаря китайскому императору Шэнь Нуну. Шэнь, известный как отец китайской медицины, задокументировал каннабис в своей фармакопее из-за его терапевтических свойств.
Now, let’s dive into the documented human history of cannabis.
Древняя История — Начало Задокументированного Каннабиса
2800 BC — ShennShen Nung’s First Recording
This is 4825 years ago. In and around 175 generations previous. Shoutout to our family lineage back then. Can you actually imagine what your ancestor was at back then haha, fighting pigs or some shit.
Шэньнун впервые задокументировал использование каннабиса в терапевтических целях примерно в это время. Китайцам можно приписать самые ранние записи об использовании каннабиса, особенно в их западных регионах.
1500 BC — Egyptian and Assyrian Use
Перемотаем вперёд примерно к 1500 году до н.э., и мы видим, что египтяне документировали использование каннабиса для лечения воспалений. Тем временем ассирийцы записывали его медицинское применение на глиняных табличках.
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 CBH? – 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. Интересный факт: Those seeds contained higher levels of THC than normal for that time period, marking the first recorded instance of humans getting high from cannabis smoke. Respect to the Scythians.
AD Era 1 — The New Testament of Cannabis
The Roman Empire
Во времена Римской империи известные фигуры, такие как Плиний Старший, Гален и Диоскорид, документировали использование каннабиса для лечения боли и воспалений. Конопля использовалась для изготовления верёвок, парусов и сетей, способствуя расширению человеческих цивилизаций.
Гален также отметил психоактивные свойства каннабиса, признавая его воздействие на разум.
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.
Современная История — Новая Эра Каннабиса
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! After observing its use in India, he concluded that cannabis did not cure disease but he found it effective in controlling acute pain and symptoms of tetanus, rabies, arthritis, and epilepsy.
This was the turning point for cannabis as a medicinal plant. From here on out the plant’s use in a pharmaceutical context would rapidly rise thereafter. It had snowballing effects.
Lets gooooooooo William! 🇮🇪
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. This instigated a flurry of research that claimed marijuana use was linked to violence, crime, and other socially deviant behaviors, primarily committed by “racially inferior” or underclass communities.
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. Joints were often sold outside tea pads, which were popular venues for jazz lovers to gather and dance. However, this cultural association between cannabis and jazz musicians only added fuel for cannabis to be fully outlawed in the U.S, especially given all the racism that was going on.
Statistically, Black and Mexican Americans were more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession compared to White Americans. Lawmakers knew this and weaponized cannabis laws to target marginalized communities, using the plant as a tool for criminalization and control. It’s ironic, considering the very same people enforcing these laws perpetuated the idea that cannabis was dangerous and morally corrupt 👀👀👀
At a glance, the approach in the U.S. seemed to be: “The Mexicans and Black Americans are using this plant, let’s make it illegal, lock them up, and make money from it.” What began as a cultural tradition quickly became a means for systemic oppression.
In my opinion of course, terms & conditions apply.
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 of this convention 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. It got approved and hashish was added to the list. As representatives from each nation were present at this conference, they brought back this new news & regulation to their respective countries. 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. It really kicks off after the minute mark. Please have a watch.
My favourite quote I think is “It can be rolled into a harmless looking cigarette” lol. YouTube comments are elite.
So yea the film Reefer Madness was released, demonising cannabis as a highly addictive drug that caused mental disorder and violence. Pretty much it indicates if you consume cannabis you will become violent, abusive, murderous and jump out of a high rise building to your death, thanks to a few puffs of Sweet Mary Jane.
Now I ain’t no expert in drugs and its effects butttttttt that was I’m pretty sure that is, as a whole number, rounded to the nearest decimal, utter nonsense.
1937 — The Marijuana Tax Act
A year after reefer madness, Harry J. Anslinger, the 1st Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, was instrumental in passing the Marjuanna tax Act, which effectively criminalised cannabis in the US.
Теперь с другой стороны этого решения был Юридический советник Американской медицинской ассоциации, который выступал против этого решения о запрете каннабиса. Почему?
- Отсутствие научных доказательств для решения
- Медицинская ценность игнорировалась
- Медицинское сообщество не участвовало в принятии законопроекта
Meanwhile the New York Academy of Medicine issued an extensive report declaring marijuana did not induce violence, or insanity, or lead to addiction or other drug use.
What do you think they decided to do after hearing this?
Well they decided to not listen to the doctors & experts in medicine and chose to ignore these extensive reports. So they went ahead with passing the act mentioned. Nice one lads.
This act made it extremely difficult for any significant research to be conducted on cannabis in the following years. Slowing down the research, studies & findings that are beginning to emerge thanks to the recent loosened laws.
Рубеж Тысячелетий — Путь к Легализации
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.
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. Decriminalisation means you don’t get punished or fined for possessing small amounts of the drug. Legalisation means the drug is regulated and it can be sold and traded according to government rules.
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.
World map highlighting countries that decriminalized or legalized cannabis. – FIVER
Заключительные Мысли
So there we have it. That should be a good overview of the landscape and history of cannabis, Earth & humans together.
Cannabis has been part of human history for thousands of years. It’s been used as medicine, a source of spiritual enlightenment, and a tool for social control.
Adios.
This is at the end of every piece I write so if you’ve read something on here before, you know the crack.
If you’ve made it to the end of this piece, thank you. Seriously. You’ve taken the time to dive into a topic that has been hidden under layers of stigma for generations. That alone means you’re part of a much-needed change.
Now, I’m going to ask something of you. If you found this article broadened your perspective on cannabis or made you pause and think, do the following. Bring it up in conversation. Mention it to a friend, to a loved one undergoing chemotherapy, or to a coworker who shuts down at the mere mention of cannabis. Share it with that skeptical relative who still thinks cannabis is the “devil’s lettuce” and help start a conversation that could change their perspective.
Maybe they’ve been conditioned by outdated narratives, or perhaps they’ve seen its misuse and can’t imagine its benefits. Sharing this could plant a seed, a chance to gently challenge their perspective, not with arguments, but with stories and facts.
Why? Because these conversations matter. Imagine if someone you care about discovers relief, comfort, or even a better quality of life because of something you shared. That’s the ripple effect I’m hoping to create. I also don’t want people’s lives affected negatively due to the social perceptions that surround this plant.
It’s about breaking the cycle of misinformation and fear that has held us back for far too long. Every time we pass along accurate, balanced information, we take another step toward leaving this world a little better than we found it, for the next generation, those fighting silent battles today.
Мы должны им сделать всё правильно. Говорить открыто, без осуждения и стыда. Заменить устаревшие мифы доказательствами и пониманием.
I canny market shit because this is a drug which is fair. So here’s the deal: if something here resonated with you, don’t let it stop with you. Share it. Text it to someone who needs to hear it. Let’s make it normal to talk about cannabis and its potential benefits without lowering our voices or glancing over our shoulders.
Because when we educate, we empower. And when we empower, we open the door to change.
Let’s keep this conversation going x
With that, I’ll leave you to it. You’ve got this. If you have learned something new, go tell someone now haha
PENIS
Ссылки
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