A Brief History Of Marijuana

ANCIENT WORLD

Because of its hallucinogenic effects, marijuana was widely used in many countries of the ancient world, including India and Nepal. In order to enter a trance-like state, it was employed during the religious ceremonies they participated in.

Between 800 and 900 AD, Arabians used it to treat headaches, discomfort, and syphilis. Additionally, the English reported a large number of therapeutic uses of marijuana for conditions such as menstrual cramps, convulsions, joint pain, insomnia and more.

CHINA

The  benefits of marijuana, or rather, hemp, were recognized by the Chinese as early as 4000 years ago, when Chinese farmers grew it for use in textiles and as oil.

Centuries later, it is believe that marijuana was also a frequent ingredient in a variety of herbal treatments, and it was also used in religious ceremonies.

THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT AND THE MIDDLE EAST

It was not long before people in other parts of the world, such as India and the Middle East, started using marijuana for medicinal purposes. But in addition to such applications, it was also put to use in a variety of other contexts, such as in manufacturing and religious rituals.

Clothing, ropes, sacks, mats, and fishing nets were all crafted using the hemp fiber that was collected from marijuana plants.

WESTERN EUROPE

Marijuana was carried back to Europe by troops serving in Napoleon's army in the 19th century after they had been stationed in North Africa and fought there. This was the first time marijuana was brought to Western Europe to be used as a recreational drug.

During that time period, it was also employed in the medical field.

In the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, marijuana was an essential component of several different herbal cures.

20TH CENTURY ENGLAND

The beginning of the 20th century brought about a change in this circumstance. Marijuana usage for recreational purposes was made illegal in the United Kingdom in the 1920s. This decision was made due to an international conference highlighting the detrimental effects of marijuana use.

It was also prohibited in several other nations, including South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand.

The risks of marijuana were a prominent topic of discussion throughout the 1930s and 1940s; nevertheless, this topic received more attention in the United States than in the United Kingdom.

Students in the United Kingdom and other nations were the most common users of the term "hippie culture" in that era, coinciding with a rapid increase in the term's popularity in the 1960s.

MARIJUANA USE IN THE USA

Since the founding of the United States of America, the history of cannabis in the country has been long and, at times, controversial. This plant was initially utilized as a material for textiles and subsequently as a therapeutic element, but over time, it had become extremely contentious. This voyage is detailed in the timeline of marijuana's history, which may be found below:

The cultivation of hemp in the United States dates back to the early days of settlement in the 1600s, when marijuana was farmed like any other crop. This is where the cannabis plant first appeared. During the 17th century, there was a significant push to increase the production of hemp, which was used for fabric, rope, and sails, among other things. Hemp was one form of the cannabis plant.

In the 1700s, George Washington had a passing interest in hemp farming. However, he did express some skepticism regarding the possible therapeutic applications of marijuana in his papers that year (1765).

1840 was the year that widespread acceptance of marijuana in conventional medicine occurred and its use as a component in many over-the-counter goods began.

In 1862, an issue of Vanity Fair featured an advertisement for hashish candy, which claimed to be a delightful and risk-free stimulant that could alleviate uneasiness and sorrow.

From the years 1900 to 1930, marijuana was used as a component in a wide variety of medical treatments. Although it was advertised as a painkiller, it was also utilized as a sedative for treating muscle spasms. On the other hand, Mexican immigrants were the first to use marijuana for recreational purposes during this same period. Because of the drug's association with Mexican immigrants, and the nationalistic mindset of the times, many people started to be afraid of the substance, which led to the rise of anti-drug sentiment.

In the 1930s, the Great Depression came and a significant number of Americans lost their livelihood and more. Fear and stigmatization of immigrants increased as a result, with many Americans fearing that Mexican immigrants would steal their employment. This increased public concern regarding the risks associated with marijuana use. Research suggested that marijuana usage was associated with an increased risk of violent crime, and the media started reporting on this finding.

1937 saw the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act, which limited the use of marijuana to only those individuals who were able to pay a steep excise tax for particular authorized industrial and medical applications.

In 1944, the New York Academy of Medicine issued a paper in which it stated that marijuana was only a moderately strong intoxicant. 

Marijuana enjoyed a surge in popularity in the 1960s among members of the counterculture, who saw it as a harmless form of high. College students, free-spirited beatniks, anti-war activists, hippies, and other young people were some of the most frequent users of this substance. Both President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon Johnson are credited with having been instrumental in the commissioning of studies that concluded marijuana did not contribute to an increase in violent behavior or in the use of other, more harmful drugs.

The Controlled Substances Act was passed in 1970s by Congress, and one of its provisions classified marijuana as a Schedule I substance, along with LSD and heroin. Because the act stated that marijuana had no therapeutic value and significant potential for abuse, it increased the amount of potential jail time for possession of marijuana. This set the framework for current laws which are still on the books for the federal government and most states today. 

In 1996, that changed when voters in California enacted Proposition 215, which authorized the use of marijuana for medical purposes within the state.

Today, most states have legalized medicinal marijuana , and eleven states plus the District of Columbia have passed legislation to legalize recreational use of marijuana legal. In the not too distant future, we envision full legalization from sea to shining sea.