The history of marijuana spans thousands of years, dating back to its original cultivation in the ancient world. In fact, burned cannabis seeds have been found in tombs dating back to 3000 B.C.
History of Marijuana
Cannabis comes from Central Asia. It acquired one of its more common names from a region called the Hindu Kush in the mountains of Northern India. To this day, many strains claim an “Afghani” lineage, referring to the timeless style of growing marijuana perfected in Afghanistan’s highlands.
The very first cannabis plants are thought to have originated near Mongolia, in the vast plains of Siberia. As nomads migrated through these lands, cannabis slowly dispersed into the greater world.
Marijuana had many uses to its first cultivators. Out of this period, our understanding of the plant developed to include the manufacture of hemp. These civilizations were the first to use hemp to make rope, clothing, linens, and a variety of other products.
Many cultures throughout history have appreciated the marijuana plant. Traces of cannabis have been found in civilizations throughout time and across the planet, including cultures you wouldn’t expect to have appreciated cannabis. For example, there is evidence that cannabis was smoked by certain Emperors of China, as well as Scandinavian Vikings and Islamic Sultans.
Cannabis in the Americas
The cannabis plant did not always have the same negative stigma attached to it as it does today. In colonial America, for example, farmers in Virginia and Massachusetts were required to grow hemp as a cash crop due to its plethora of uses. However, it was not until later that use of cannabis for its psychoactive and healing effects became widespread in America.
The history of marijuana in America is complicated. For a long time, there were no restrictions on the sale, use, or consumption of cannabis. Before 1910, there simply weren’t enough people using cannabis for it to attract the attention of federal authorities.
During the beginning of the 20th century, however, cannabis consumption began to grow as trade opened up with the rest of the world at an unprecedented rate. Along with opium, the public began to consider marijuana as a “poison”, and it was eventually regulated for the first time under a series of laws known as the “poison laws”.
In 1937, the “Marihuana Tax Act” was passed, which prohibited the possession and sale of cannabis for anything other than medical or industrial use. At the same time, anti-marijuana sentiment and general misinformation about the plant was extremely pervasive, even though the popularity of cannabis continued to grow through illicit means. Regulation of cannabis by the Congress of the United States has only continued since then. This increase in government interference defines the worldwide history of marijuana during this period.
In the 1970s, the legal status of cannabis was reexamined as the old laws were said to be outdated. Unfortunately, this process only resulted in stricter controls being placed on the sale of marijuana. However, redefining the relationship between the government and marijuana has enabled states to pursue their own destiny with regards to the plant, and many states have recently opted for recreational legalization.
Political winds in the United States seem to be moving in the direction of legalization, though history proves that progress is not a straight line. As more states and countries begin to legalize cannabis, the economic benefits will likely change people’s preconceptions about an otherwise remarkable industry.
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