It is the most consumed drug in the world and therefore the subject of the most traffic. The scientific name of cannabis is Cannabis sativa. Cannabis is native to the mountainous areas of central and south Asia. The plant has been used by man for over 6,000 years. As described above, its uses, beside that of a stimulant-hallucinogenic drug, are as rope fiber, livestock food supplement, cooking oil, bird seed, paper and even medication.
Cannabis grows over a wide variety of geographic terrains, altitudes and latitudes.
It is grown in many countries on all continents. Although it prefers the higher temperatures and longer growing seasons of the equatorial areas of the world, it has been cultivated as far north as 60 degrees latitude. There was a marked increase in world-wide traffic in cannabis during 1999 compared to 1998. This upward trend has been observed every year for a number of years. Cannabis trafficking has been increasing in response to a high and rising demand.