THE HISTORY OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Tags: cannabis, marijuana, weed, marijuanastrains
Published: 2022-10-22 12:10:29



<u>_**## THE IDEA OF MARIJUANA AS AN ILLICIT SUBSTANCE IS A RELATIVELY NEW CONCEPT IN CONCERN WITH MOST HUMAN CIVILIZATION.**_</u>

It wasn’t until the 1930s that cannabis was banned, thanks to the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937.¹This tax act was largely based on racist implications; in every regard, it holds no legitimacy to cannabis and its potential benefits. Yet, it became the foundation for how our modern world views the substance and erased millennia of history revolving around [medical marijuana](https://bubbafactoryofficial.com/the-history-of-medical-marijuana/).

Throughout an expansion of different cultures from various timeframes, cannabis is medicine and is used in a number of spiritual practices. Throughout this article, we will take a deeper look at how history shaped this plant and what properties other civilizations have used it for.

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## <u>ANCIENT CHINA</u>
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The earliest written records that discuss medical marijuana date back to 1500 BC, but it’s believed to have been used as early as 2700 BC by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung, considered by many to be the Father of Chinese medicine.²According to Chinese legend, the emperor discovered the healing properties of medical marijuana and the herbs ginseng and ephedra.Even more so, Chinese Emperor Fu Hsi, whom many accredit for bringing civilization to China, had referred to “Ma,” the Chinese word for cannabis, around 2900 BC.

 

Still, we can go further back as the use of hemp as a material dates back to nearly 10,000 years ago in what’s now modern-day Taiwan. While there are no records of hemp being used for medicinal practice, we do know ancient humans consumed hemp seeds as food. Therefore, it’s very likely they discovered its medicinal properties.³

 

These properties vary depending on the era, but cannabis was largely used for menstrual disorders, in wounds, to help stimulate the nervous system, and to help with other internal fluxes, such as constipation and obstinate vomiting. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many records concerning cannabis and how exactly it was used in Ancient China.

 

The most comprehensive record came from the Shennong Bencaojing, the oldest Chinese pharmacopeia circulated in 100 AD.Within that, you’ll find the following:4″The flowers when they burst [when the pollen is scattered] are called [mafen] or [mabo]. The best time for gathering is the seventh day of the seventh month. The seeds are gathered in the ninth month.

 

The seeds which have entered the soil are injurious to man. It grows in [Taishan]. The flowers, the fruit [seed], and the leaves are officinal. The leaves and the fruit are said to be poisonous, but not the flowers and the kernels of the seeds.”With more knowledge being recorded, cannabis began finding other medicinal uses. For example, Hua Tuo (140 AD – 208 AD) was the first Chinese surgeon to use the plant as an anesthetic.

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## <u>ANCIENT EGYPT</u>
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Another early recording of cannabis use comes from 1550 BC, the Ebers Papyrus.

 

This is the oldest surviving textbook in existence and, in turn, the oldest confirmed piece of information on medical marijuana.6According to the papyrus, medical marijuana was used for thousands of years to treat the sick. And while what remains of this text doesn’t go into too much detail, we do have some information concerning ancient Egypt throughout the years that followed.

 

These can be observed in the Ramesseum III Papyrus (1700 BC), the Berlin Papyrus (1300 BC), and the Chester Beatty Medical Papyrus (1300 BC). All discuss using medical marijuana primarily as a prescription for inflammation.

 

Most interestingly, hemp was used as a suppository to relieve the pain of hemorrhoids.7Furthermore, cannabis pollen was found on the mummy of Ramesses II, who died in 1213 BC. More particularly, it was used as a cotton fabric on the mummy. This discovery led to the finding that cannabis may have been introduced to Ancient Egypt as there are no indications of it being native to the land.