Today it’s time for a fun history lesson surrounding everyone’s favorite intoxicating plant: Cannabis! The medicinal and intoxicating properties of Cannabis have been known for millennia, and we at Hemp and Tea Co think that it is incredibly important to understand the history of this plant. Understanding the history of this plant can do wonders in aiding with destigmatizing its use, which we think is incredibly important! 

The earliest documented usage of Cannabis was in approximately 2800 BCE, where Cannabis was placed on Chinese Emperor Shen Nung’s (He’s regarded as the father of ancient Chinese medicine) pharmacopeia. A pharmacopeia is basically an encyclopedia focused on medicinal practices, plants, treatments and substances used in medicine. These therapeutic uses of Cannabis are also depicted in text from the Ancient Hindu’s, Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans. These texts list a number of ailments that Cannabis could be used to treat. Those ailments include arthritis, depression, inflammation, pain, lack of appetite, and asthma. In these ancient societies Cannabis even shows up in legends. The Hindu god Shiva, was given the title the God of Bhang (Bhang is a traditional means of consuming Cannabis orally), because the Cannabis plant was said to be his favorite food. The utilization of Cannabis in religious rituals in India was often thought to appease the gods, as they found the use of Cannabis pleasurable. Cannabis was certainly prevalent in Chinese history as well, outside of being included in Emperor Shen Nung’s pharmacopeia. Researchers uncovered ancient wooden burners in the mountains of eastern China that had residue matching the exact chemical structure of Cannabis on them, indicating that Cannabis was being burned. Even more interesting, the residue found on those burners indicated higher levels of THC concentration than what was found in wild plants at the time. This would seem to indicate that those in this area were growing and selecting for higher THC containing Cannabis plants! It seems we’ve always been looking for that stronger high! 

While we do believe that Cannabis use originated in Eastern Asia, it is likely that Cannabis spread quickly along the silk road trading network, and documents from Ancient Greece indicate that Cannabis was spread to this region, along with a general understanding of its uses. The Greek historian Herodotus was the first to mention the usage of Cannabis in his writings, and indicated that the practice originated in China. It is difficult to fully describe exactly how Cannabis was utilized outside of its medicinal uses in these ancient societies, but we do have some evidence of usage from archaeological sites. It would appear that Cannabis was often burned in the Pamir mountains as a means of commemorating the dead. Burners with Cannabis residue found on them were utilized during funeral proceedings, and so it would appear that Cannabis served some purpose for funeral processions or proceedings in ancient cultures. 

Given the modern political climate around Cannabis legalization, we find that it is important to understand the context in which Cannabis has been utilized throughout human history. This can help us understand the cross-cultural significance of Cannabis, which can in turn help to aid in policy formation. Regardless of political opinion, it is clear that the Cannabis plant has served humans for millennia, and held not only medicinal purposes in ancient cultures, but also held cultural significance for many. Whether its use medicinally, ritually, or recreationally, it’s clear humans and Cannabis have been intertwined for some time!