Pot. Weed. Mary Jane. Bud. Ganja. Hash. Cannabis has a lot of names, and not all of them are positive (the Devil’s Lettuce, anyone?). Part of the reason for the plant’s many monikers is the simple fact that it’s been around a while. There’s evidence it was used to treat various health problems as far back as 2800 BC. Like most mind-altering substances, though, it’s fallen in and out of favor over time. Put another way, it was a long road to legalization.
If you want to know more about the journey cannabis took to wind up at your local recreational dispensary, read on. Here’s a timeline detailing the evolution of the plant in society.
2800 BC – Emperor Shen Nung, the first Emperor of Ancient China, is credited with bringing agriculture to his people. Cannabis was listed in his pharmacopeia.
2000 BC – According to Hindu mythology from around this time, cannabis was one of the five sacred plants. Moreover, the cannabis plant was said to be the favorite food of Shiva, one of the main deities of Hinduism.
129-200 AD – Galen of Pergamon, a Greek physician who lived in the Roman Empire, recognized that cannabis has therapeutic properties and so used it to treat his patients.
1841 – Sir William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, an Irish physician, introduced cannabis to the Western world after researching it while living in India. He touted its medicinal properties, and there is even one recorded case of him using it to stop a child’s seizures.
1936 – The film Reefer Madness was released. Because it demonized cannabis, public opinion about the highly therapeutic plant started to change.
1937 – In the United States, the Marijuana Tax Act was passed, effectively hindering the sale of cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes.
It’s worth noting that between 1898 and 1964, scientists continued researching cannabis. Over the course of their work, they were able to isolate cannabinol (CBN), cannabidiol (CBD), and THC from the plant, paving the way for highly potent products with all kinds of medicinal uses.
1970 – The United States introduced the Controlled Substance Act, which stated cannabis had no accepted medical use. It also claimed the drug had a high potential for abuse.
1996 – The state of California passed the Compassionate Use Act, which legalized cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Over the next two decades, several states followed suit. As of summer 2022, 19 states, Guam, and Washington D.C. have legalized the use of recreational marijuana. Moreover, 37 states have legalized the use of medical marijuana. While cannabis has yet to be legalized at the federal level, the Obama administration instructed federal prosecutors to consider not prosecuting those who distributed the drug in accordance with applicable state laws.
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