For most of its recorded history, cannabis has carried a dual identity: a medicinal plant prized for its properties and a forbidden substance, the focus of society’s scrutiny. Simultaneously heralded and condemned, this plant’s relationship with mankind is richly strewn across different civilizations, sparking fascinating narratives and conversations on cultural traditions and social impact.
In ancient history, there’s ample evidence of cannabis being used for medicinal purposes. Traces of it were discovered in an ancient village buried under snow in the mountains of Asia about 5000 years ago, making cannabis one of the first agricultural crops. Interestingly, it was likely valued more for its industrial properties as a source of fiber than for its psychoactive traits.
However, the plant’s psychoactive potential was also discovered early in history. In religious rituals and spiritual practices, cannabis played an integral role. The Vedas—sacred Hindu texts from India—mention cannabis as a sacred plant, a liberator, a joy-giver, with remarkable properties. The Atharvaveda called it one of the five sacred plants providing relief from anxiety spiritual and religious use.
In ancient China, cannabis was used medicinally, with Emperor Shen Neng, one of Chinese myth’s founding fathers, prescribing cannabis tea to treat various illnesses. He made one of the first references to cannabis as medicine in about 2737 B.C. Cannabis seeds were also used in food, and its fibres were used to create textiles.
Cannabis’s cultural significance, however, got a significant flip with the advent of the prohibition era. In the 1930s, U.S policy changed drastically towards cannabis, leading to its demonization and criminalization. Multiple factors, including the rise of lobbying powers of pharmaceutical and alcohol companies, racial prejudice, and economic slump, led to this change. The “Marijuana Tax Act of 1937,” saw the advent of anti-drug campaigns like “Reefer Madness,” imbibing fear about cannabis addiction in public, reflecting a marked shift in societal sentiment towards this plant that has lasted for decades prohibition era.
In the midst of this prohibition, an underground culture blossomed around cannabis use, leading to a surge in popularity among musicians, writers, and artists who praised cannabis’s creativity enhancing properties. This underground culture eventually paved the way for the counterculture revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, when cannabis use became a form of political rebellion Counterculture revolution.
The 1960s also witnessed an increased trend of cultural appropriation around cannabis. Western spiritualists and travelers returning from places like India introduced practices of cannabis consumption associated with spiritual rituals and experiences, often devoid of their original cultural and religious context, and reforming them into newly fashioned trends.
Today, a significant shift can be seen globally with increasing legalization movements advocating for access to medical and recreational cannabis. This has led to redefining the cannabis culture, promoting it as a lifestyle choice, a wellness product, and a former outlaw’s economic opportunity. While the argument on the merits and demerits of this plant continue, there’s no denying its prominent position throughout history and its deep relevance in society’s cultural fabric Cannabis throughout history.
The history of cannabis serves as an intriguing mirror, reflecting society’s evolving attitudes towards psychoactive substances. From ritualistic use to complete societal ban, and now towards wide-scale normalization, cannabis has traveled a full circle in human history, embodying stigmatization, acceptance, and now, renewal. Understanding cannabis’s rich history, cultural significance, and social impact offers fascinating insights into the role of plants in shaping our cultural narratives, life philosophies, and society’s evolving views on mind-altering substances.
