Maybe You Didn’t Know, But…
Just for you, some more “perhaps not everyone knows that” about marijuana. Curiosities and facts regarding this ancient and magical plant are probably too many to be counted. And if you want to purchase your own seeds you can go to http://greenhouseseeds.nl and start growing your own cannabis, it is likely that you will discover something new about marijuana yourself. Let us know if that happens!
Here is what we know.
1. How many people know that marijuana is not precisely hemp? The leaves are very similar but the flowering of the latter has low levels of THC. However, both were declared illegal during the process that pushed cannabis under the shadow of illegality.
2. At the end of the World War II, the United States released a film: “Hemp for Victory”, in which marijuana and its many uses were celebrated. The film encouraged farmers to produce cannabis to help the army. The Government subsequently denied the existence of this film, until it was rediscovered in 1989. You can watch it now on YouTube.
3. Chinese history is basically built on marijuana. In ancient China, in fact, the plant was famous for its health benefits and more. Cannabis was a source of fuel, it was adopted in the production of clothes and it was also used to create the first sheet of paper, which ended up changing the way we communicate. The use of the plant dates back to at least 2737 b.c.
4. A study conducted by the University of Alabama found that those who smoke marijuana have a better lung capacity than the people who do not smoke. In fact, unlike nicotine, THC has anti-cancer properties.
5. A report published in 2006 found that marijuana is the most lucrative crop in the United States, with $ 35.8 billion (although this figure was later challenged and lowered). What we know for sure is that 42% of Americans have smoked marijuana at least once.
6. The word marijuana has a rather dubious etymology. Some experts claim it is simply the combination of the names Maria and Juana. Others suggest it comes from the word maraguanquo, which means “intoxicating plant”.
7. Marijuana could save the planet. A study carried out by the Canadian McGill University shows that 1 acre of hemp produces more crude fiber than 4.1 acres of trees. An amount between 11 and 31 million acres of cannabis would satisfy the need for fuel of the entire world, without impoverishing the soil. Actually, it would enrich the soil. Legalization would produce millions of jobs, and farmers would be competitive in every corner of the world, reducing hunger at a global scale.
