Smoking Marijuana long before it was legal: A dive into Ancient culture and Cannabis

Recently a cannabis plant was found in Czechoslovakia dating back to almost 26,900 BC. This makes cannabis one of the oldest plant species known to man today. Smoking marijuana is illegal in most of the world today. But history was not always the same for cannabis. For thousands of years, it was legal and acceptable to smoke marijuana.

Even in ancient scriptures, we can find marijuana mentioned as a vital medicine. Back then it held great commercial and spiritual value.
Historians have predicted that marijuana was first used by the Mongols as a medicine to treat soldiers in pain. Slowly this cultivation spread to china, Yangshao’s economy was driven by the cultivation of cannabis for a long time. Archeological evidence can be found in pottery they used to grow hemp. Many ancient Chinese tombs contain seeds of marijuana.

Chinese emperor noticed that Marijuana can effectively reduce the pain caused by rheumatism and gout. Marijuana’s roots were used as a medicine while the seeds are a source to produce oil, the stem was used to make papers and ropes.
But it was not just the Chinese who used cannabis. Medicinal and spiritual uses of cannabis can be found in ancient Indian Civilization as well. Worshippers of Lord Shiva regularly used marijuana. Even today in many parts of the country people smoke weed, in order to achieve spiritual awareness.

Many new studies have also shown that culture and cannabis were intertwined with each other, In Tiwanaku, Bolivia.

Marijuana was introduced to the middle-eastern Asia sometimes during 2000 BC. Venidad, a Persian sacred text supports the medical usage of cannabis. Slowly this plant spread to the Europe. The Greeks mention it as an effective way to reduce Edema and inflammation.

The Spanish brought weed to Americas while Napoleon brought it to France from Egypt. It reached the United States just before 1900s from Mexico and Latin America. After that, it was banned by the Government.

No solid evidence can suggest that cannabis was illegal throughout the history. In many parts of the world, marijuana is still banned and seen as a harmful drug. Recent acts in the United States have made it legal to smoke weed for individuals. But not many people support it.
Surprisingly enough, in North Korea, smoking weed is completely legal according to one report.
Don’t forget to check out our other articles, to know more about medicinal properties & benefits of marijuana.