History of Marijuana Use in Medicine - By: michael russell

Experts all over the world vary in their opinion about the origin of marijuana. Some consider that it was the offshoot of the Mexican word “Mary Jane” while other attribute its origin to the Portuguese word marigu-ano, which refers to “intoxicants”. In any case, its origin goes back to three thousand years though the explosion in use came as late as the 1960s.

Brief History

According to the National Commission of Marijuana and Drug Abuse, the plant was first cultivated and grown for fiber as well as source of medicine. However, its use as drug was confined to India till the year 500 A.D. Use of the drug spread over to Middle and Near East during the following several centuries and thereafter to North Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It entered in United States in the early part of the twentieth century. At the same time it was introduced in Europe as medicine and the use was significant in France .

Divergent use of Marijuana

• Agriculturists use marijuana as a fiber crop;

• For Physicians its use is as medicine and tranquilizer;

• For Police it is a source of menace;

• For trafficker, a source of danger though profitable;

• For commoners, it is an addictive drug; and

• For addicts; it is a source of euphoria.

Marijuana in Medicine

• China , India , Africa, Greece , and later the Western World widely used marijuana as medicinal drugs;

• It was used as medicine even 5,000 years ago;

• Originally it was used for treatment of burns;

• It has always been used as intoxicant and at times as tranquilizer or sedatives by the physicians;

• After 1840 it became popular as component of various medicines;

• In the later years it started losing its reputation as a valuable component for medicine preparations.

Public Reaction and Legislation

Strong public reaction leads to the promulgation of federal anti-marijuana law in the year 1937. Even its use in medication became limited thereafter. Most prominent use of marijuana was for psychiatrics as well as for the psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic researches. The reason is that it has remarkable capabilities of bringing to surface the subconscious.

Marijuana still is part of some of the medicines that require sedation or mild intoxication but its use is gradually coming down after scientists highlighted disadvantage of its use.

About the Author

Use of cannabis has a history of thousands of years. Science.jrank.org provides exhaustive information on marijuana , its history, and multiple uses like use of marijuana in medicine for the viewers in its science sector. Information provided is useful for both beginners and research scholars.

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