Cannabidiol- a compound in cannabis Sativa- is common in health and wellness circles. However, the use of CBD is not exactly a modern phenomenon, and the use of this substance can be traced back to many other ancient societies. However, in the 20th century, cannabis, the plant from which cannabidiol is extracted, was demonized, especially in the United States. It was highly associated with drug trafficking, leading to moral panic and declining usage. However, the laws have changed over time, and scientists are researching the compounds present in the plant, leading to the current liberation. In this article, we discuss the true history of CBD.
The First Use of Cannabis
The first recorded instance of cannabis-derived medicine was in 2737 BCE. It is recorded that the Chinese Emperor Sheng Neng used tea infused with cannabis to help bring balance to his body. It helped cure different ailments, including rheumatism, gout, and malaria. During this time, they noticed that those who used the tea reported improved memory and brain function. Further, the Chinese Book of Documents by Shu King records the use of cannabis for balancing purposes in 2300 BCE.
Uses in Other Areas
Apart from its use in ancient China, cannabis was actually used in other ancient cultures, including:
India
Cannabis was used in religious and annual celebrations in subcontinental India between 2000 and 1000 BCE. Cannabis is one of the five sacred plants according to the Atharva Veda, and it is believed that the plant is a joy-giver and liberator and that a guardian angel inhibits the plant. This shows just how much the Indians hold the plant in regard.
The cannabis, in this case, was consumed in Soma and Bhang forms. Bhang utilizes the leaves and top of the plant. These parts are infused in a drink. Soma is the plant’s juice and is made by squashing the stalks of the plant between stones. The filtered juice is then filtered through wool and finally mixed with water and milk. Alternatively, it could be consumed in the form of ganja. Here the leaves and top of the plant are smoked. It can also be consumed as hashish, where the buds are extracted before inhalation.
Cannabis also plays a crucial role in Tantri Buddhism. It was first used in medieval India before the practice was adopted in Mongolia, East Asia, and Tibet. Tantric Buddhism involves attempts to channel divine energy and is highly ritualistic. It highly focuses on meditation with the intake of cannabis. They believe that when an individual reaches enlightenment, it will coincide with the high from the plant.
The herb cannabis was and is still widely consumed at weddings and festivals to honor Shiva, one of the Indian Gods. Today, they still offer cannabis to Shiva on Shivaratri day. Cannabis is also consumed during Bhajan meetings and by Sadhus or yogis to balance their meditation practices.
As you read, you need to realize that cannabis and CBD differ in one primary way. CBD products do not get you high because they lack THC content.
Middle East
The first use of cannabis for beauty and skincare can be traced to ancient Egypt. It is believed that Pharaoh Ramses II was a cannabis enthusiast. He was pharaoh between 1279 and 1213 BCE. He encouraged Egyptians to use the cannabis plant, and he was even buried with it inside his temple.
Apart from the use of cannabis for beauty, Egyptians used it for textiles and construction.
A 1992 journal publication by Balabanoca, Parsche, and Pirsig reported traces of cannabis in the remains and tomb of Ramses and other Egyptian mummies. These groups are likely to have consumed cannabis via inhalation. They also recorded their research and findings about cannabis in their scrolls as far back as 2000 BCE.
People from the Middle East also researched cannabis, which made it a central part of the Arabic culture. Since their research was far ahead of others of their time, Islamic researchers could build upon the research from Indians, Greeks, and Romans. Thanks to their intellectual abilities, they could translate previous results, add on to it and even discover the existence of different active components in cannabis.
Soon, the news of the cannabis plant quickly spread to other countries and cultures. For example, it is believed that cannabis oil was widely used in the Middle East BC and AD.
Cannabis in the Modern Day Context
While the Islamic researchers knew a great deal about cannabis, this plant’s best and most significant properties were only understood in the last century, thanks to the advancement of chemistry and biology.
Initially, a study conducted by an Irish medical researcher, William B O’Shaughnessy, in 1839, speculated that cannabis had therapeutic effects. He also speculated that cannabis could be used as an anesthetic. Even without knowing it, he had made significant progress toward discovering Cannabinoid compounds.
Over a century later, in 1940, Robert Cahn, a British chemist, discovered the partial structure of cannabinol. However, an American, Roger Adams, made a more significant discovery two years later. This chemist discovered cannabidiol, the first cannabinoid. His discovery also led to the discovery of THC, which makes people high. THC was isolated by Raphael Mechoulam later in 1964. His work enabled scientists to identify the properties of THC and CBD.
However, researchers still had limited knowledge of the structure of cannabinoids and only partially understood the plant’s biological composition. Therefore, they did not know which plant was causing which effect on the body.
Later, researchers discovered THC, revealing the euphoric effects of marijuana and the mind-altering compounds within the plant. New Mexico eventually passed the 1978 Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Act, which recognized the medical value of cannabis. Marijuana research continued in the 80s as Dr. Mechoulam’s team studied the medicinal use of marijuana to treat epilepsy.
Controversy Surrounding the Use of Marijuana
Somewhere in the mid-20th century, things changed for marijuana. In the US, the use of marijuana was particularly viewed as a negative thing. Soon, recreational cannabis was banned as it was continuously demonized in the US and UK.
In 1906, it was a requirement that any over-the-counter remedies containing cannabis were to be labeled as such. However, things took a worse turn in 1910 when Mexican immigrants began coming into the US after the Mexican Revolution. Soon, the use of marijuana became associated with immigrants. Fear and prejudice quickly spread against immigrants as they used marijuana for recreational purposes and this was used as campaign propaganda material to sway public confidence against particular candidates. Since Mexicans and other minorities were associated with marijuana, people were warned against the “Marijuana Menace.” However, the counterculture by the youth-led to massive usage of marijuana at this time, leading to an even more negative image. By the 1930s, the fear of the immigrants, massive unemployment, escalating fear of the problem of marijuana, and other issues in the US led to research that linked marijuana use with violence and social defiance.
Further emphasis was made on how underclass communities used this drug. Eventually, the use of marijuana was outlawed entirely in the US, and the US created the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Later on, in 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was passed, criminalizing marijuana and restricting possession.
Other acts further spurred the propaganda against marijuana. For example, Louis Gasnier, a French Director, produced “Reefer Madness,” a film that further put marijuana in a negative light. However, the US After this, there were periods where research would establish that marijuana was not a cause for addiction, violence, and other evils and where the counterculture developed as the political landscape in America changed. Yet, years later, there would still be regulations and controversy surrounding the use of marijuana, continuing the complex relationship between the United States and cannabis.
CBD Today
Most of the 1900s were filled with controversy when it came to marijuana. However, towards the end of the 20th century, things began to change as several states started legalizing medical marijuana. The first state to legalize medical cannabis was California in 1996 after passing Proposition 215. Oregon, Washington, and Alaska followed suit in 1998, Maine in 1999, Nevada, Hawaii, and Colorado in 2000. As of today, 18 states have legalized the recreational use of cannabis.
Now that marijuana had been accepted for medical use, patients in these states could access it legally, and scientists could carry out research, although not many have explored clinical trials. They sought to find out the potential of CBD in treating chronic pain, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, and even pain.
With this new research, the stigma towards the plant began to shift, but there was still caution as there were a lot of gray areas under the law. The scientific community understood the distinction between CBD and other cannabinoids, but the general public still did not understand the compound well.
In 2018, hemp-derived CBD was legalized federally under the Farm Bill. As a result, CBD products are now sold in stores online all over the US.
Charlotte Figi and the CBD Craze
Charlotte was born on 18th October 2006 with Dravet Syndrome. Dravet Syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy that is resistant to drugs. By the time she was 5, she was experiencing approximately 300 seizures per week and was confined to a wheelchair.
Her family lived in Colorado, where the medicinal use of marijuana was legal. So, her mother began to administer Hippies Disappointment cannabis oil to Charlotte, and she noted a drastic decrease in the frequency of Charlotte’s seizures. She now only had three seizures per month. Her condition improved so much that soon she became a social media sensation, and people with epilepsy began thronging Colorado to buy CBD oil.
Charlotte lived her life until 2020, when she passed away from pneumonia-related complications. However, Charlotte’s story sparked a global boom in using CBD oils to treat epilepsy and seizures.
Furthermore, the legalization of CBD has led to the rise of CBD manufacturers producing various CBD products. The FDA approved Epidiolex, the first CBD-based drug that can be used legally for the management of epilepsy. However, the FDA does not approve of the use of marijuana in other unapproved health products, including dietary supplements. Sufficient CBD trials are yet to establish if it offers more health benefits.
There is a wide variety of CBD products on the market currently, and research suggests CBD can lower inflammation and pain and be used for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, opioid addiction, anxiety, and Schizophrenia. However, manufacturers are still refining their methods of extracting CBD.
The Future of CBD
The relationship between America and cannabis has always been complicated. However, research and recent findings have helped change the perception of Americans and the rest of the world dramatically over the years. Although CBD is legalized with restrictions across the country and the use of its extracts is not yet fully normalized in the United States, there is a potential for this compound to continue changing the lives of Americans.
For CBD to reach its full potential in the mainstream and change lives like other drugs, there needs to be more work done. However, the CBD community continues to grow, and nothing can stand in the way of the imminent breakthrough. As scientists continue to research the likely analgesic properties of CBD and how it can be used to improve the health of the body, we can only hope that the mental orientation of the public swings positively with the times. With the majority now supporting the full federal legalization of cannabis, CBD will likely be entirely accepted in the mainstream one day.