4 Marijuana Facts You Can Drop Into Any Conversation
by Jeff Eckenrode, COO
Quick Answer: Cannabis has been used as fiber, food, and medicine for over 5,000 years. It was legal in most of human history until U.S. prohibition in 1937. There are three species — sativa, indica, and ruderalis — and all modern strains are hybrids. THC and CBD weren't isolated until 1964, and the Endocannabinoid System wasn't discovered until 1988.
Everyone loves a new fun fact, especially one that you can share with your friends!
Whether you’re looking for an ice breaker at your next party or want to wow your friends with your impressive knowledge, then you've come to the right place!
Here are four amazing marijuana facts that will make you look like the smartest person in the room!
A long, long time ago …
For most of human history, marijuana (also known as cannabis) has been completely legal. Throughout the world, it has had a long history of use as a fiber, a food, and a medicine, dating as far back as 5000 years ago.
Cannabis was once an essential treatment for the ancient Chinese, the Indian Ayurvedics as well as the Victorians who adopted it into the Western Pharmacopoeia in the mid-1850s. It was even used in Europe and North America as a household tonic until its prohibition in 1937 in the United States.
Hybrids, hybrids everywhere …
Cannabis is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the family Cannabaceae. According to cannabis researchers, it first emerged in the Caucasus Mountains, most likely in current-day Kazakhstan, around 10,000 years ago.
Scientifically speaking, there are at least three distinct species of marijuana plants, which are: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.
Today, cannabis sativa and indica plants are selectively bred and cross-bred to augment their most favorable characteristics like flavor, potency, etc.
As a result, a “true”, un-hybridized sativa or indica is not known to exist! So although the terms sativa and indica are common, they are unreliable labels when it comes to predicting the effects they produce when cannabis is smoked, drank or eaten.
What they don’t teach you in medical school …
The chemistry of how marijuana works with the human body has largely remained a mystery. But that all changed in 1964 when a researcher by the name of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam isolated the two most prevalent compounds of the cannabis plant: cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Since then, Mechoulam and his team of scientists at Hebrew University have established themselves as THE experts on the chemistry of the cannabis plant.
In 1988, the system of receptors that CBD and THC interact with was officially discovered and named by Dr. Allyn Howlett: the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).
Bonus fact: the ECS is the LARGEST receptor system human beings have. And it is known to be the ultimate regulator of homeostasis in the human body. You can think of the ECS as a sort of air traffic control center for the human body!
Did somebody say … mummies?!?
In 1993, a 2500-year old mummy in Russia was found buried with meat, ornaments, and marijuana.
Image Source and Credits: Marcel Nyffenegger/ The Siberian Times.
An MRI scan of this mummy, known as the “Siberian Ice Maiden”, who was perfectly preserved in ice, shows her body riddled with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
Scientists say she may have used cannabis to blunt the intense pain of her illness. Researchers also propose that she was likely a shaman who used it to treat others as well!
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FAQ 4 Marijuana Facts
How long has cannabis been used by humans?
Cannabis has been used for at least 5,000 years as a fiber, food, and medicine. It was embraced by ancient Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic traditions, adopted into Western medicine in the mid-1850s, and used as a household remedy in North America until it was prohibited in the United States in 1937.
Where did cannabis originally come from?
According to cannabis researchers, the plant first emerged approximately 10,000 years ago in the Caucasus Mountains, most likely in present-day Kazakhstan. It belongs to the plant family Cannabaceae and is one of the oldest cultivated plants on Earth.
What are the different species of cannabis?
There are at least three distinct species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Today's market strains are almost entirely hybrids — selectively bred for potency, flavor, and yield. A true, un-hybridized sativa or indica is not known to exist in modern commerce.
Are sativa and indica labels reliable for predicting effects?
No. While sativa and indica are commonly used terms in dispensaries, research shows they are not reliable predictors of how a strain will affect you. Your individual body chemistry, tolerance, and the product's cannabinoid and terpene profile are far more accurate guides to expected effects.
Who discovered THC and CBD?
Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, a researcher at Hebrew University in Israel, first isolated both CBD and THC in 1964. This was a landmark breakthrough in cannabis science and established Mechoulam's team as the world's foremost experts on cannabis chemistry.
What is the Endocannabinoid System, and when was it discovered?
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is the largest receptor system in the human body and the master regulator of homeostasis. It was discovered in 1988 by Dr. Allyn Howlett and is the biological network that THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids interact with when you consume cannabis.
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