Cannabis has a history that is much longer and deeper than many realize. The first known record of cannabis was 12,000 years ago in ancient China. From there, cannabis seeds have migrated around the world along with nomadic peoples. The seeds grew plants that would provide fiber for ropes and nets as well as seeds for oil. An ancient Chinese emperor also reported the earliest records of cannabis for medical purposes around 2000 BC. A plant with so many practical uses would have been highly revered during this time. Getting from there to where we are now in terms of cannabis growth and use is quite the story.
The next major mention of cannabis comes from the oldest extant encyclopedia in the Graeco-Roman world, the Naturalis Historia. In 23-79 AD, the author describes the cultivation of hemp for making ropes and nets as well as discussing medicinal uses of cannabis and the different methods of growth and cultivation for each type. The author describes antalgic and anti-inflammatory properties when used in people with arthritis, gout, and similar issues but does not discuss any intoxicating or euphoria inducing properties.
From there, cannabis made its way to England. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh before moving to Calcutta and publishing the results of his observations on cannabis. Unlike the Graeco-Romans, O’Shaughnessy wrote about the intoxicating effect of cannabis, specifically that the effect depended on a “resinous secretion” that seemed to be absent in European hemp. He hypothesized that the differences were due to climate differences since the plants looked identical. This was the beginning of cannabis acceptance in Western medicine. J. Russel Reynolds was the appointed physician to Queen Victoria, and in 1890, he summarized 30 years of experience treating Queen Victoria with cannabis. Empress Elisabeth of Austria was reported to use it to treat coughs and to stimulate the appetite. But the major obstacle to regular cannabis use was that the active ingredient had yet to be isolated and that hemp grown in different places and seasons had varying degrees of therapeutic benefit.
That was just the first obstacle. Throughout the 20th century, many more would restrict the use of cannabis, particularly in the United States. The next would be the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, followed by the removal of cannabis from the American pharmacopeia in 1942. In 1961, the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs placed cannabis in the strictest control category along with heroin — all before THC was identified as a specific compound in 1964. By 1970, research into the effects of cannabis became nearly impossible due to regulations.
For the next few decades, researchers would fight for any opportunity to study cannabis to confirm its previously recorded therapeutic effects. Finally in 2017, a report from the US National Academy of Medicine confirmed the knowledge limitation and that the only conclusive or substantial evidence of efficacy was in three domains: 1) the alleviation of chronic pain in adults 2) as an anti-emetic in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and 3) the patient-reported improvement in multiple sclerosis spasticity symptoms.
With the acknowledgement of these treatment domains, doors have opened to confirming treatments that cannabis users have known for centuries. The creation of broad-spectrum, full-spectrum, and isolates in multiple forms such as tinctures and edibles allow treatment to be tailored to the individual and are showing positive effects on a wide range of physical and mental issues. Vapor Galleria is here to provide all of these products to meet your needs. Our six locations in two states are ready to help!