Brief History of Cannabis
Medicinal marijuana has been used to successfully treat ailments and relieve pain for many, many centuries worldwide, including legally in the United States until 1937, when large, influential businesses successfully lobbied congress to classify all derivatives of cannabis as a Schedule I drug for their own gain. Unfortunately, this markedly curtailed medical research using cannabis for decades.
In 1996, California legalized medical cannabis, starting a new interest into the beneficial medical effects of cannabis in the United States and many states have followed. Worldwide, research continues to investigate the therapeutic uses of this naturally occurring substance.
Today in medicine, after a 25-year emphasis on treating patients’ pain, we have created addicts without making a dent in their perceived pain. Now, with the legalization of medical cannabis, we have a medically based alternative to not only treat patients’ pain, but also a variety of illnesses.