This post will provide information on the health benefits and side effects of cannabis or marijuana as well as provide answers to questions like: where did Indian hemp originate from? who was the first person to get high? what are the side effects of cannabis or marijuana? why was hemp made illegal in 1937?
The earliest restrictions on cannabis were reported in the Islamic world by the 14th century. In the 19th century, it began to be restricted in colonial countries, often associated with racial and class stresses. In the middle of the 20th century, international coordination led to sweeping restrictions on cannabis throughout most of the globe. Entering the 21st century, some nations began to change their approaches to cannabis, with measures taken to decriminalize cannabis; the Netherlands became the first nation to legalize cannabis, and in 2015 Uruguay became the first to legalize recreational cannabis with Canada following in 2018 and South Africa for personal home use only. Cannabis is thought to have been introduced to Africa by Indian Hindu travelers, which Bantu settlers subsequently introduced to southern Africa when they migrated southward. Smoking pipes uncovered in Ethiopia and carbon-dated to around 1320 CE were found to have traces of cannabis. It was already in popular use in South Africa by the indigenous Khoisan and Bantu peoples prior to European settlement in the Cape in 1652. By the 1850s, Swahili traders had carried cannabis from the east coast of Africa, to the Congo Basin in the west. It is sometimes called "Indian Hemp" in Africa, "ganja" and "marijuana" (by the Jamaicans) and "Igbo" in Nigeria.
- Relief of chronic pain
- Cannabis helps increase the capacity of the lungs rather than cause any harm to it
- Help lose weight
- Regulate and prevent diabetes
- Fight cancer
- The endocannabinoid compounds in cannabis can help in stabilising moods which can ease depression
- It can help children with autism that experience frequent violent mood swings control it
- Regulate seizures
- Cannabidiol has been linked to helping heal broken bones, quickening the process
- Cannabis has shown promise in promoting focus and helping individuals with ADHD/ADD (Individuals with ADHD and ADD have trouble focusing on tasks at hand)
- Cannabis can help reduce the pressure applied on the eyeball providing some temporary relief to individuals with glaucoma
- Alleviate anxiety
- Slow development of Alzheimer’s disease (Alzheimer’s disease is one of many that is caused by cognitive degeneration)
- Cannabis is now commonly found as creams and balms which are used by individuals that have arthritis
- Helps provide relief to individuals with multiple sclerosis (Multiple sclerosis leads to painful muscle contractions and cannabis can help reduce that pain)
- Reduces side effects linked to hepatitis C and increase the effectiveness of treatment
- Treats inflammatory bowel diseases
- Changes in blood pressure (both low and high reported) and increases in heart rate
- Dizziness or drowsiness
- Facial flushing
- A false sense of well-being or a feeling of being “high” or elation/laughing
- Gastrointestinal disturbances (eg, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain)
- Some impairment in respiratory function
- May increase coughing or mucus production
- Chronic use may increase the risk of asthma or COPD
- Short-term impairment in learning, memory, and attention. Possible long-term impairment in mental skills with chronic use
- Possibly associated with some cancers, such as testicular cancer. Association with other cancers less clear
- May increase the risk of developing a mood disorder such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression or exacerbate pre-existing mood disorders
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Babies born to mothers who have smoked weed while pregnant are more likely to be born prematurely, be underweight, or need intensive care