Humans have been using cannabis, also known as marijuana, for different purposes ever since prehistory. Marijuana, a genetic variation of the cannabis sativa, is still a very common herbal drug. The plant develops best in warm climates and may often be grown with the help of hydroponic growing methods. Medicinal marijuana is [...]]]> The Benefits of Medicinal Marijuana

Humans have been using cannabis, also known as marijuana, for different purposes ever since prehistory. Marijuana, a genetic variation of the cannabis sativa, is still a very common herbal drug. The plant develops best in warm climates and may often be grown with the help of hydroponic growing methods. Medicinal marijuana is known to be part of AIDS and cancer therapies and even offers pain relief in certain situations. Although many public health groups have called for medicinal marijuana usage, the subject still remains highly controversial. Bcseedking.com offers a wide variety of marijuana seeds.

Cannabis inhalation dates back at least as far as the Neolithic age. The Hindus of India and Nepal were probably the most common users of hallucinogen substances during their ceremonial rituals. The Assyrians and the Thracians also had knowledge of cannabis, using it at religious events. Even today various sects treat cannabis as a sacrament, often referring to it as the tree of life. These days, marijuana is considered illegal in some countries while others tolerate it in small quantities or even allow consumption regardless of quantity. You can now purchase marijuana seeds online from bcseedking.com.

Medicinal marijuana has been used for decades as part of different therapeutic programs. A synthetic form of the Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol , also known as THC, is actually what brings beneficial results in cancer and AIDS therapies. Medicinal marijuana is known to relieve nausea, clinical depression symptoms and to alleviate the weight loss resulting from chemotherapy or similarly aggressive treatments. A recent study auggests that the cannabinol found in marijuana may inhibit the spread of cancer cells in animals. At bcseedking.com you’ll find marijuana seeds with a worldwide shipping service.

Relieving some of the symptoms caused by aggressive cancer and/or AIDS therapy isn’t the only beneficial influence of marijuana in medicine. A synthetic form of THC has proven to relieve anorexia symptoms and help reduce anxiety in patients suffering from Alzheimer. Another beneficial effect of marijuana is in treating glaucoma – a condition that eventually causes loss of sight. Medicinal marijuana helps eliminate glaucoma by reducing the intraocular pressure. However, the use of marijuana in glaucoma is still controversial as it can also decrease the blood flow to the optic nerve. Marijuana is also widely used for pain relief in certain neurological conditions such as bipolar disorder. Studies have revealed that marijuana can even be a part of treating obsessive compulsive disorders and muscle spasms.

Marijuana has been used in different ways for thousands of years and scientists are still figuring out its effects. The opinions concerning use of marijuana in the medical world are divided – some say it can be highly beneficial while others suggest more research before coming to any conclusions. Medicinal marijuana has proven to be helpful in providing relief from pain, nausea and other distressing symptoms of cancer or AIDS. Bcseedking.com is where you’ll find a variety of marijuana seeds.

Most Americans associate marijuana use with the hippie movement of the 1970’s. Little do most know, marijuana was very important to this country when it was founded. In 1610 the Jamestown colony mandated that every household cultivate the native Indian hemp. They used it to make clothes, fiber, [...]]]> Unfortunate History of Marijuana Prohibition in the United States

Most Americans associate marijuana use with the hippie movement of the 1970’s. Little do most know, marijuana was very important to this country when it was founded. In 1610 the Jamestown colony mandated that every household cultivate the native Indian hemp. They used it to make clothes, fiber, cloth, and medicine. In fact, the Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1776 on hemp paper. In 1850, the Census Bureau estimated that 8,327 plantations nationwide grew hemp. It took all the way until the early 1900’s for the United States to suddenly have a problem with plant.

Southern California and Texas were flooded with immigrants from Mexico around 1910. After long days of laboring they would often smoke marijuana to relax. The US abolished slavery in 1865 but equal rights for non-whites were still far from being realized. As a result, the public started unfairly associating marijuana use with the Mexican immigrants, who they didn’t like because they looked different. El Paso was the first place to outlaw marijuana in 1914 because of a bar fight attributed to “loco weed.” Texas’ first law against marijuana read, “All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff is what does it to them.” After marijuana was outlawed there, it was only a matter of months before the government enacted The Harrison Act of 1914, followed five years later with The Alcohol Prohibition of 1919. These laws effectively robbed taxpaying citizens’ access to substances that had been legal since the beginning of time.

Fearful of the spread of this terrible “Mexican crazy drug” the government began to put out massive propaganda to discourage the spread of marijuana use. Marijuana use was a conflict of interest for our government because they made tax revenue from doctor-prescribed cocaine, heroin, and morphine. They feared that Americans would obtain marijuana to use as a substitute to these substances and they couldn’t get their hand on those tax dollars. The first campaigns were launched immediately and the commissioner of Federal Bureau of Narcotics proclaimed, “Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death.”

During the Great Depression, massive unemployment increased public resentment and fear of Mexican immigrants, escalating public and governmental concern about the use of marijuana.  This instigated a flurry of research which linked the use of marijuana with violence, crime and other socially deviant behaviors, primarily committed by racially inferior or underclass communities. By 1931, 29 states had outlawed marijuana.

The hemp industry was obviously disappointed with the turn of events that was unfolding. To make matters worse, due to the Industrial Revolution it was quickly becoming cheaper for the industry to import hemp instead of producing it domestically. With international politics becoming increasingly tense, the US was cut off from most of its Eastern hemp import around 1942. The government needed more rope for its WWII ships and so the government started huge hemp farms in the Midwest to manufacture rope. In one year American hemp farmers harvested 375,000 acres of hemp. In 1944 the New York Academy of Medicine issued an extensively researched report that declared contrary to popular belief, use of marijuana does not induce violence, insanity or sex crimes, or lead to addiction or further drug use.

It was starting to become more obvious to the public that marijuana might not be so dangerous after all, so of course the government stepped in and imposed the Boggs Act of 1952 and the Narcotics Control Act of 1956. Together they set mandatory minimum sentences for first-offense marijuana convicts to 2-10 years along with fines up to ,000. By 1958 the state of Virginia had a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for first degree murder. Rape had a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. Possession of marijuana, however, carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years. It wasn’t until 1970 that congress finally repealed most of the mandatory penalties for drug related offenses. It was short-lived though, because congress flipped their position in 1986 when President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, re-enacting mandatory sentences for marijuana-related offenses.

Finally in 1996 voters in California passed Proposition 215 allowing for the sale and medical use of marijuana for patients with serious conditions. This law stands today despite the DEA’s effort to override the law on a federal level.

Little has changed in the past 13 years as far as the federal government’s view on marijuana. There is hope however, as several elected officials are at least open to debate. Most notably, California governor Arnold Schwarzenneger said, “I think that we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and other drugs, what effect it had on those countries, and are they happy with that decision.” He added, “I’m always for an open debate on it.” He isn’t the only prominent political figure to show some support for the cause. San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano was asked by the San Francisco Chronicle whether legalizing marijuana was just a trick to increase the states revenue. (an estimated .3 billion annually) He replied, “It’s also about the failure of the war on drugs and implementing a more enlightened policy. I’ve always anticipated that there could be a perfect storm of political will and public support, and obviously the federal policies are leaning more toward states’ rights.”

There is still plenty more work to do because President Barack Obama is still strongly opposed to leaving marijuana legislation in the state’s hands. On March 26, 2009 the president offered to answer a few questions from the online audience. An overwhelming 3.5 million people voted to ask the president to consider legalizing marijuana to generate revenue. In response the president said, “Three point five million people voted. I have to say that there was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation. And I don’t know what this says about the online audience but I just want — I don’t want people to think that — this was a fairly popular question; we want to make sure that it was answered. The answer is, no, I don’t think that is a good strategy to grow our economy.” All we can do for now is continue to put the facts in front of our politicians and hope that they make the right decisions.

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Many people refute the beneficial properties of cannabis seeds, but is is a real fact that marijuana has proven medical properties; hence researchers have published their finding in an attempt to make legal its use. Marijuana scientific name is Cannabis sativa L and is a plant native to warm temperate zones of America, [...]]]> Medicinal Properties of Marijuana

Many people refute the beneficial properties of cannabis seeds, but is is a real fact that marijuana has proven medical properties; hence researchers have published their finding in an attempt to make legal its use. Marijuana scientific name is Cannabis sativa L and is a plant native to warm temperate zones of America, Africa, India, and Asia. The Latin name cannabis is related to the Cannabaceae, the Hemp family it belongs to.

Marijuana is perhaps one of the plants that is popularly known with so many names that it would be hard to list absolutely all of the unique names. Marijuana seeds, weed and cannabis seeds are the most popular forms, but it is also knows as hemp, hemp seed, bhang, Charas, dagga, Ganja, hashish, Sativa Seeds, KIF, Indica seeds, TA MA, conopli, juanita, and Hanf, among many other names.

The active parts of the plant are its conifer stems, flowers, leaves, seeds, and even the secretions of the plant itself. The marijuana components include cannabin, resin, choline, and essential oils. Although marijuana was widely used in Africa and Asia to fight against illness in ancient times, its therapeutic and commercial value in other continents was only recognized until the early 20th century when the United States began to use with medical purposes.

Marijuana was banned in America in 1937 and since nowadays there is a debate for its legalization not only in USA, but also in many other countries around the world arguing its potential medicinal properties. The plant psychoactive ingredients are cannabinoids, responsible for making people get high. Researchers have found high concentrations of this ingredient in the resin of the plant, being also responsible of the abundant production of plant pistils.

Cannabinoids are also the basal ingredient of tetrahydrocannabinol and other ingredients, such as cannabinol, cannabidiol, Delta-8 THC, Tetrahydrocannabivarin, and Cannabichromene. The main effect of marijuana is euphoria and, apart from its interaction with the central nervous system, it has a secondary action that accelerates the heart rate and raises blood pressure

Researchers say that marijuana seeds do not cause habit, but a psychological dependence, thus people can control the way in which is consumed when it is not abused. However, the dispute about its medicinal benefits is disputed because its therapeutic use is supported by anecdotal information rather that a formal investigation in depth and it is unlikely get medical institutions participating actively in the marijuana legalization.

According to the data recorded, cannabis seeds help with glaucoma, reducing intraocular pressure, and relieving pain at the time that slow the degenerative process that leads to blindness. Marijuana is also known for its properties to reduce pain and discomfort caused by multiple factors to people suffering from chronic pain.

Cannabis prevents seizures in some patients with epilepsy, and contributes with anorexia since marijuana stimulates the appetite. In the 1970s, some studies reported that smoking marijuana reduces Asthma problems, and it was recently found that it also overcome vomiting, nausea and appetite loss in AID and cancer patients, although all of these therapeutic effects have mostly tested in animals.

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Marijuana, like any other hallucinogen plant or substance is illegal in some countries. Of course, there are some parts of the world more civilized than others that have understood cannabis as a personal choice. Thus they’ve legalized it. Places like these are very appreciated by tourists because they [...]]]> Is our Education Complete Without Knowing About Marijuana Germination?

Marijuana, like any other hallucinogen plant or substance is illegal in some countries. Of course, there are some parts of the world more civilized than others that have understood cannabis as a personal choice. Thus they’ve legalized it. Places like these are very appreciated by tourists because they get to try not necessarily illegal substances, but perhaps a whole new lifestyle in a place where pot is not an issue and they can make their own decisions. This is what education needs most – to let people assume responsibility for their acts. Letting them grow Dutch marijuana seeds and witness marijuana germination shouldn’t be a problem as long as they know their risks and they’re willing to take them.

Also called weed, cheeba cheeba, devil’s grass or pot, marijuana has had a lot of names throughout the years and it has been a much disputed subject. A lot of people talk about it without knowing anything about this plant, its growth process and the effort put into obtaining the best products from it. Few have paid interest in the details so many websites offer about Dutch marijuana seeds or about marijuana germination. Most only get to know one fact about it -that it’s good for smoking. But cannabis also has a medical purpose as it is used in treatments for serious diseases like glaucoma. Because of its curative powers, cannabis is not illegal if prescribed by a doctor in a certain drug. However, marijuana is mostly known for the hallucinations or state of well being it induces.

Growing marijuana is very tricky if you want to obtain high quality products. Cannabis can survive and develop in any conditions and in any kind of soil, but it won’t meet certain standards. As most people who are interested in this plant use it to sell it for treatments, they have to know certain details that allow the growth of quality cannabis. First of all, the seeds are of primary importance. Dutch marijuana seeds are the most recommended and, if one browses the Internet a little, he can find information as to why this is so. The Dutch marijuana seeds are known to be the best ones out there and they insure a high marijuana germination rate. After getting some Dutch marijuana seeds (and this shouldn’t be very difficult with a little research and an online order), careful plantation and close surveillance are necessary.

Marijuana germination of a considerable number of Dutch marijuana seeds is insured only by following strict rules as to how the plant should be looked after. The best place to germinate the Dutch marijuana seeds is in a sterile soil, vermiculite or hydroponic medium of rockwool. You will see the results, meaning the marijuana germination process, after just a week. Vermiculite is such a good medium because it can give the seeds a lot of oxygen. The seeds need to have water at all times and for expected results a nutrient solution is a great idea. The container the seeds are put into is very important also. It’s not recommended to transplant the seeds more than two times before the first harvest so you should put the Dutch marijuana seeds in the same pot you plan to grow the plant in. As one can notice after carefully examining only the instructions that have to be followed to witness the marijuana germination, a lot of hard work has to be put into growing cannabis.

Even after the marijuana germination period has ended and the plant has sprouted, one still has to take good care of it. The plant needs darkness during the marijuana germination period, so you can cover the soil where the Dutch marijuana seeds are with black paper to keep the light out. After the seeds have sprouted they will need light. A sun light or an UV lamp can be used because the small plant needs a lot of light. It’s best to keep them under a light source for eighteen hours a day.

Not knowing about the effort that has to be put into making the marijuana germination happen and not paying any interest in the difference between normal seeds and Dutch marijuana seeds is a major mistake. Education should involve all this information because a certain respect for the entire process would be induced to teenagers who only care about smoking. Knowing of the positive as well as the negative effects marijuana has on people would be a huge step in civilization. With this data and more, children would know the power such a plant has over the human body. They would learn to respect and sometimes fear the unknown and most importantly, they would learn responsibility for their actions is no one’s but their own.

Children should learn about the entire process to make marijuana germination happen and about the hard work put in. They should be instructed on the medical effects of treatments that include plants developed from Dutch marijuana seeds. Maybe later, they will wish to open a pharmacy that sells products based on cannabis. People would learn to hope for new discoveries made by these children in the future because someone told them, when they were easy to impress, how the marijuana germination should be handled and what seeds to use. You never know when knowledge takes a leap forward if education helps young minds to better comprehend positive aspects and hope to eliminate the negative ones.

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There is an ongoing debate about the beneficial properties of Marijuana and its effects on the user. However, still mainly considered an illegal substance in most countries, many citizens are beginning to question this prohibition and its effectiveness. It is overly common these days to hear of the continuous efforts put forth to [...]]]> There’s Something About Marijuana

There is an ongoing debate about the beneficial properties of Marijuana and its effects on the user. However, still mainly considered an illegal substance in most countries, many citizens are beginning to question this prohibition and its effectiveness. It is overly common these days to hear of the continuous efforts put forth to aid the “war on drugs,” be it on the news broadcast or the local newspapers. Yet the debate on the legalization of Marijuana has never really ended, but is often merely overlooked. 1In the United States of America alone, more that 36 states have legalized Marijuana, when it is prescribed by a doctor to a patient affected with harmful side effects of cancer chemotherapy, glaucoma, AIDS and various incurable and debilitating illnesses. So what position should be taken against this so-called “war on drugs”?

A drug is a drug. Whatever some might say about Marijuana, the truth is that it still is a type of drug, which affects both body and mind. Several side effects should be considered worrisome, especially for those who smoke it regularly. Some of the recognizable side effects of marijuana include:

-Memory loss
-Distorted perception
-Trouble with thinking and problem solving
-Loss of motor skills
-Decrease in muscle strength
-Increased heart rate
-Anxiety
Nevertheless, some groups pushing the legalization of Marijuana promote its “beneficial” effects, referring to both medical and personal use. 2Some common claims made are: Marijuana will create pacifism and reduce the stress level in our lives, legalizing it will decrease the crime rate and eliminate the need of a black market, marijuana has medicinal values, and that no one ever died from smoking Marijuana. No one ever died from smoking Marijuana. Scientific studies have shown some shocking evidence of the serious health problems a regular Marijuana smoker may encounter: 3″Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals, including most of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke. Smoking one marijuana cigarette deposits about four times more tar into the lungs than a filtered tobacco cigarette.” 3″There are also many long-term health consequences of marijuana use. According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.”
Evidence that Marijuana seriously affects the well functioning of our bodies is simply piling. The argument of its medical “benefits” may come up once more for the terminally ill, yet marijuana still hasn’t been proven to cure anything. Drugs don’t cure! The most they can do is attenuate the symptoms of the illness. The body’s immune system, notably the white blood cells, is responsible for fighting the disease. 3Furthermore, it has been proven by a study conducted by a Columbia University that a control group smoking a single marijuana cigarette every other day for a year had a white-blood-cell count that was 39 percent lower than normal, thus damaging the immune system and making the user far more susceptible to infection and sickness.

Right there, we can clearly realize how Marijuana is not a “harmless” drug. Its immediate effects may be appealing to many, but in the long run, the health problems and illnesses that will result from a regular use of Marijuana outweigh the “appealing” ones.

The results from the increased media coverage and debates on Marijuana legalization have led today’s youths and teenagers to believe that Marijuana is a safe and carefree drug to use. This is particularly alarming for a decrease in their vigilance and awareness of drugs may lead to greater problems. 3In the U.S.A. alone, there is a significant increase in the number of teenagers seeking treatment for a Marijuana addiction. Marijuana reduces their ability to concentrate on their studies, and damages their memory, thus reducing their academic capabilities. The youth and teenagers seem to be fed the wrong type of information, and need to be informed on the “other side of the medal,” specifically how their future projects and ambitions may be rapidly put to a stop due to their use of Marijuana during their prime years.

Overall, Marijuana isn’t the most dangerous drug, but it still has no proven medical evidence of aiding in the cure of illnesses. Therefore, one can’t say that it is beneficial, for it is wrong. One can’t say that it is harmless, for it contains hundreds of cancer-related chemicals. One can’t claim that it will reduce the profits made by the black market, for we can’t predict the effects legalization shall have. So, why is there still a debate on Marijuana? The evidence is crystal clear, the doctors aren’t convinced of its medicinal properties, and most of all, it is a DRUG. The facts are simply mounting everyday: the consumption of Marijuana brings about more harm to one’s health than any benefits it could ever provide. Drugs, particularly excessive use of Marijuana, have this unconditional power to continually diminish mental and physical abilities. Be above the influence, you can make an educated decision and refuse to consume any Marijuana or its by-products.

For more information, please visit: http//:www.narconon.ca/Marijuana.htm

References:

1http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/evidence99/marijuana/Health_1.html

2http://www.growing-marijuana-seeds.com/legalizing-marijuana.html

3http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ongoing/marijuana.html

4http://www.usask.ca/education/ideas/tplan/sslp/values/legmarij.htm

5http://www.swlearning.com/economics/policy_debates/marijuana.html

More Medical Marijuana Articles

Many organizations are pushing for the legalization of Marijuana as a medical drug. Marijuana has many medical advantages which include it being a therapeutic drug for cancer and AIDS patients. Many other research and studies dedicated to Marijuana has shown early signs that it can also inhibit cancer cell growth in [...]]]> Marijuana Legalization: the Pros and Cons

Many organizations are pushing for the legalization of Marijuana as a medical drug. Marijuana has many medical advantages which include it being a therapeutic drug for cancer and AIDS patients. Many other research and studies dedicated to Marijuana has shown early signs that it can also inhibit cancer cell growth in animals.

In spite of these recent findings, many other organizations have tried to block the legalization of Marijuana as a medical drug. These organizations cited that only some isolated elements of Marijuana can be regarded as medically helpful and that the practice of smoking it does not necessarily have to be done.

Organizations Lobbying For Legal Marijuana Use

Patients out of Time and Law Enforcement against Prohibition are just two of the numerous organizations asking the government to change its mind regarding the prohibition of Marijuana use. Patients out of Time is an organization that has dedicated itself to the education of health care professionals and the general public regarding the therapeutic use of cannabis. This organization believes that Marijuana can be utilized as a drug to help patients who are suffering from several various diseases and illnesses.

LEAP or Law Enforcement against Prohibition is an organization that consists of former and current officers of the law and other individuals who wish to point out the failure of many drug policies. They believe that having a systematic regulation and control of drugs can benefit the community more than prohibition.

Anti-Marijuana

There are other organizations that believe that legalizing marijuana is a good idea and others also want to veto these suggestions from the pro organizations. Other research studies have also pointed out that using Marijuana can adversely affect the brain and the body. These are lifelong effects that can manifest themselves long after an individual has given up using Marijuana. The anti-marijuana organizations stress that there are other products in the medical market that have the same positive effects of Marijuana with little or none of the negative side effects.

Researches regarding the use of Marijuana in some individuals who are already sick have shown that it can complicate the illness and add to the severity of it. Most of these organizations that are against the use of Marijuana as a medical drug urge the government for more extensive research to bring to light the effects of the plant.

As of the moment, the laws enacting the illegality of using and growing marijuana are still in place. The government has not budged regarding the many lobbyists who ask for the lifting of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. In spite of the many advocates of pro-Marijuana use, the studies that have been done regarding the usefulness of the drug is still not enough to convince the government of its efficiency in the medical field. Some states in the United States of America have laws and regulations which are more lenient than other states. This is in lieu of sick people who wish to have release from pain and suffering caused by illnesses but there is a legal limit which needs to be followed.

The move to legalize the use and propagation of Marijuana will always have opposition since this plant is controversial. If the government does allow the use and propagation of Cannabis, there will always be a loophole which will be used by drug addicts and traffickers to be able to make money from the lifting of the ban.

It was made available to patients (with prescriptions from their doctors) in 1986. It has primarily been used as an anti-nausea drug for chemotherapy patients. It is also approved for the treatment of wasting syndrome associated with HIV/AIDS.

Many patients prefer natural cannabis to Marinol for a number of reasons. A main [...]]]> Marinol ? The Prescription Marijuana Pill

It was made available to patients (with prescriptions from their doctors) in 1986. It has primarily been used as an anti-nausea drug for chemotherapy patients. It is also approved for the treatment of wasting syndrome associated with HIV/AIDS.

Many patients prefer natural cannabis to Marinol for a number of reasons. A main limitation of Marinol is that it is available only as a pill that is taken orally. If you have nausea and vomiting, trying to swallow a pill can be a challenge. If you do manage to keep the pill down, you have to wait up to four hours for the Marinol to reach its peak effect. And only 5 – 20% of the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream. Another limitation of Marinol is that it contains only one compound – THC.  Natural cannabis contains 60 cannabinoids (THC is the main one) and it is the interaction of these compounds with each other that gives a good therapuetic effect.  Marinol contains only THC  so it has more psychoactive effects and less of the other medicinal effects that come from the other  cannabinoids. Some Marinol patients describe hallucinations and other disturbing side effects.  Marinol also is very expensive, costing about 0 – 00 for a month’s supply.  One advantage of Marinol is that is it pure and does not contain any bacteria, fungi, or pesticides. You can avoid this problem not smoking the medication and choosing another method to take cannabis (vaporizer or tinctures).

Many patients make the choice to use cannabis with a vaporizer or tincture to treat their symptoms instead of using Marinol.  They feel that the natural form of the medication affords the best and most effective treatment of symptoms without the unwanted side effects of Marinol.  And by using a vaporizer or tincture, the unwanted side effects of smoking are avoided.

Marijuana has been used for religious purposes for thousands of years.  The Assyrians used marijuana as an incense in their temples for example.  In India marijuana was considered to be “a gift of the gods” and anyone who accidentally stepped on the plant “would suffer harm or disaster.”  Marijuana was used for medicinal uses [...]]]> Marijuana And Religion

Marijuana has been used for religious purposes for thousands of years.  The Assyrians used marijuana as an incense in their temples for example.  In India marijuana was considered to be “a gift of the gods” and anyone who accidentally stepped on the plant “would suffer harm or disaster.”  Marijuana was used for medicinal uses as well, especially among the Chinese and medieval Europe, but in the Himalayas and Tibet it was considered a sacred plant for religious uses alone.

There are many ways the monks of India and Tibet prepare marijuana for use.  “Bhang is a mild preparation: dried leaves or flowering shoots are pounded with spices into a paste and consumed as candy — known as _maajun_ — or in tea form.  Ganja is made from the resin-rich dried pistillate flowering tops of cultivated plants which are pressed into a compacted mass and kept under pressure for several days to induce chemical changes; most Ganja is smoked, often with Tobacco. Charas consists of the resin itself, a brownish mass which is employed generally in smoking mixtures.”  Those who grow marijuana in India must chant the word “Bhangi” over and over while sowing, weeding, and harvesting the plant.

The Tibetans considered marijuana sacred. A Mahayana Buddhist tradition maintains that during the six steps of asceticism leading to his enlightenment, Buddha lived on one Hemp seed a day. He is often depicted with “Soma leaves” in his begging bowl and the mysterious god-narcotic Soma has occasionally been identified with Hemp. In Tantric Buddhism of the Himalayas of Tibet, marijuana plays a very significant role in the meditative ritual used to facilitate deep meditation and heigten awareness. Both medicinal and recreational secular use of Hemp is likewise so common now in this region that the plant is taken from granted as an everyday necessity.

In Thebes, Hemp was made into a drink said to have opium-like properties. Galen reported that cakes with Hemp, if eaten to excess, were intoxicating. The use as an inebriant seems to have been spread east and west by barbarian hordes of central Asia, especially the Scythians, who had a profound cultural influence on early Greece and eastern Europe. And knowledge of the intoxicating effects of Hemp goes far back in Indian history, as indicated by the deep mythological and spiritual beliefs about the plant. One preparation, Bhang, was so sacred that it was thought to deter evil, bring luck, and cleanse man of sin.

Related Medical Marijuana Articles

If you’ve grown up in the United States, you may be surprised to learn that the use of Cannabis has quite a long and illustrious history. Many United States’ anti-marijuana “activists” might have you believe that cannabis-use is a vice limited to hippies, deadbeats or liberal-arts college kids; yet some of the [...]]]> A History of Marijuana Foods

If you’ve grown up in the United States, you may be surprised to learn that the use of Cannabis has quite a long and illustrious history. Many United States’ anti-marijuana “activists” might have you believe that cannabis-use is a vice limited to hippies, deadbeats or liberal-arts college kids; yet some of the world’s oldest cultures have a rich history of smoking and cooking cannabis.

Cannabis in Ancient China

Many historians agree that the first cultural evidence of Cannabis comes from China, about 6,500 years ago. The Yang-Shao (the oldest known Neolithic culture in China) harvested cannabis seeds to be used as grains. The seeds were ground into meal, roasted whole or cooked into porridge. The ancient tombs of China even had sacrificial vessels filled with hemp seed for the afterlife.

Though the ancient Chinese did not incorporate cannabis directly in spiritual rituals, the effects of the plant’s resinous leaves and flowers (or buds) did not go unnoticed. The world’s oldest known pharmacopoeia, the Pn-ts’ao Ching, states that the flowering tops of hemp, if taken “in excess” or over a long term “makes one communicate with spirits and lightens one’s body.” The document then goes on to prescribe marijuana preparations for such ailments as “malaria, constipation, rheumatic pains, absent-mindedness and female-disorders.”

Chinese Extract Hemp-Seed Oil and Cannabis Oil

As new technologies developed, the ancient Chinese learned to mill, heat and wedge-press Cannabis seeds to extract the valuable hemp-seed oil , a technique still used in the western world in the twentieth century. These pressed cannabis seeds yielded almost 20 percent oil by weight.

Cannabis oil has a number of uses, though we’re most concerned with its applications in cooking. After oil extraction, the residue or “hemp cake” still contained nutritious oils and proteins, which became a healthy feed for domesticated animals. Thus, the ancient Chinese likely became the first to discover, harvest and cook with cannabis.

Cannabis in Ancient India

About 2,500 years later, the wandering Aryans (a nomadic Indo-Persian tribe) brought Cannabis to India, where it was quickly embraced for both its practical applications (hemp-fiber and nutrition, for example) and for its assistance in religious rituals (with its psychoactive effects). Ancient Indians worshipped the spirits of plants and animals, and marijuana began to play an active role in their rituals, as well as becoming an object of worship itself.

Marijuana became sacred, and its spirit, named the “bhangas spirit” was worshiped and appealed too “for freedom of distress and as a reliever of anxiety. The ancient Indians viewed the plant as a gift from the gods – hailing it as a magical herb that “lowered fevers, fostered sleep, relieved dysentery, stimulated appetite, prolonged life, quickened the mind, and improved judgement.”

Ancient Indians Create Cannabis Infused Ghee Butter and Bhang

Like the Chinese, the ancient Indians used the seeds as grain for cooking, but unlike their predecessors, the Indians also sought to harness the unique pharmacological effects of marijuana by cooking the flowers, leaves and stems into Ghee butter to be used in a myriad of recipes.

Ghee, a common ingredient in modern Indian food, is a delicious clarified butter that can be stored for long periods of time without refrigeration, provided that it is stored in an airtight container. Cannabis infused ghee can be substituted wherever regular ghee is called for, as long as it will not be cooked at temperatures over 401 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point THC begins to break down and lose its potency.

In addition to Cannabis Ghee, ancient Indians also blended marijuana with other spices (including poppy seed, pepper, ginger, caraway seeds, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and milk) in a drink called “Bhang.” To this day, Bhang is commonly enjoyed in India – much the way alcohol and wines are used in the west.

Cannabis Moves Across Europe

Eventually Marijuana moved through the eastern countries like Babylonia, Palestine and Egypt where hemp was used in fabrics and as grains. It moved to Greece and may have been referenced in Homer’s great epic, the Odyssey. The Greeks and Romans made no notice of the plant’s intoxicant properties, but used cannabis hemp in fibers to make clothing and rugs.

Cooking With Cannabis in the US

With increased trade and travel, Cannabis seed was brought into all parts of the known world. When the first settlers came to the Americas, they brought cannabis with them. As far as the History of Cooking With Cannabis in the United States goes, the record is rocky, but certainly had its renaissance in the 60’s and 70’s with the strong Indian influence on the “hippie” generation.

Today, cooking with cannabis has come back into vogue; especially with the decriminalization of marijuana in several states and the ever-present medicinal marijuana prescriptions permeating suburbia. Cooking with cannabis is a great way to experience both the nutritional and physiological effects of the plant.

One of the great ironies in the debate over marijuana’s medical applications is that the drug may prove to be vastly more useful than many marijuana activists even realize. As the US government continues to block medical marijuana research, scientists around the world are discovering new and exciting possibilities: Investigators at Bar-Ilan University in Israel report that the administration of THC significantly affects the viability of GBM cells. Glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive form of glioma (brain cancer), strikes some 7000 Americans annually, and generally results in death within one to two years following diagnosis. “THC [is] an essential mediator of cannabinoid antitumoral action,” investigators concluded. read the full text here: stopthedrugwar.org

If you’ve grown up in the United States, you may be surprised to learn that the use of Cannabis has quite a long and illustrious history. Many United States’ anti-marijuana “activists” might have you believe that cannabis-use is a vice limited to hippies, deadbeats or liberal-arts college kids; yet some of the [...]]]> A History of Marijuana Foods

If you’ve grown up in the United States, you may be surprised to learn that the use of Cannabis has quite a long and illustrious history. Many United States’ anti-marijuana “activists” might have you believe that cannabis-use is a vice limited to hippies, deadbeats or liberal-arts college kids; yet some of the world’s oldest cultures have a rich history of smoking and cooking cannabis.

Cannabis in Ancient China

Many historians agree that the first cultural evidence of Cannabis comes from China, about 6,500 years ago. The Yang-Shao (the oldest known Neolithic culture in China) harvested cannabis seeds to be used as grains. The seeds were ground into meal, roasted whole or cooked into porridge. The ancient tombs of China even had sacrificial vessels filled with hemp seed for the afterlife.

Though the ancient Chinese did not incorporate cannabis directly in spiritual rituals, the effects of the plant’s resinous leaves and flowers (or buds) did not go unnoticed. The world’s oldest known pharmacopoeia, the Pn-ts’ao Ching, states that the flowering tops of hemp, if taken “in excess” or over a long term “makes one communicate with spirits and lightens one’s body.” The document then goes on to prescribe marijuana preparations for such ailments as “malaria, constipation, rheumatic pains, absent-mindedness and female-disorders.”

Chinese Extract Hemp-Seed Oil and Cannabis Oil

As new technologies developed, the ancient Chinese learned to mill, heat and wedge-press Cannabis seeds to extract the valuable hemp-seed oil , a technique still used in the western world in the twentieth century. These pressed cannabis seeds yielded almost 20 percent oil by weight.

Cannabis oil has a number of uses, though we’re most concerned with its applications in cooking. After oil extraction, the residue or “hemp cake” still contained nutritious oils and proteins, which became a healthy feed for domesticated animals. Thus, the ancient Chinese likely became the first to discover, harvest and cook with cannabis.

Cannabis in Ancient India

About 2,500 years later, the wandering Aryans (a nomadic Indo-Persian tribe) brought Cannabis to India, where it was quickly embraced for both its practical applications (hemp-fiber and nutrition, for example) and for its assistance in religious rituals (with its psychoactive effects). Ancient Indians worshipped the spirits of plants and animals, and marijuana began to play an active role in their rituals, as well as becoming an object of worship itself.

Marijuana became sacred, and its spirit, named the “bhangas spirit” was worshiped and appealed too “for freedom of distress and as a reliever of anxiety. The ancient Indians viewed the plant as a gift from the gods – hailing it as a magical herb that “lowered fevers, fostered sleep, relieved dysentery, stimulated appetite, prolonged life, quickened the mind, and improved judgement.”

Ancient Indians Create Cannabis Infused Ghee Butter and Bhang

Like the Chinese, the ancient Indians used the seeds as grain for cooking, but unlike their predecessors, the Indians also sought to harness the unique pharmacological effects of marijuana by cooking the flowers, leaves and stems into Ghee butter to be used in a myriad of recipes.

Ghee, a common ingredient in modern Indian food, is a delicious clarified butter that can be stored for long periods of time without refrigeration, provided that it is stored in an airtight container. Cannabis infused ghee can be substituted wherever regular ghee is called for, as long as it will not be cooked at temperatures over 401 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point THC begins to break down and lose its potency.

In addition to Cannabis Ghee, ancient Indians also blended marijuana with other spices (including poppy seed, pepper, ginger, caraway seeds, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and milk) in a drink called “Bhang.” To this day, Bhang is commonly enjoyed in India – much the way alcohol and wines are used in the west.

Cannabis Moves Across Europe

Eventually Marijuana moved through the eastern countries like Babylonia, Palestine and Egypt where hemp was used in fabrics and as grains. It moved to Greece and may have been referenced in Homer’s great epic, the Odyssey. The Greeks and Romans made no notice of the plant’s intoxicant properties, but used cannabis hemp in fibers to make clothing and rugs.

Cooking With Cannabis in the US

With increased trade and travel, Cannabis seed was brought into all parts of the known world. When the first settlers came to the Americas, they brought cannabis with them. As far as the History of Cooking With Cannabis in the United States goes, the record is rocky, but certainly had its renaissance in the 60’s and 70’s with the strong Indian influence on the “hippie” generation.

Today, cooking with cannabis has come back into vogue; especially with the decriminalization of marijuana in several states and the ever-present medicinal marijuana prescriptions permeating suburbia. Cooking with cannabis is a great way to experience both the nutritional and physiological effects of the plant.

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