The first documented use of marijuana as a medicine goes back some five thousand years. Is it about to make a comeback as a legal drug?Marijuana is also known as marihuana (Mexican Spanish), ganja (word with Sanskrit roots) and pot (North American slang).Its botanical name is cannabis sativa/ruderalis/indica. It is illegal to use, to be in possession of and to cultivate in most countries of the world.
However, there is a growing movement to decriminalise it and allow its usage for medicinal purposes. Canada, the Czech Republic and Israel lead the way in this regard. It is at present under consideration in Caricom.The May/June 2014 issue of Scientific American MIND, features a good summary of the history of medical marijuana's deep roots. In the past, it had been prescribed for a variety of ailments by the Chinese, Egyptians, Indians, Romans and Islamic physicians.
A British army surgeon, who was stationed in India, upon returning home, introduced it into medical practice as a treatment for pain, nausea and convulsions. Both the League of Nations (forerunner of the United Nations) and the United States Pharmacopeia viewed marijuana as a legitimate drug.
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