Cannabis

Abstract

Cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana or hemp, is a branched plant that can grow to 6 m high. The psychoactive substance is delta-9-tetra hydrocannabinol (THC), which comprises only 1% of the plant. This herb has been smoked for more than 2000 years for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Chinese Emperor Shen Nung compiled a compendium of medicines (circa 2727 BC) where the earliest written evidence on cannabis is to be found.[1] Aryan nomads transported the cannabis plant into India during the second millenium BC.[2] Juice from the seeds of cannabis provided the ancient Greeks with a cure for flatulence. Nicholas Culpepper (1616-54), a noted medieval herbalist, found cannabis useful for inflammation, parasites and aches and pains. Dr John Reynolds, Queen Victoria's personal physician described cannabis as 'one of the most valuable therapeutic agents we possess'.