History

Cannabis sativa L. has accompanied human societies for centuries, providing fibre, food, medicine, spiritual uses, as well as cultural, social, artistic, and pleasure-related uses across virtually every continent. For the vast majority of this shared history, Cannabis was neither prohibited nor considered problematic — it was simply one of many plants cultivated and valued by the communities who grew and used it.

The Cannabis Embassy believes it critical to document this long history, and the more recent, dramatically shorter chapter of prohibition that began in the early 20th century. Understanding this history, where Cannabis came from, how it was used, and how and why it came to be controlled, remains essential to building sound, evidence-based policy for the future of our societies.