There is evidence
in the pharmacopoeia of Shen Nung, one of the
fathers of Chinese medicine of the use
of cannabis in ancient China since about 2600 B.C.
Tradition in India maintains that the gods sent man
the Hemp plant so that he might attain delight,
courage, and have heightened sexual desires. When
nectar or Amrita dropped down from heaven, Cannabis
sprouted from it. Another story tells how, when the
gods, helped by demons, churned the milk ocean to
obtain Amrita, one of the resulting nectars was
Cannabis. It was consecrated to Shiva and was the
godess Indra’s favourite drink. Ever since, this
plant of the gods has been held in India to bestow
supernatural powers on its users. It is still
consumed by some Hindus as Bhang.
In 450 B.C.
the
Greek historian Herodotus describes the Scythians of
central Asia throwing hemp onto heated stones under
canvas: 'as it burns, it smokes like incense and the
smell of it makes them drunk'.
1563
- Queen Elizabeth I decrees that land owners with 60
acres or more must grow Cannabis else face a £5
fine.
1791 - President Washington sets duties on Cannabis
to encourage domestic industry. Jefferson calls
Cannabis "a necessity" and urges farmers to grow
Cannabis instead of tobacco. It was intended for
making sails and cloth from more than for smoking
though.
1835 - the Club de Hashichines, whose
bohemian membership included the poet
Baudelaire, is founded.
1845 -
Psychologist and 'inventor' of modern
psychopharmacology and drug treatment,
Jacques-Joseph Moreau de Tours documents physical
and mental benefits of Cannabis.
1890 -
Queen Victoria's personal physician, Sir Russell
Reynolds, prescribes Cannabis for menstrual cramps.
He claims in the first issue of The Lancet, that
Cannabis "When pure and administered carefully, is
one of the of the most valuable medicines we
possess"
1895 -
The Indian Hemp Drug Commission concludes that
cannabis has some medical uses, no addictive
properties and a number of positive emotional and
social benefits. First known use of the word
'marijuana' for smoking, by Pancho Villa's
supporters in Sonora Mexico. The song "La Curaracha"
tells the story of one of Villa's men looking for
his stash of "marijuana por fumar"
1910 -
African-American 'reefer' use reported in jazz clubs
of New Orleans, and is said to be influencing white
people. Mexican's reported to be smoking Cannabis in
Texas. Newspapers subsequently ran many stories
portraying Negroes and Mexicans as frenzied beasts
under the influence of 'Marijuana'.
1924 -
At the second International Opiates Conference the
Egyptian delegate claims that serious problems are
associated with Hashish use and calls for immediate
international controls. A Sub-Committee is formed
and listens to the Egyptian and Turkish delegations
while Britain abstains. The conference declares
Cannabis a Narcotic and recommends strict
international control.
September 28th 1928 - The Dangerous Drugs Act 1925
becomes law and Cannabis is made illegal in Britain.
1943 -
Both the US and German governments urge their
patriotic farmers to grow hemp for the war effort.
The US shows farmers a short film - 'Hemp for
Victory' which the government later pretends never
existed.
1967 -
In July over 3,000 people hold a mass 'smoke-in' in
Hyde Park in London. The same month, The Times
carries a pro-legalisation advertisement which
declares that "the laws against Marijuana are
immoral in principle and unworkable in Practice. The
signatories include David Dimbleby, Bernard Levin,
and the Beatles.
The most famous bust of all, on the home of Rolling
Stone, Keith Richards, uncovered marijuana. Richards
and Mick Jagger were sentenced to prison for
respectively three months and one year. The
sentences prompted an outcry that culminated in Lord
Rees Mogg's famous Times editorial 'Who brakes a
butterfly on a wheel?' The convictions were quashed
on appeal.
1971 -
Misuse of Drugs Act lists Cannabis as a Class B drug
and bans its medical use despite the recommendation
of the Wootton Report that "Preparations of Cannabis
and it's derivatives should continue to be available
on prescription for purposes of medical treatment
and research". President Nixon declares drugs
"America's public enemy No. 1".
1990 -
The discovery of THC receptors in the human brain is
reported in Nature.
October 2001 -
The New Labour government sets up a Select Committee
to look at drugs policy. When giving evidence the
Home Secretary (David Blunkett) announces his
intention to move cannabis from class B to class C,
making possession a non-arrestable offence.
January 2004 -
cannabis is downgraded to a Class C drug in the UK,
but the law relating to possession with intent to
supply Class C drugs was changed so as to make most
of the changes meaningless. The government spends 1
million pounds on an advertising campaign to tell
people nothing had changed and that Cannabis is
still illegal.
2008 -
ACMD reports that cannabis should remain class C.
Research carried out for the Home Office but never
made public is leaked by the Guardian and shows
incidence of psychosis has actually dropped during
the time cannabis use increased. Gordon Brown
ignores the ACMD advice and announces cannabis will
be returned to class B.
2009 - Cannabis upgraded to a Class B drug
again, but legislation passed to meet cannabis
possession with an £80 fine.
