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The relationship between mankind and this graceful plant stretches back 5,000 years or more. Most ancient cultures have recorded its magical properties, ancient languages have names for it. Yet, cannabis is officially counted as a villain, its use banned in most countries.
Cannabis use is recorded in at least 163 countries comprising 90% of the world's population. "It remains the most widely used illicit substance globally," a UN report says. It estimates that 119 million-224 million adults used cannabis across the world, 2.6-5 % of the adult population, in 2010. The UN data underlines another aspect: Cannabis use is prevalent everywhere, from the South Pacific islands to Russian steppes, mining communities in the Canadian wilds to Brazilian favelas and from the Himalayas to the Congolese Blue Mountains. Oceania reported some of the highest cannabis use, between 9.1 and 14.6% of the adult population, followed by North America (10.8%), Western and Central Europe (7%) and West and Central Africa (5.2-13.5%). In Latin America, about 2.5% of the adult population used cannabis, while in Asia it was between 1 and 3.4%, an underestimate with China barely counted.
These are rough estimates because the UN agency relied on patchy government data. Governments usually want to give out under-estimates because they want to show how effective their curbs are. Experts feel the figure for cannabis aficionados may be double this estimate.
So, there is a deep irony as far as cannabis is concerned. An ancient relationship flourishes throughout the world, yet in most places it's suppressed by legislation. The way national laws struggle with cannabis's popularity shows how difficult it is to stamp out a way of life. Countries can be placed in three categories as far as their legal-formal attitude towards cannabis is concerned : tough, easy-going and fencesitters. Countries with tough laws include many in Europe â€" Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France Germany Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Sweden, Serbia, Ukraine, to name the prominent ones. Not only is trade, transport and cultivation prohibited on the pain of imprisonment of up to 10 years, possession for personal use is frowned upon. Not all violations are dealt with harshly, but that's the spirit. It's a similar story in east Asian countries - Japan, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Philippines. Bolivia and Paraguay in South America, Ethiopia and South Africa in Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Malaysia in Asia and New Zealand have a similar tough approach.
The easy-going countries may have started off like this but later relaxed laws to allow personal use in private spaces. Cannabis use is decriminalized to differing extents. Many allowed cannabis use for medical purposes. In the US, medical marijuana use between 28g to 425g is allowed in 19 states. They allow cultivation of six to 24 cannabis plants for such use.
The way the struggle between cannabis users and authorities has shaped out is fascinating. In Iran up to 15g marijuana is allowed for personal use. In Chile, a certain amount is allowed as long as it's for personal use, but try using it in a group and the law kicks in. In Turkey, possession, trade, cultivation, transportation is illegal, not consumption. If you're smoking a joint there's no problem, but if you roll one and walk to the park, you're in violation. In Venezuela, if you're found using cannabis, you'll be put in rehab, but no criminal charges will be levelled. In the Netherlands and in Czech Republic, some coffee shops sell marijuana, smoking on their premises is permitted, although since 2011 restrictions on non-residents have been placed in Netherlands after foreign tourists flooded these places.
In the US, certain parts have relaxed cannabis laws, others lag behind. In Australia, the capital territory, South and West Australia and Northern Territories allow personal consumption. But it's an offence in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria & Tasmania.
In the fence-sitter countries, cannabis use is illegal and regulated, but in practice it's tolerated. India is a member of this club, with nearly 20-30 million casual users. The wild growth of cannabis indica helps. Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in a similar position.
Cannabis through the pages of history
2900 BCE | Chinese Emperor Fu refers to marijuana as popular medicine
2700 BCE | Emperor Shen Nung discovers marijuana's healing properties as well as ginseng and ephedra
1213 BCE | Cannabis pollen found on the mummy of Ramesses II
700 BCE | The Venidad purportedly written by Zarathustra mentions bhang
600 BCE | Ayurvedic treatise Sushruta Samhita cites medicinal properties of cannabis
79-90 CE | Pliny the Elder, ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, and historian, recommends cannabis for illnesses
800-900 | The great ninthcentury Islamic physician Rhazes prescribed it widely
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: indiatimes.com
Author: Subodh Varma
Contact: Indiatimes About Us
Website: Mankind and grass go back 5,000 years - Times Of India
Cannabis use is recorded in at least 163 countries comprising 90% of the world's population. "It remains the most widely used illicit substance globally," a UN report says. It estimates that 119 million-224 million adults used cannabis across the world, 2.6-5 % of the adult population, in 2010. The UN data underlines another aspect: Cannabis use is prevalent everywhere, from the South Pacific islands to Russian steppes, mining communities in the Canadian wilds to Brazilian favelas and from the Himalayas to the Congolese Blue Mountains. Oceania reported some of the highest cannabis use, between 9.1 and 14.6% of the adult population, followed by North America (10.8%), Western and Central Europe (7%) and West and Central Africa (5.2-13.5%). In Latin America, about 2.5% of the adult population used cannabis, while in Asia it was between 1 and 3.4%, an underestimate with China barely counted.
These are rough estimates because the UN agency relied on patchy government data. Governments usually want to give out under-estimates because they want to show how effective their curbs are. Experts feel the figure for cannabis aficionados may be double this estimate.
So, there is a deep irony as far as cannabis is concerned. An ancient relationship flourishes throughout the world, yet in most places it's suppressed by legislation. The way national laws struggle with cannabis's popularity shows how difficult it is to stamp out a way of life. Countries can be placed in three categories as far as their legal-formal attitude towards cannabis is concerned : tough, easy-going and fencesitters. Countries with tough laws include many in Europe â€" Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France Germany Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Sweden, Serbia, Ukraine, to name the prominent ones. Not only is trade, transport and cultivation prohibited on the pain of imprisonment of up to 10 years, possession for personal use is frowned upon. Not all violations are dealt with harshly, but that's the spirit. It's a similar story in east Asian countries - Japan, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Philippines. Bolivia and Paraguay in South America, Ethiopia and South Africa in Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Malaysia in Asia and New Zealand have a similar tough approach.
The easy-going countries may have started off like this but later relaxed laws to allow personal use in private spaces. Cannabis use is decriminalized to differing extents. Many allowed cannabis use for medical purposes. In the US, medical marijuana use between 28g to 425g is allowed in 19 states. They allow cultivation of six to 24 cannabis plants for such use.
The way the struggle between cannabis users and authorities has shaped out is fascinating. In Iran up to 15g marijuana is allowed for personal use. In Chile, a certain amount is allowed as long as it's for personal use, but try using it in a group and the law kicks in. In Turkey, possession, trade, cultivation, transportation is illegal, not consumption. If you're smoking a joint there's no problem, but if you roll one and walk to the park, you're in violation. In Venezuela, if you're found using cannabis, you'll be put in rehab, but no criminal charges will be levelled. In the Netherlands and in Czech Republic, some coffee shops sell marijuana, smoking on their premises is permitted, although since 2011 restrictions on non-residents have been placed in Netherlands after foreign tourists flooded these places.
In the US, certain parts have relaxed cannabis laws, others lag behind. In Australia, the capital territory, South and West Australia and Northern Territories allow personal consumption. But it's an offence in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria & Tasmania.
In the fence-sitter countries, cannabis use is illegal and regulated, but in practice it's tolerated. India is a member of this club, with nearly 20-30 million casual users. The wild growth of cannabis indica helps. Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in a similar position.
Cannabis through the pages of history
2900 BCE | Chinese Emperor Fu refers to marijuana as popular medicine
2700 BCE | Emperor Shen Nung discovers marijuana's healing properties as well as ginseng and ephedra
1213 BCE | Cannabis pollen found on the mummy of Ramesses II
700 BCE | The Venidad purportedly written by Zarathustra mentions bhang
600 BCE | Ayurvedic treatise Sushruta Samhita cites medicinal properties of cannabis
79-90 CE | Pliny the Elder, ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, and historian, recommends cannabis for illnesses
800-900 | The great ninthcentury Islamic physician Rhazes prescribed it widely
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: indiatimes.com
Author: Subodh Varma
Contact: Indiatimes About Us
Website: Mankind and grass go back 5,000 years - Times Of India