Cannabis use in medical cannabis and for recreation goes all the way back to ancient civilizations where it was once wide-spread and totally acceptable. In the newer country of American, however, there has been an on-again-off-again relationship with all cannabis products since the 1600s. In the last couple of years, we’ve seen a softening of laws and a surge in CBD popularity and cannabis use. It went from coveted and necessary, to vile poison and back again. Today, social favor is changing once again, but why was it ever taboo in the first place? 

Important Facts To Get Straight About Cannabis Plants

Both hemp and marijuana are produced from different strains of the cannabis plant. Hemp is derived from a strain with a much lower THC content. THC is the compound found in cannabis that gives the user a psychoactive (high) feeling. Industrial hemp can be used for textiles, source materials, food, and more. It’s also where we get CBD, a chemical compound extracted from the hemp plant that contains little to no THC and can be used in treating a variety of medical conditions. You can learn more about what CBD is in this article by CBD KYRO. The kind of cannabis that you smoke to get high (marijuana) comes from a dried mixture of flowers and leaves shed by some cannabis plant strains. Now that you know the basics, this history lesson will make a whole lot more sense.

In Our Foundling Years America Loved Hemp

Back in the 1600s, America was growing fast and using hemp fibers to make lots of important products like rope, cloth, and paper. It was in such high demand that farmers couldn’t grow enough of it. Eventually, the government stepped in and made it an actual law that all farms had to produce a certain amount of hemp on their land. It was even used as an official currency in some early northern states. We certainly had no issues with it back then.

As new materials were developed, such as using cotton for more comfortable clothing, industrial hemp fell out of fashion. It wasn’t illegal or feared, simply not as important as it once was. Meanwhile, people were starting to discover the medicinal properties of THC-rich marijuana and putting it in lots of medicines and tinctures. It was sold daily almost everywhere with no problem until the early 1900s. 

When And How Cannabis Became Public Enemy Number One In America

Cannabis enjoyed a few good centuries in American before the government and public opinion turned against it right after the Mexican Revolution in 1910. Mexican immigrants found their way to America and they brought with them a rich history of using marijuana recreationally. Fear and prejudice about these foreigners led people to associate marijuana and cannabis with violent crime and other unsavory aspects, even without any evidence to back up these fears. By 1931, 29 states had flat out outlawed marijuana. Just to make things even more confusing, hemp was temporarily back in favor when it was a needed material during World War II. The government once again stepped in, allowing and encouraging farms to plant hemp again. 

Eventually, after spreading a lot of anti-cannabis propaganda, the federal government passed the Marijuana Tax Act which criminalized marijuana except for certain industrial or medical purposes for which it was greatly taxed. Harsh penalties were imposed and marijuana was classified steeply with hard drugs like cocaine and LSD. Over the years the “war on drugs” which included marijuana, took a hard toll on all countercultures and ethnic minorities in particular. 

Cannabis And CBD Rise To Fame In The US And Beyond 

According to Kate Huber at NJGamblingFun and a huge CBD enthusiast, “Throughout history, scientists have tried to publish reports about the safety of cannabis and its many medicinal properties, but they were all quietly buried by the state and federal governments who were invested in keeping marijuana illegal. The internet, however, made suppressing information from the public nearly impossible. “

Newer studies flow freely and anecdotal evidence of CBD use helping to ease chronic pain and anxiety spreads like wildfire. This has led to unprecedented public support and a somewhat reluctant and slow response by governments to ease cannabis laws and marijuana laws.

In 2018 a few important developments helped to thrust CBD oil in particular into the spotlight. One was widespread coverage of how CBD helped treat a child with severe epilepsy. Then, Congress passed the Farm Act which made it legal once again to farm industrial hemp, which is where CBD comes from. Both before and after these developments, states were slowly starting to decriminalize marijuana use and some have even legalized its use for medical or recreational purposes. Celebrity endorsement and social media influencers also helped push CBD into the limelight over the last three years. 

Exciting Medical Uses For CBD Oil

Now that scientists and medical researchers have more legal freedom to study CBD oil, we are on the verge of many exciting medical breakthroughs. CBD works on the body’s natural endocannabinoid system which regulates mood, movement, pain, and inflammation, among other things. Because of the way CBD works within the body, people see potential there for CBD to help treat a vast range of ailments. So far it’s successfully being used to treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, insomnia, and chronic aches and pains. While some medical uses have yet to be fully verified, there is a lot of research on the positive effect CBD has on mood disorders like anxiety, especially social anxiety, and PTSD. It’s also widely used as a pain reliever for athletic injuries, back pain, and inflammatory diseases like arthritis. 

CBD is often used as an oil either by itself or infused into topical like skin cream. If you’re looking to get started with CBD you can find a great list of the best CBD oils on the market today, researched here