Not so long ago, cannabis was considered an evil plant. A plant that almost everyone feared and disgusted. But within such a short span, it has become one of the most widely used herbs across the country. Millions of people, nowadays, are getting a medical marijuana card and using cannabis to treat their medical condition. And in just a few years, it has become a very important pillar of the US health industry.
The current research on cannabis has told us that it has more than a hundred different cannabinoids. And these cannabinoids, by working together, can help people manage several of their medical conditions, including pain, PTSD, inflammation, anxiety, seizures, etc. However, even with this growing awareness around the herb, there are a lot of things people probably don’t know about it.
In this post, we’re going to shed some light on a few of the very interesting facts about marijuana that you definitely didn’t know of. So, let’s begin.
We Are Using Cannabis For The Past 12000 Years
Yes, it may come as a surprise to you, but humankind is using the cannabis plant for more than 12000 years. This is mentioned in a book called “Marihuana: The First 12000 Years” by E. L. Abel. As per the accounts written in the book, marijuana is one of the oldest crops that humans cultivated. We actually grew it at the time we started grinding barley and wheat in the Zagros Mountains in Iran.
There are a few mentions of Chinese people also using marijuana as a medicine in ancient times. Shen Nung, a Chinese ruler around 2737 B.C., is said to be a user of the plant. In fact, he even wrote about the medicinal benefits of it.
Around 2000 to 1000 B.C., cannabis reached the South Asian region. And from here, it slowly traveled all over the world.
In the 16th century, colonial farmers of Massachusetts, Virginia, and Connecticut used to grow Hemp. But actual marijuana got to the whole US in around the 20th century. The use of marijuana was finally halted in the 1930s. And ever since, it is federally illegal.
Total Deaths Due to Marijuana Overdose Are Zero
Unlike alcohol and many other harmful drugs, the deaths due to the cannabis overdose still count zero. And this is probably gonna stay this way. At least until someone figures out how actually to do it. As per the cannabis experts, to overdose on cannabis, you need to consume around 1500 pounds of it, and that too in just 15 minutes. And for now, pulling such a stunt seem far too unrealistic.
Whenever a new drug is introduced in the medical field, it is given a rating called “LD-50 rating.” This rating tells us about what dosage may lead to the death of at least 50 percent of tested animals due to intoxications. And as per the estimates, the LD-50 rating of cannabis is between 1:20000 and 1:40000. This means you need to smoke somewhere around 20000 to 40000 standard size joints within a few hours. And this too will give you a 50 percent chance of dying. Given all this, we can say that overdosing on marijuana is impossible theoretically, let alone practically.
Fresh THC Isn’t Intoxicating
This one fact about THC is probably very shocking for a lot of people. See, the cannabis plant has more than a hundred different cannabinoids. And each one has its own unique set of properties. But the herb gets its psychoactive properties due to the presence of THC. It is this particular compound that makes the user high after he consumes cannabis.
However, the fun fact is that the THC isn’t intoxicating when it is fresh, i.e. when cannabis is in its raw form. The cannabis is in its raw form unless it goes through a process called decarboxylation. And until this process, the compounds present inside it are still in their acidic form, including THC. THC is THCa until we heat it. And in this acidic form, it cannot perform in the same way.
Now, don’t get me wrong- THCa still has many benefits to offer to its consumers. However, it just cannot intoxicate them.
There are More Weed Dispensaries in Some Cities than Starbucks and McDs Combined
No, I’m not kidding. There are a few cities that have more cannabis dispensaries than Starbucks and McDonalds. Take Denver, for instance. Denver is the capital city of the state of Colorado. And if you visit this place, you can find a cannabis dispensary at almost every turn. The state was one of the first to legalize recreational marijuana in the year 2012. And since then, a lot of people here have made the herb an additional income source. The city has more than 360 marijuana dispensaries in contrast to around 110 outlets of Starbucks and McDs combined.
The same is true for Portland, Oregon. This city has around 28 dispensaries on every 100 thousand people. And in comparison, there are 3.1 McDonalds and 16.5 Starbucks stores.
There are Multiple Ways of Enjoying Marijuana
Even with this rising popularity of cannabis and the medical marijuana card, a lot of people think that smoking and edibles are the only ways to get yourself a share of THC. But this is far from the truth. In fact, the cannabis industry has come up with several new and innovative ways to enjoy the herb. These include:
- Drinks: There are many drinks that are coming up in the market which are made with cannabis concentrates. For instance, cannabis tea. Cannabis tea is being used in the subcontinent of India for the past thousands of years. And it has now become very famous in the US too. Other than this, you can even try getting your hands on marijuana beer.
- Blunts: This particular way of consuming cannabis is getting quite famous among the experienced consumers. Blunts are just like joints. But instead of the usual joint paper, the bud is rolled in cigar papers to make it even more potent.
- Sprays: This is a very unique way of consuming marijuana. In this method, instead of lighting up a joint, you simply spray a little THC concentrate over your tongue, and it’s done.
These were just a few examples. And there are many more ways in which you can enjoy your good old cannabis.
Cannabis is Completely Legal in Just Two Countries
Cannabis has been carrying the stigma of being a dangerous drug for a very long time. And given this, it is illegal almost everywhere in the world. But in the year 2013, Uruguay became the first country to legalize the cannabis plant completely. Since Aug 2014, the resident of the country can grow cannabis legally (up to 6 plants). And in 2017, 16 pharmacies were given the authorization to commercially sell cannabis.
In 2018, Canada became the second country to legalize marijuana completely. The minimum age here to buy the herb is 19 in most places. And you can possess a maximum of 30 grams of it legally. The laws regarding cannabis vary from state to state in Canada. So, if you ever travel there, you need to check accordingly.
Other than these two countries, nowhere in the world, the cannabis is fully legal.
