in a Sikh village in
Punjab, India. On the
Hindu and
Sikh festival of colors called
Holi, it is a customary addition to some intoxicating drinks.
Cannabis — the plant that produces
hemp,
hashish, and marijuana — has been one of the most used
psychoactive drugs in the world since the late 20th century, following only
tobacco and
alcohol in popularity. According to
Vera Rubin, the use of cannabis has been encompassed by two major cultural complexes over time: a continuous, traditional
folk stream, and a more circumscribed, contemporary configuration. The former involves both sacred and secular use, and is usually based on small-scale cultivation: the use of the plant for
cordage, clothing, medicine, food, and a "general use as an
euphoriant and symbol of fellowship." The second stream of expansion of cannabis use encompasses "the use of hemp for commercial manufacturers utilizing large-scale cultivation primarily as a fiber for mercantile purposes"; but it is also linked to the search for
psychedelic experiences (which can be traced back to the formation of the Parisian
Club des Hashischins). In some Eastern European folklore, hemp links a spirit to the afterlife. In the United States the culture has also spawned its own celebrities (such as
Tommy Chong and
Terence McKenna), and magazines (such as
Cannabis Culture and
High Times). In 2018 South Korea legalized medical marijuana. Cannabis is illegal in China but is used in some medical practices and to make hemp. In Europe recreational use of cannabis is illegal, however, a National survey reports that 8% of adults have used cannabis.
India eaters from India c. 1790. Bhang is an
edible preparation of
cannabis native to the
Indian subcontinent. It has been used in food and drink as early as 1000 BCE by
Hindus in
ancient India. Cannabis is
indigenous to the
Indian subcontinent. Cannabis is also known to have been used by the ancient Hindus of the Indian subcontinent thousands of years ago. The herb is called
ganja (,
IAST: ) or
ganjika in
Sanskrit and other modern
Indo-Aryan languages. Some scholars suggest that the ancient drug
soma, mentioned in the
Vedas, was cannabis, although this theory is disputed. Today cannabis is often formed into
bhang, which has become an integral part of tradition and custom in the Indian subcontinent. In some sections of rural India, people attribute various medicinal properties to the cannabis plant. If taken in proper quantity, bhang is believed to cure
fever,
dysentery,
sunstroke, to clear
phlegm, aid in
digestion,
appetite, cure
speech imperfections and
lisping, and give alertness to the body.
Jamaica By the 8th century, cannabis had been introduced by Arab traders to Central and Southern Africa, where it is known as "
dagga"; many Rastas say it is a part of their African culture that they are reclaiming. It is sometimes also referred to as "the healing of the nation", a phrase adapted from Revelation 22:2. Alternatively, the
migration of many thousands of
Hindus and
Muslims from
British India to the Caribbean in the 20th century may have brought this culture to Jamaica. Many academics point to Indo-Caribbean origins for the ganja sacrament resulting from the importation of Indian migrant workers in a post-abolition Jamaican landscape. "Large scale use of ganja in Jamaica ... dated from the importation of indentured Indians...."(Campbell 110). Dreadlocked mystics
Jata, often
ascetic known as
sadhus or Sufi
Qalandars and
Derwishes, have smoked cannabis from both
chillums and coconut shell
hookahs in
South Asia since the ancient times. Also, the reference of "chalice" may be a transliteration of "jam-e-qalandar" (a term used by
Sufi ascetics meaning 'bowl or cup of qalandar'). In South Asia, in addition to smoking, cannabis is often consumed as a drink known as
bhang and most qalandars carry a large wooden pestle for that reason.
United States Marijuana's history in American culture began during the Colonial Era. During this time, hemp was a critical crop, so colonial governments in Virginia and Massachusetts required land-owning farmers to grow marijuana for hemp-based products.
Hippie Following in the footsteps of the
Beatniks, many
hippies used cannabis, considering it pleasurable and benign. Growing the plant was common practice among hippies. During the 1960s and 1970s, hippies defied many cultural and mainstream norms and having the shared substance choice of marijuana served as a sign of unity. Initially, cannabis leaves, which contain comparatively less THC than buds, were smoked by hippies. However, there were some within the community who turned against drugs completely as a distinct way of achieving freedom.
Hip hop The denigration of hard drug use by inner city youth played a prominent role in the entrenchment of marijuana in the Hip-Hop culture. Blunts are a favored method of consumption.
Australia made from a plastic sports drink bottle. Sydney, 2022 Australia's harm-reduction policy allows for the legality of certain drug use as a form of medication and healing provided by public healthcare. This has led to a higher dependency on cannabis for cannabis users following what the National Library of Medicine refers to as
DSM-IV. The 2016 national drug strategy household survey showed that at least 34.8% of all Australians aged 12 years and over had used cannabis at least once in their lifetime, compared to 86.2% of Australians aged 12 years and over having consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime. It also found that in the 12 months prior to the survey being taken at least 10.4% of all Australians had smoked cannabis at least once.
Netherlands "Green Place" entirely covered with
stickers in
Amsterdam. 2024 In the Netherlands,
coffee shops sell cannabis under certain strict provisions, due to marijuana's classification as a 'soft drug.' The Dutch policy of tolerance is generally considered successful but some concerns arise over drug tourism and cultivation, as it is still illegal to grow marijuana. ==Events==