The History of Humanity through the Witness of Cannabis (with a slight American bias)- ABRIDGED

12,000 B.C.
Cannabis was just a ubiquitous central Asian weed when it was first domesticated by early hunter-gatherers. These people found it useful as a nutritious seed-oil, and a good nutritional replacement for seafood. These people also used cannabis to make clothing, fibers for rope, paint, fuel for torches, and building materials. These people were also familiar with the healing properties of cannabis; its oil, and pain relieving, circulation enhancing resin. Because cannabis can grow from seed to harvest in three months, early people found it easy to cultivate and breed. Hence, cannabis plants spread across the Eurasian continent like wild fire where it was embraced and propagated by countless Old World populations.

10,000 to 6,000 B.C.
Cannabis becomes one of the first domesticated crops used in intensive agriculture to feed and fashion the earliest cities. At this stage, cannabis as a commodity becomes forever locked into human economies.

2,000
Cannabis as a medicine is archived in legend under Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung. The earliest Chinese medical writings praise cannabis for its universal healing powers.

200 B.C.
Cannabis found many uses for the people of Asia, Africa, Arabia, Europe, and England. It was an important fiber for city folk and sea farers alike, especially in the Mediterranean. Cannabis remained an important medicine to the people of the Old World during this time, although the growth of urban development and economic trade reduced the demand for cannabis food stocks. Cannabis wasn't really considered an "intoxicant" either, because the Old World was replete with more intoxicating substances. Hence, the novelty of a "marijuana high" fell behind that of alcohol, amanita muscara, erogtine, peganum harmala, mandrake, belladonna, etc.

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Cannabis incense is burned in the chambers of Roman birthing rooms. No doubt, the Romans found good use of the pain relieving, circulation enhancing properties of cannabis smoke. The Scythians did too. A few daring theological scholars have even suggested that cannabis oil, not calamus oil, was the true anointing oil used by rabbitical priest in the Jewish tradition before the time of Christ. This would mean that Jesus Christ himself was anointed with cannabis. We may never know (for reasons seen below)... this secret is between cannabis and God.

400 A.D.
The Roman Empire is in a state of collapse. The perpetrators are religious, gnostic-hippie zealots fueled by a new, cultic religion following the return of their Messiah, Jesus Christ. Emperor Constantine, to stabilize his Empire, establishes Christianity as the sole Roman theology, and wages war on the temples, relics, and people of the old pagan ways.

700 A.D.
A Papal decree from the Elite of the Roman Catholic Church mandates that parishioners and clergy ban cannabis and the witches that use it from God's sovereign territory. Thus, the West's War on Drugs begins. Cannabis cultivators, users, and healers are chased out of society, excommunicated, or worse, burned at the stake. The Church makes clear, only God and the Church can heal.

In Asia, cannabis continues to be an important ethnobotanical resource. Cannabis cultivation becomes highly refined in the Middle East, China, India, and Northern Asia. Exotic foods and "mind-altering" deserts are perfected in Arabian and Indian cuisines. Religious cults flourish under the divination uses of cannabis in every ethnic region and in every mainstream religion. The Middle East becomes a continental center of trade and cultural, intellectual prosperity.

700 - 1400 A.D.
The Dark Ages.
European populations are ruled by theocratic totalitarianism. Cannabis is banned from mainstream society, although rural folk far removed from the reaches of the Church continue to practice the ancient ways of healing, and cannabis cultivation. They are called witches.

War is waged between the Church and the rising tide of Islamic warriors that dispute for control of the Holy Land. Ironically, neither of the sacred texts of these cultures mention cannabis... at all, never mind any moral judgement on its usage. Yet, it came to be that the fundamentalist sects of these two religious super powers banned cannabis use among their constituents.

Hmm, maybe if they partook of Allah's/God's good graces, maybe they wouldn't fight with each other some much... but I digress.

1500 A.D.
The Renaissance.
The power structures of the Church begin to collapse. Population migrations between the Arabian world and the European world cause a re-introduction of cannabis based products into Europe. Exotic foods and medicines reach European populations from Arabian and central Asian producers.

Botanically inclined Monks of the Church have begun documenting the medicinal plants of Europe. Officially recorded plants retain the species classification, OFFICINALIS, as in Salvia officinalis, Mellissa officinalis, etc. Cannabis is not classified this way. It will be later classified by a more scientifically inclined mind as Cannabis sativa (sativa is latin for "useful").

Cannabis paint-oils and fibers become integral with the material explosion of Renaissance artwork (the word "canvas" is derived from the word cannabis). Daring European kings break with the Church's ban on cannabis and begin mandating that farmers grow it to make fiber for naval expansion. Cannabis fiber becomes essential to a strong imperial navy. Europe sets sail, and conquers the world.

1776 A.D.
The Europeans cultivated cannabis on every land they settled on. Cannabis crops escaped cultivation and ran loose around the American continent. However, because of the prohibition of cannabis during the Dark Ages, European and American farmers knew little about the medicinal cultivation of cannabis which requires the removal of all male plants from the females during sexual maturity. For this reason, at the declaration of the new American nation, cannabis was known only as Hemp, the fiber that made boat sails, soldiers uniforms, backpacks, and socks, not to mention the Flag and the paper that the Revolutionaries were fighting for.

Cannabis was an essential commodity to early Americans, and farmers could pay their taxes with the equal value of hemp stock. Cannabis remained an important ethnobotanical resource for people all over the world. This weed was set to take over the Earth.

1850 A.D.
Cannabis remains an important economic crop to Americans, and other nations as well around the globe. In the South, white hemp farmers allow their black slaves to keep a certain portion of their cannabis crops, due to its prolific growth and harvestability. Many slaves buy their freedom through saving and selling hemp stock.

1929 A.D.
Mexican, Chinese, Arabian, and African people reintroduce the "exotic" form of hemp called "hash", "kif", "tea", and "marihuana" into predominately white towns and cities. Ethnic paranoia drives an initial attempt by U.S. Congress to ban "marihuana", but because cannabis medicines frequent American medicine cabinets, the Medical Community rejects, and cannabis is removed from the list of banned drugs that included cocaine, opium, and later, alcohol.

1939 A.D.
Cannabis is frequently used by black jazz musicians, who's new music is infecting young white teenagers and promoting a "non white" lifestyle. Cannabis is most often used by poor people, and America is becoming filled with poor people. The U.S. Congress passes the "Marihuana Tax Act" which doesn't ban cannabis, but just raises the tax on it enough so that poor people and ethnic minorities can't use it legally.

1942 A.D.
The Imperial Japanese attack Pearl Harbor and cut off U.S. supplies of Manilla hemp. The U.S. Department of Agriculture initiates a program entitled "Hemp for Victory" to train American farmers how to grow cannabis to support the war effort. American grown cannabis is used to make sea-faring rope for the U.S. Navy, as well as soldier uniforms, parachute cables, and many other products.

The U.S. won the war, and then effectively banned cannabis cultivation again by maintaining the high tax.

1969 A.D.
The criminal tax rate didn't work. Cannabis use spreads from the ethnic minorities deeper into white territory. Cannabis users are found in College universities expressing profound insights into the nature of political control and human dignity. Things get out of hand, and the U.S. Congress defines Cannabis as an addictive substance with no medicinal value. Cannabis becomes documented as a dangerous drug on par with LSD, cocaine, morphine, and heroine.

Cannabis is officially banished from American society...

or so they thought...

5- 2- 2008 A.D.
Cannabis is America's number one cash crop, generating more dollars than corn, wheat, or cotton.

America leads the world in drug abuse, addiction, mental illness, and the number of incarcerated citizens.

Most Americans believe cannabis is "bad", and they no longer know of its vast industrial, medicinal, or subsistence uses.

Farmers that grow cannabis are defined as criminals.
Sick patients are defined as criminals for using cannabis.
Mentally ill citizens are defined as criminals for abusing cannabis.
Artists and musicians are defined as criminals for using cannabis.
Scientists, doctors, and ministers are defined as criminals for using cannabis.
Teenagers are defined as criminals for abusing cannabis.
Average, honest Americans are defined as criminals for "abusing" cannabis.

Meanwhile, scientists investigating the medicinal properties of cannabis in nations where it is legal have found volumes of evidence to support its legendary healing status.

TOMORROW A.D.
History is ours to write.