Medical Marijuana – ancient remedies for modern world


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By M Arif Kalkatta
Bellevision Media Network

Mangaluru, 27 Apr 2017: The National Seminar on Medical Marijuana was inaugurated by Mangalore City Commissioner Mohamed Nazeer at Yenepoya University, here, on Wednesday, April 26.

 

Nazeer complimented Mission Angel Dust for organizing the seminar and also stressed the need to do research into the chemical properties of the Marijuana plant. The seminar threw valuable insight into an ancient belief dating back to time immemorial across different world cultures that the Cannabis plant possesses miraculous healing properties. Hence its flowers, buds, seeds have been made use of to treat a wide range of ailments. It is one of humanity’s oldest cultivated crops.

 

 

India has a strong history of cannabis use in religious, medical, cultural and recreational purpose. Bhang is a popular drink in North India, comprising of cannabis paste made out of the buds and leaves, milk, ghee and spices. The Atharvaveda describes the cannabis plant as belonging to one of the five kingdoms of herbs that ‘releases us from anxiety.’ Legend goes that Lord Shiva while relaxing under the shade of a tall Cannabis plant felt deeply relaxed. Curious, he ate some leaves and felt refreshed. He adopted this as his favorite food, hence his title ‘Lord of Bhang.’ During the British rule, the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission noted the history and culture of cannabis use in India, by observing ‘To the Hindu the Hemp plant is holy. A guardian lives in the bhang leaf…… To see in a dream the leaves, plant or water of bhang is lucky.’ Lord Buddha survived on a daily ration of one cannabis seed during his six years of asceticism.

 

In 1550 BC ancient Egypt’s Eber’s Papyrus prescribed cannabis for treatment of inflammation.

 

The Neolithic culture in China, called the Yangshao flourished along the Yellow river valley, and their economy survived on cannabis cultivation. In ancient China the Shennong Bencaojing refers to Cannabis as dama, da meaning great and ma meaning cannabis. It attests the use of the cannabis plant’s flowers, leaves and seeds in treating various ailments. In 2737 BC, the Chinese Emperor Shen Neng officially ordained the use of Marijuana tea for treatment of gout, rheumatism, malaria and poor memory.

 

In 200 AD Chinese surgeon Hua Tuo became the first recorded medical man to have used cannabis as an anesthetic during surgery. He grinded the plant into powder and mixed it with wine for a patient to drink before surgery. The word for anesthesia in Chinese is ‘mazui’ meaning cannabis intoxication. Later, Chinese physicians extended the use of cannabis to treat blood clots, tapeworms, constipation and hair loss.

 

Hashish is the Arabic word for marijuana and was used in traditional Arabic medicine.

 

During the middle ages in Europe, cannabis was adopted in folk medicine for treating a variety of ailments.

 

The Spaniards introduced cannabis to South America in the 1500s, and it was carried into America by Mexican immigrants who called it ‘marijuana.’ By 1700s it was used in America for treating various health issues. However, in 1906 the US government created the Food and Drug Administration which controlled opium and morphine, but marijuana was not included in it, but in 1914 under the Harrison’s Act it was declared as a crime. Gradually many states in the US outlawed it. Following this many countries banned marijuana, and its illegal status impeded rigorous study of its effectiveness. The Marijuana plant contains more than 100 Cannabinoids, but there are only two of them that are of interest to the scientific community, namely tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). While THC can increase appetite and reduce nausea, CBD can reduce pain and inflammation.

 

Israel is in the forefront of nations that are investigating the medical value of Marijuana. A host of Israeli startups and companies are engaged in conducting research into the medical uses of Marijuana. The medical Marijuana market is expected to touch around $11 billion by 2020 from the present $ 5.8 billion today.

 

Sensing the mood of the world, many organizations in India have started seeking permission to extract Cannabis oil for Cancer treatment. Many countries have relaxed norms in order to facilitate medical use of marijuana. It is hoped that India will also ease restrictions so that medical Marijuana will be available to terminally sick patients.

 

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