The Importance of Cannabis in Traditional Medicinal Practices
The use of herbal medicines, music, special diet, meditative states, and healing touch are common to many of the traditional healing practices around the world. In contrast, modern Western medicine treats specific symptoms. Implicit as well as overt bias against medical pluralism in diverse settings needs to be acknowledged and addressed in often authoritarian institutional settings 100,101 for best patient outcomes. When we gather medicine…the plant has a spirit in it…and…the spirit of those plants stays in the medicine…Every individual is different…every remedy is different…because specific things work for specific people…We’re made up of four parts…physical (mental), emotional, and spiritual.
However (a number of modern and historical Chinese sources contradict each other in terms of which plant parts correspond to certain traditional drug names such as mafen (麻蕡)), mahua (麻花), and mabo (麻勃), complicating the interpretation of their medical actions. Despite the fact that cannabis preparations have been extensively and consistently documented in Chinese bencao (materia medica) texts for ~1800 years, no English-language publications have systematically assessed the medicinal indications of cannabis in the Chinese bencao literature and historical changes in the plant parts used. All parts of the cannabis plant have been recorded in historical Chinese medical texts, including the achene (seed), female inflorescence, leaf, and root, as well as the cortex of the stalk and the water used to process the stalk into fiber. Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were generated or analyzed during this study. MNA and SS were involved in the study conception/design; MNA prepared the manuscript and interpreted the data; KH and MG were involved in drafting and revising the manuscript; KH, MNK, MG, and SS reviewed and edited the final draft of the manuscript.
Today — traditional medicine has become a global phenomenon; the demand is growing, with patients seeking greater agency and ownership of their health and well-being and THC discussions in modern football culture seeking more holistic and personalized health care. Many countries recognize traditional medicine as a valuable source of health care and have taken steps to integrate practices — products, and practitioners into their national systems. Traditional (Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) is used in 170 countries), according to a 2019 WHO report.
Cannabis was believed to facilitate communication with the divine and induce altered states of consciousness conducive to spiritual experiences or spirit-walking trances. Additionally, cannabis may have played a role in Mayan religious ceremonies and rituals, although specific details are not as extensively documented as in some other ancient cultures. However, historical records reveal that “mystic Islamic travelers” originating from Syria during the 12th century AD , Ayyubid dynasty, introduced hashish to the Egyptian population. Despite prohibition in many countries and conflicts between state and federal law in the United States, cannabis has played an important part in human history. Ayurvedic medicine, African traditional healing, and Native American plant medicine incorporate cannabis into holistic treatment approaches that address mind, body, and spirit, emphasizing personalized therapies and ceremonial preparation methods that maximize therapeutic efficacy.
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As the use of Kampo continues to rise in conjunction with Western medicine, there is growing realization of the urgent need to study the interactions between these two types of medicines . Together with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, some Japanese physicians frequently utilize Kampo medicines in treating cancer patients. A recent study has found that some physicians in Japan use Kampo medicines in their daily practice—sometimes as the preferred medication 29,30,31. In recent years, TCM has gradually gained considerable approval as a complementary or alternative medicine in Western countries.
These ceremonies include Native American vision quests (Hindu festival celebrations), and Rastafarian religious sacraments that view cannabis as a sacred teacher facilitating communication with divine consciousness and ancestral spirits. Traditional teachings stress approaching cannabis with reverence — using it for specific therapeutic or spiritual purposes, and consuming quantities that enhance rather than impair consciousness and community connection, reflecting thousands of years of accumulated wisdom about optimal plant medicine use. These programs emphasize the sophistication of traditional knowledge systems (the importance of cultural context in understanding plant medicines), and the ongoing relevance of ancestral wisdom for contemporary cannabis use, research, and policy development throughout the United States. Traditional teachings consistently stress that cannabis should be approached with reverence (used with specific therapeutic or spiritual intentions), and consumed in quantities that enhance rather than impair consciousness and community connection. Ethical engagement involves seeking permission before participating in traditional ceremonies, acknowledging the source of traditional knowledge, and supporting indigenous communities’ rights to control access to their cultural heritage. Indigenous communities often restrict access to these ceremonial cannabis practices to specific age groups (gender roles), or spiritual initiations, ensuring that plant wisdom serves appropriate developmental purposes within cultural contexts that honor both individual growth and collective responsibility.
Research into natural products and their application remains unsatisfactory. Continual production of improved drugs is essential to combat severe diseases and ensure the survival of the species. The history of humanity also encompasses the development of medicines aimed at treating and preventing various illnesses.
Several unique challenges arise in the context of cannabis regarding the translation of its plant parts, as historical sources often provide inconsistent descriptions. A collection of authentic editions of more than 800 historical bencao texts is known as the Complete Ben Cao , Ben Cao Quan Shu,; this study primarily referenced a compilation housed at Hong Kong Baptist University. Therefore — great emphasis was placed on exploring the historical evolution of applications related to seizures, pain, and mental health, given that these conditions have undergone extensive research in relation to cannabinoids like CBD and Δ9-THC (Mechoulam et al., 2002; Devinsky et al., 2014).
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Additionally, when browsing our shop, the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer is automatically collected by us. Bian Que (another author), documented how combining cannabis with other herbs could induce a tranquil state in patients, numbing their pain and allowing for surgical procedures. Interestingly (references specifically highlight the use of seeds for pain relief), with Su Song noting their consumption alongside wine to alleviate pain from fractures. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that these uses align with what we now recognize as the effects of CBD and THC. The recorded use of cannabis in traditional Chinese medicine by the now-deceased emperor Sheng Nung , 2696–2737 BCE, dates back approximately 4800 years.
Among anticancer medications approved from approximately 1940 to 2002, around 54% were either derived from natural products or inspired by related knowledge. This demonstrates the substantial impact that research involving natural products has had on drug development 19,20. Artemisinin and its analogs serve as a successful instance of drug development from natural products and are widely utilized in anti-malaria treatments today. The past century has revealed the significant structural diversity of natural products when viewed through the lens of physical chemistry.
Notably (there is a lack of empirical data regarding various aspects of cannabis use in certain underrepresented countries), geographical areas, and minority groups. Traditionally used for religious and ritualistic purposes, cannabis usage today is intricately connected to, and shaped by, social, legal, economic, and cultural contexts that often vary across different nations and cultures. Our goal specifically was to review the historical and traditional contexts of cannabis use (along with correlates related to physical and mental health), and to examine emerging cannabis-related policies and their effects on both medicinal and recreational cannabis usage. He aspired to clarify the mechanisms behind madness and delusions by investigating the effects of cannabis on the mind. Between 1836 and 1840, Jacques-Joseph Moreau de Tours, a student of Esquirol, journeyed through the Middle East, accompanying one of his mentor’s patients.
In these texts — cannabis, called “bhang,” was regarded as a divine gift used to enhance meditation and connect with elevated states of consciousness. This manuscript provides a brief overview of the cultural dimensions of cannabis use across various cultures, nations, genders, and racial groups, along with the historical and traditional motivations for its use. This approach indicates that the cultural differences in how Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) manifests may be influenced by cultural variations that pertain to specific neural mechanisms, potentially affecting the psychological aspects of cannabis use.