Introduction: Origins of Cannabis Research
This brief serves a dual purpose. On the one hand, it will trace the global chemical history of CBD, which is a compound that originates partially from hemp (the fiber), marijuana (the popularized term for medicinal/recreational use), and cannabis (the sp
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Introduction: Origins of Cannabis Research
This drug is as old as civilization itself. Homer wrote about that it made them forget their homes, and that turned them into swine. In Persia, a thousand years before Christ, there was a religious and military order founded which was called the Assassins and they derived their name from the drug called hashish which is now known in this country as marihuana. They were noted for their acts of cruelty, and the word “assassin” very aptly describes the drug. —H. J. Anslinger, Commissioner, Bureau of Narcotics, Treasury Department, before the House Ways and Means Committee, 1936 [1].1 To sum up, Indian hemp, like many other medicaments, has enjoyed for a time a vogue which is not justified by the results obtained. Therapeutics would not lose much if it were removed from the list of medicaments. –Dr. J. Bouquet, Hospital Pharmacist, Tunis, quoted by Anslinger from a League of Nations Report [1].
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Harry Anslinger’s version of the past was formed to suit his own needs, and is archetypal misstatement of definitions. Both hashish and marijuana—also called weed, pot or ganja—are parts of the cannabis sativa plant. The major difference between the two is that the term “weed” usually applies to dried pieces of the plant, mainly flower buds, while hash is a paste from resin, or sap of the plant. Hash contains a higher concentration of psychoactive chemicals. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020 J. N. Campbell, Bonds That Tie: Chemical Heritage and the Rise of Cannabis Research, History of Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60023-5_1
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Introduction: Origins of Cannabis Research
Bonds of Heritage and Medicine
Hemp is a revolutionary plant; it has heritage.2 Need clothing or fuel? Hemp provides. Need a drug that can soothe pain? Certain parts of hemp can do it. In the United States, until recently, hemp was seen as a product that had limited capability compared to say, cotton. The federal government only recently moved to set it free. Times are changing for the age-old plant. Currents of thought are now moving in such a direction that the production of what has become known as cannabidiol (aka CBD), for some, has the potential to transform the medical industry—debate is ongoing.3 Many countries are embracing hemp’s power and its’ ability to be a flexible fiber and the progenitor of new biochemical mixtures that are specifically designed to relieve pain. Terms can confuse us. What is the difference between hemp, marijuana, and cannabidiol? All possess chemical properties, but how are they different? What is known is that both hemp and cannabis ultimately come from the same plant; just different parts. Whether its deemed hemp or cannabis, the distinction depends on a variety of factors (Fig. 1.1). However, despite the fact that the terms hemp and cannabis are often used interchangeably, they do have separate connotations. For instance, a 1976 study published by the International Association of Plant Taxonomy argued that “b
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