People have known and documented the medicinal benefits of cannabis for thousands of years;

they are believed to have evolved on the steppes of Central Asia, specifically in the regions that
are now Mongolia and southern Siberia.
The history of cannabis use goes back as far as 12,000 years, which places the plant among
humanity's oldest cultivated crops, according to information in the book "Marihuana: The First
Twelve Thousand Years".
Records showing evidence of the drugs medicinal use dates back to 4000 B.C. The herb was
used, for instance, as an anesthetic during surgery, and stories say it was even used by the
Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 B.C.
Many cultures and religions around the globe have celebrated cannabis for its myriad of uses
and medicinal benefits.
Cannabis came to the Middle East between 2000 B.C. and 1400 B.C., and there it was probably
used by the Scythians, a nomadic Indo-European group. Then the drug was carried into southeast
Russia and Ukraine until reaching Germany, and from there to Britain during the 5th century.
In 1545 the Spanish brought marijuana to the New World. The English introduced it in
Jamestown in 1611 where it became a major commercial crop alongside tobacco and was grown
as a source of fiber.
Cannabis became popular in Jamaica until after 1838, when plantation owners had to seek new
workers to till their fields and began to import indentured servants from East India. It was these
East Indian laborers who brought over the first seedlings of cannabis indica that sparked a
movement.
India’s influence on cannabis in Jamaica is also evident in common phrasing. “Ganja,” the
preferred phrase for cannabis, is a Hindi word passed down from Sanskrit – “gāñjā” means
“hemp” or “hemp resin.”
Cannabis quickly became a mainstay in Jamaica, particularly among the lower, working classes
of society. It was common in the rural countryside and in the poor, black districts of larger
towns. Despite this widespread usage, the Jamaican government quickly outlawed the herb with
the Ganja Law of 1913, led by plantation owners who tried to ply workers with rum (which they
could profit from), but in spite of these efforts, the love of the leaf was growing.
But as it pertains to now in our current times
In the U.S. Cannabis received backlash from its government primarily because of race-based fear
tactics and irrational concerns that Mexican immigrants were coming into the US and bringing
cannabis with them. At this time there was a lot of propaganda surrounding marijuana. It was
associated with inciting violence and crime and was even referred to as the “evil weed.” The
Controlled Substances Act was enacted in 1970, making cannabis illegal and classifying it as a
Schedule I substance. While cannabis is still a federally illegal substance, 28 states and the
District of Columbia have legalized the medicinal and/or recreational use of cannabis.