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01 Dec 2008 12:02 pm

Three Millennia Of Medical Marijuana

The tabloid headlines - and who can blame them? - are reporting "the oldest stash ever." And it does indeed seem like the cannabis found in a Chinese tomb going back 2,700 years is legit. But this is what struck me:

The substance has been found in two of the 500 Gushi tombs excavated so far in northwestern China, indicating that cannabis was either restricted for use by a few individuals or was administered as a medicine to others through shamans, Russo said. "It certainly does indicate that cannabis has been used by man for a variety of purposes for thousands of years." Russo, who had a neurology practice for 20 years, has previously published studies examining the history of cannabis. "I hope we can avoid some of the political liabilities of the issue," he said, referring to his latest paper. The region of China where the tomb is located, Xinjiang, is considered an original source of many cannabis strains worldwide.

My italics. America has two major responses to cannabis. The first is still Puritanical disdain. The second is stoner giggling and humor. Between those two poles, we may find that exploring marijuana's medical potential and its spiritual dimension are more fruitful ways forward.

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