Cannabis (Huo Ma Ren)

Botanical Name: Cannabis sativa

The use of cannabis by many world cultures to heal the mind and body dates back to ancient times. There are over 100 different types of cannabinoids and terpenes found in marijuana, with concentrations of each compound varying widely from plant to plant and from strain to strain. Used medicinally, the herb has powerful and well-documented properties for treating inflammation, chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, and nausea. Applications of this herb continue to be studied and researched.

Watch a short video, from Ann Christensen, Founder and Creator of White Rabbit Institute of Healing™ – Coming soon!

Remember to check with your doctor before trying new medicines or herbal remedies, especially if you are taking other medication where drug interactions are possible.

Below is an overview of cannabis, combining the best of Western Science, Oriental Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Shamanism, Folklore, and a wide range of healing modalities. Gain a balanced and thorough understanding of the healing properties of cannabis.

Parts Most Frequently Used: Leaf, Seeds, Buds, Kief (A powder made from resin glands (trichomes) removed from the leaves and flowers. It can be compressed to be made into cakes of hashish or can be smoked). Hash contains the same active compounds as the leaves or flowers but in much higher concentrations. Hash is typically a paste-like substance.)

Flavors/Temps: Sweet, Neutral

Caution: There is, as far as is currently known, no significant interactions between cannabis and other drugs. Research has indicated that cannabis can enhance the effects of opiate painkillers, so pay attention to what you are using and how, if you are using opiates. Your healthcare provider can advise you.

Key Constituents: Cannabinoids, with the main one being THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive constituent in the cannabis plant), and terpenoids.

History/Folklore: Long used for hemp fiber, seeds, and seed oil, cannabis has also been used for medicinal purposes and as a recreational drug. To compare, hemp is significantly lower in THC (the compound that is responsible for the strongest psychotropic effects) than cannabis leaves and buds. Both hemp and cannabis come from the same species of plant. Hemp essential oil typically contains below-detectable levels of THC or CBD. It is not an intoxicating oil and is used instead to effectively treat inflammation.

Its use as a mind-altering drug has been documented by archaeological finds in prehistoric societies in Eurasia and Africa.

The oldest European record of cannabis is by the Greek historian Herodotus, who refers to the Scythians (a central Eurasian group) as using cannabis in steam baths by throwing the buds/seeds onto hot coals and inhaling the vapors.

In 1545, the herb cannabis was brought to the Western hemisphere by the Spaniards, who imported it to Chile for use as fibre to make clothes, paper, and rope.

The word cannabis comes from the Greek, though it has its roots in Scythian, Thracian, Persian and even Hebrew, where it is theorized the oils were used as a component of biblical anointing oil.

The Neo-Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians also referred to it as a “way to produce smoke.”

The psychoactive effects of cannabis are known to have a biphasic nature. Primary effects include relaxation and, to a lesser degree, euphoria. Secondary effects include facility for philosophical thinking, introspection, and metacognition.

According to the Delphic analysis, which seeks to aggregate opinions by a diverse set of experts, completed by British researchers in 2007, cannabis has a lower risk factor for dependence compared to both nicotine and alcohol. However, everyday use can result, in some cases, in irritability and insomnia.

Some of the earliest archeological evidence of the use of hemp dates back 10,000 years and was found in Chinese burial grounds as ropes tied around pottery. It is also referred to in Chinese writings dating back to about 2350 B.C.E. as being woven into fabric for clothing. Chinese warriors were known to use hemp to make bowstrings, as hemp was stronger than bamboo strings and could therefore help arrows fly further. Hemp was in fact the first war crop, with land being specifically allocated by the Chinese emperor for growing the plant in order to produce superior weapons, rope, and clothing for soldiers.

The Chinese also combined crushed hemp with mulberry bark to make paper. It was a secret recipe for centuries until it finally became known to the Japanese and was then passed along to the Arabs, eventually making its way into Europe.

In Oriental medicine, cannabis is one of the oldest recorded medicinal plants, dating back to the Father of Chinese Medicine, Shen-Nung, who lived and wrote around 2700 B.C.E. Cannabis was considered a unique substance, as it was both feminine (Yin) and masculine (Yang). The female plants were used to treat Yin-Deficient conditions such as menstrual cycle imbalances, rheumatism, malaria, constipation, beri-beri, and even restlessness and inability to focus. They called it Bhang and the word is used to this day in India.

By the 2nd century C.E. in China, cannabis resin was mixed with wine to reduce pain during surgeries. These surgeries included chest, intestinal, and lower abdominal incisions.

In India, the earliest mention of cannabis is found in the Vedas, or Hindu sacred texts compiled around 2000-1400 B.C.E. Cannabis was considered one of five sacred plants, which include barley and rice. A guardian angel was said to live in the leaves of the cannabis plant. The plant was considered a source of happiness and liberation given to humans by the gods to help bring relief from anxiety and to help overcome and reduce fear.

In India, cannabis was often taken as a drink. It was combined with almonds, pistachios, ginger, black pepper, honey, and boiled milk or yogurt. The fat in the milk and yogurt helps to release the fat-soluble constituent, THC, best known for its calming and focusing properties.

So popular was the use of cannabis in India, that the British commissioned a study of the plant and its effects in 1890 and determined, after six years of in-depth observation and reporting, that it was safer to use than alcohol and its use ought not to be interfered with as it was a culturally accepted and medicinally effective substance.

In June 2018 cannabis was declared legal in the U.S. for the treatment of some types of epilepsy.

Cannabis can be ingested and eaten. It is most typically added to cakes, brownies, cookies, dressings, candy, and other foods as well. To be effective, the herb–extracts or concentrates–must be heated in order for the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinolic acid to be converted into active THC.

Myth: The effects of smoking hash may be different than smoking marijuana. The fact is that the effects of hash can vary in the same way that one cannabis strain may vary from another, but in the end, the effects will remain the same.