Today’s cannabis users may think of the plant as a more modern innovation, but the truth is that cannabis has been used for thousands of years. Nowadays, the focus is on recreational and medicinal uses, but people have been using cannabis for many other uses in the past. Different parts of the cannabis plant have different purposes. The most commonly used plant parts were leaves (50.51%), seeds (15.38%), and inflorescence (11.35%), which consists of the complete flower head of a plant (stems, stalks, bracts, and flowers).
In fact, pharmaceutical companies are working on developing new drugs that contain chemical compounds or crude extracts from cannabis inflorescences. So a lot is happening in the cannabis world nowadays, but how was cannabis used in the past? Here is a look at some indigenous uses of cannabis.
Ancient China (Circa 2700 BC)
Cannabis has one of its earliest recorded uses in ancient China. The plant was cultivated for both medicinal and practical purposes. Hemp fibers were used to make rope, clothing, and paper, while the seeds were a food source rich in nutrients.
One emperor prescribed cannabis for ailments such as pain, rheumatism, gout, malaria, and memory loss.
Ancient India
In India, cannabis was intertwined with spiritual and cultural life. It appears in ancient texts such as the Atharva Veda, where it was described as one of the five sacred plants that relieve anxiety and bring happiness. Various preparations of cannabis were consumed for religious rituals, festivals, and medicinal therapy to treat insomnia, headaches, digestive problems, and pain.
Middle East and Africa
In ancient Persia, cannabis was used both medicinally and spiritually. Ancient Egyptians reportedly used cannabis for glaucoma, inflammation, and childbirth pain. Across Africa, traditional healers used cannabis to relieve pain, treat malaria, and manage labor pain.
It was also smoked socially or as part of tribal rituals.
Ancient Greece and Rome
The Greeks and Romans used cannabis primarily for medical and veterinary purposes. The plant was useful for treating earaches, wounds, and inflammation. Cannabis seeds were boiled or crushed and used to ease swelling and pain, and sometimes used to treat horses and livestock.
19th-Century Western Medicine
By the 1800s, cannabis made its way into European and American pharmacies. Cannabis extracts and tinctures became common ingredients in remedies for pain, muscle spasms, insomnia, anxiety, and migraines. It was considered safe and effective, sold in apothecaries, and even listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia until the early 20th century.
However, after prohibition in the 1930s, medicinal use declined sharply.
How Ancient Use Influences Modern Cannabis Trends
Many of these early traditions laid the foundation for today’s medical and recreational cannabis culture. For example, ancient applications for pain relief, sleep, and anxiety remain central to modern medical marijuana use. The growing interest in natural, plant-based medicine today reflects the way ancient cultures once relied on herbs for healing.
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Cannabis is nothing new. It has been around for thousands upon thousands of years and has been used for many purposes.
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Indigenous Uses of Cannabis FAQs
How was cannabis used in ancient China and India?
A. In ancient China, cannabis was cultivated for practical uses like rope, clothing, and paper, and also prescribed for ailments such as pain, gout, and memory loss. In ancient India, it was integrated into spiritual and cultural life, described in sacred texts, and consumed in rituals and treatments for insomnia, headaches, digestive issues, and pain.
What medicinal and cultural roles did cannabis play in the Middle East and Africa?
A. In ancient Persia and Egypt, cannabis was used medicinally and spiritually, including for inflammation, glaucoma, and pain during childbirth. Across Africa, traditional healers used it for relief from pain, malaria treatment, and labor pain, and it was often smoked socially or in tribal rituals.
How did ancient uses of cannabis influence modern trends?
A. Many ancient applications—like using cannabis for pain relief, anxiety reduction, and sleep support—laid the foundation for today’s medical and recreational cannabis culture. The modern interest in natural, plant-based medicine reflects how past cultures relied on herbs for healing.