The direct reference is to Kanesh-bosem, which many scholars have suggested was the Hebrew word for, and the origin of the word Cannabis. Although not related to cannabis, it is worth noting that Benny Shannon , professor of psychology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem speculates that Moses was under the influence of a hallucinogen when he received his revelation from God. This event is considered one of the most important in all of Jewish history. Many Rastafarian scholars contend that the bush in flame that was never consumed, the realization of exploitation at the hands of the Egyptians and the experience of divine communion with God are all indications of the spiritual and hallucinatory nature of cannabis. Some read that and believe such a claim refutes the divine significance of the Burning Bush, however, Rastafarian scholars believe it is illustrative of the divine significance of Cannabis as a sacred sacrament. The criticism of this line of thinking, I contend, has more to do with contemporary society’s hallucinogen-phobia than with the evidence. Considering the significance cannabis and other hallucinogenic substances have played throughout the world, it is possible that the early practice of Judaism as well as Christianity and Islam incorporated the use of cannabis.How cannabis came to the Middle East is the subject of considerable debate. Legends abound as to how exactly cannabis spread to this area of the world.
One of the most common stories is about Haydar, the founder of the Sufi sect of Islam. Legend has it that an ascetic monk named Haydar who would never venture out of his monastery. One day, hydroponic rack in a state of depression Haydar found a plant that seemed to dance in the sun’s warmth. A complete change in Haydar’s demeanor was noticeable. He had changed from a cold ascetic monk to being happy and whimsical. He told his disciples of the plant and entrusted that they only share knowledge of the plant with the Sufis . Legend notwithstanding, cannabis was most likely introduced to the Arabic world as a medicine during Roman times. Cannabis spread throughout the Middle East with the spread of Islam. Although the Koran forbid the consumption of alcohol, cannabis had no such prohibition. The psychoactive properties of the plant were recognized as indicated by the metaphors by which it was referred to in many Arabic texts: The bush of understanding, the shrub of emotion, the blissful branches and the morsel of thought . Ancient and modern scholars still debate the appropriateness of cannabis use. Scholars and priest that are permissive of the plant suggest that unlike alcohol, cannabis induced pacificity and did not produce a public problem the way alcohol did. Likewise, well aware of its analgesic properties, doctors recommended it for the treatment of pain as it was much less dangerous than opium . The Sufi sect of Islam believed cannabis helped one achieve spiritual enlightenment through a state of altered consciousness. They did not believe cannabis was an intoxicant on par with opium and alcohol, nor did they perceive the plant as a stoner’s delight. Rather, the Sufi’s saw cannabis as a portal through which to communicate directly with Allah .
The Sufis however, were a break off ascetic sect of Islam, typically looked upon with disdain by the larger Islamic community. Their practices, including using a hallucinogenic plant that they claimed allowed them to communicate directly with Allah are considered heretical in relation to the larger Muslim community. Yet, for all this, the common strain we see through looking at the history of cannabis in the ancient world, is that it is clear that the perception we hold of it today is in stark contrast to that of the ancient world. The reader of this would probably think to him or herself that these people were superstitious and did not understand what a drug is. This may be what people say about our culture 1,000 years from now when viewing our prohibitions on this plant and other drugs. It is an extremely ethnocentric perception to believe that their view on the substance was backwards and that our current conception of the plant is the appropriate understanding. The history of the world is the history of one belief being over turned by another. The use of the cannabis plant was not accepted everywhere in the ancient world however. It was not always seen as a gateway to ecstasy or a communion with the divine. Indeed, its use as a hallucinogen made many societies, including our own, view it as a dangerous intoxicant in need of eradication. In the tenth century CE an Arab physician Ibn Wahshiyah wrote that the odor of hashish was lethal . This view of consciousness altering substances as inherently dangerous and anti-social more than likely stems from their association with fermented beverages and the poppy plant. Alcohol was ubiquitous throughout the ancient world and many societies considered any consciousness altering substance or plant to be on par with its effects.
As such, cannabis use as a recreational drug was temporary and fleeting in many ancient societies. In China, where the plant is thought to have originated, the plant fell out of favor with Chinese traditional values. In more extreme cases, such as in Egypt in 1378, the Ottoman emir sought to stamp out hashish use. Radical measures were taken such as executions and the torching of villages . These measures did not work. Much like the use of cannabis in other regions of the world, the exact origin of the practice is steeped in legends and myths. However, seeing how cannabis most likely originated in the temperate zone of central Asia the plant was most likely brought into Africa through trade routes through the Middle East . The African tropical climate was an ideal growing ground for the cannabis plant and through trade and diffusion cannabis flourished in Africa. The first known physical evidence of cannabis in Africa comes from the 1300s where ceramic smoking pipes containing traces of cannabis were discovered . Dagga, as the African’s originally called it, was chewed like one might chew snuff or the way Mayan’s sucked on coca leaves. Once the Africans learned of the technique of smoking cannabis the practice spread rapidly from tribe to tribe. Moreover, after discovering the effect of smoking it, dagga transformed into a communal event . One tribe so heavily invested in the practice of cannabis smoking formed an entire religion around the use of cannabis. The Bashilenge, after the introduction of hemp smoking by its Chief Kalamba Moukenge, changed their named to Ben-Riamba, translated as the “Sons of Hemp.” This culture considered the pipe they used to smoke cannabis as a sign and symbol of peace. They believed cannabis had universal magical powers that could ward off evil spirits. As the religious tradition continued, the Sons of Hemp eventually began to regard cannabis as a God itself . Following the new religious tradition, new laws came into effect such a removing class distinctions. Likewise, the emphasis on hemp as a means to spiritual enlightenment purportedly transformed the once war-like Bashilange people into a peaceful tribe . The upsetting of traditional society led anti-cannabis forces to overthrow the Riambas. Eventually, the tribe returned many of its old customs but cannabis never lost its significance. Undeniably, cannabis was not universally accepted in Africa. Much like other places in the world, cannabis smoking remained a polarizing practice. In South Africa, following European contact and arrival, the colonial authorities sought to stamp out the practice of Dagga smoking. European colonizers believed cannabis made workers sick, vertical growing system lazy and unable or unwilling to work. In 1870, so fearful of cannabis’ influence that the colonizers enacted a law that banned cannabis. Like other anti-drug laws throughout world history, it had no effect on cannabis use . The use of cannabis as medicine and as a spiritual practice is not unique to ancient cultures or old established religions. More recent manifestations of cannabis using cultures can be seen among the Rastafarians in Jamaica. The Rastafarians are a religious movement that exists in Jamaica that uses cannabis as a religious sacrament that aids in meditation. Rastafarians consume cannabis in what they refer to as reason sessions in which they sit, meditate, and contemplate the world and reality. Rastafarians use cannabis in contrast to alcohol, which they believe makes one stupid, prone to violence and susceptible to deceit and cunning.
Cannabis was originally brought to Jamaica by the English plantation owners because the rich soil and tropical climate in Jamaica made it an ideal place to grow cannabis. Eventually, the English abandoned it as a cash crop and cannabis, being a weed, grew freely on the Island. It was not until Indian indentured servants arrived on the Island did the African-Jamaican population learn of its mind bending and consciousness altering properties . The Indian servants taught the African-Jamaican population about the plant and its spiritual uses. In fact, many early Rastafarian prayers contained Hindi, Urdu, and Bengali words. Many of the words Rastafarians use are derived from the Indians such “Ganja” and “Chalice.” Likewise, vegetarian dietary restrictions, ascetic beliefs and the growing of dreadlocks all appear influenced by the Indian priests . In fact, the practice of wearing dread locked hair is a means by which Indian holy men attempt to replicate the depiction of Shiva. Like the Hindu holy men, dreadlocks represent ascetic life and a lack of conformity from the normative conventions of society. The history of cannabis in the United States is about as old as the founding of the original colonies. In 1619, the Virginia Company, by decree of King James I, ordered every colonist to each grow 100 plants for export. The colonists were more inclined to grow the more lucrative tobacco crop, yet frequent market slumps in tobacco made hemp production suitable to many farmers. Following the revolutionary war, hemp became currency itself. The union currency fundamentally undermined state currency and many considered hemp ideal barter. It is well established that both Washington and Jefferson cultivated hemp as an important cash crop. Moreover, it is a well-established fact that the original U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence were drafted on paper made from hemp . Folklore abound, the production of hemp for paper, rope, clothing and other necessities was ubiquitous in the colonial and antebellum American period. The end of the civil war, the production of steel, and the importation of hemp from manila destabilized the hemp industry in The U.S. Although cannabis was common throughout colonial and antebellum America, it was not until the late 1800s that cannabis came to be used for medicinal purposes. The first medicinal cannabis use was in the form of a tincture in which the resin of the cannabis plant was extracted . Subsequently, cannabis became a popular ingredient in many medicines and was sold openly in many pharmacies throughout the United States. Cannabis in times past, like today, was used to treat various illnesses. Ironically, in medicinal form it rarely drew the ire of politicians or law enforcement. It is important here to understand that no national drug laws had been implemented. Likewise, cocaine, morphine and opium were sold in everything from soda pop to teething syrup for infants . Although various city and states laws prohibiting certain substances were in place in many cities in the U.S., it was not until the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 did drugs become labeled in the United States . This act required the manufactures to label any medicine that contained the cannabis in over-the-counter remedies. Following this period, various drug laws were established throughout the United States. The Harrison Tax Act was the first federal drug law in the United States. Although the act did not prohibit cannabis, as it was targeted at opium and cocaine, it set the stage for the outright prohibition of various drugs in the U.S. a decision many claim goes against the core tenant of the American constitution. However, the act was not a drug prohibition measure, but rather, a tax that would require doctors and pharmacists that provide opium and cocaine to register and pay a tax .