Entheogenic use of cannabis

A man smoking cannabis through a pipe in Kolkata, India

Cannabis has served as an entheogen—a chemical substance used in religious or spiritual contexts[1]—in the Indian subcontinent since the Vedic period dating back to approximately 1500 BCE, but perhaps as far back as 2000 BCE. It was introduced to the New World by the Spaniards in 1530-1545.[2]

There are several references in Greek mythology to a powerful drug that eliminated anguish and sorrow. Herodotus wrote about early ceremonial practices by the Scythians, thought to have occurred from the 5th to 2nd century BCE. Itinerant Hindu saints have used it in the Indian subcontinent for centuries.[3] Mexican Native American communities occasionally use cannabis in religious ceremonies by leaving bundles of it on church altars to be consumed by the attendees.[4]

  1. ^ Souza, Rafael Sampaio Octaviano de; Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino de; Monteiro, Júlio Marcelino; Amorim, Elba Lúcia Cavalcanti de (October 2008). "Jurema-Preta (Mimosa tenuiflora [Willd.] Poir.): a review of its traditional use, phytochemistry and pharmacology". Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology. 51 (5): 937–947. doi:10.1590/S1516-89132008000500010.
  2. ^ Eileen Konieczny, Lauren Wilson (2018). Healing with CBD.
  3. ^ Bloomquist, Edward (1971). Marijuana: The Second Trip. California: Glencoe.
  4. ^ Warf, Barney (1 October 2014). "High Points: An Historical Geography of Cannabis". Geographical Review. 104 (4): 414–438. Bibcode:2014GeoRv.104..414W. doi:10.1111/j.1931-0846.2014.12038.x. S2CID 143779072.