Cannabis (/ˈkænəbɪs/ⓘ) is agenus offlowering plants in the familyCannabaceae that is widely accepted as beingindigenous to and originating from the continent ofAsia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species being recognized:Cannabis sativa,C. indica, andC. ruderalis. Alternatively,C. ruderalis may be included withinC. sativa, or all three may be treated assubspecies ofC. sativa, orC. sativa may be accepted as a single undivided species.
The plant is also known ashemp, although this term is usually used to refer only tovarietiescultivated for non-drug use. Hemp has long been used forfibre,seeds and theiroils,leaves for use asvegetables, andjuice. Industrial hemp textile products are made from cannabis plants selected to produce an abundance of fibre.
Medical cannabis,medicinal cannabis ormedical marijuana (MMJ) refers tocannabis products andcannabinoid molecules that areprescribed byphysicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has a long history, but has not been as rigorously tested as other medicinal plants due to legal and governmental restrictions, resulting inlimited research to define the safety and efficacy of using cannabis to treat diseases.
There is mixed and inconclusive evidence on the benefits of cannabis-based medicines, frequent mild adverse effects, and generally low-to-moderate quality of evidence. Cannabis-based medicines may offer modest relief forchronic, especiallyneuropathic, pain and slight improvements in function and sleep in chronic pain patients, but evidence is limited and inconsistent; mild harms may outweigh the benefit and placebo effects may influence trial outcomes. Recent clinical reviews have concluded that evidence remains insufficient to support the use of cannabis or cannabinoids for most medical indications, emphasizing that modest potential benefits must be weighed against established risks. (Full article...)
Joint is a slang term for a cigarette rolled usingcannabis.Rolling papers are the most common rolling medium in industrialized countries; however, brown paper, cigarettes with the tobacco removed,beedis with the tobacco removed,tracing paper, ATM receipts and newspaper are commonly used in somedeveloping countries, and by poorer smokers in first world countries. Modern papers are now made in a range of sizes from a wide variety of materials including rice, hemp, and flax, and are also available in flavored varieties. A joint can vary in size, typically containing between 0.25 to 1grams net weight of cannabis (joints have been rolled with 2 or more pounds but this is not a common practice) (depending on whether tobacco is used in the rolling process).
Image 2TheChinese character for hemp (麻 ormá) depicts two plants under a shelter. Notably, the same character also means "numb". Cannabis cultivation dates back at least 3000 years in Taiwan. (fromHistory of cannabis)
Image 17Three theories of classification forCannabis. From left to right, monotypic with three subspecies (A), polytypic consisting of up to three species (B), and single phenotypically diverse species (C). (fromCannabis)
Image 18Illustrating various forms of medicinal cannabis (fromMedical cannabis)
Image 41The use of cannabis, at least as fiber, has been shown to go back at least 10,000 years inTaiwan. "Dà má" (Pinyin pronunciation) is the Chinese expression for cannabis, the first character meaning "big" and the second character meaning "hemp". (fromMedical cannabis)
... that in 2025, the world commemorates the "Centenary of Cannabis Prohibition" which marksa 100 years since cannabis was first listed as a controlled drug under international treaties?
North Macedonianpolice seize 28 tonnes ofcannabis, the largest such haul in the country, from former industrial sites inSkopje andStrumica, link the operation to a recent five-tonne seizure inSerbia, and state that the material originated from licensedmedicinal-growing facilities but was diverted for unauthorized use.(Reuters)
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