Cannabis is a plant that can be found on every continent except Antarctica. But how did this plant become so widespread? The answer lies in human activities.
Scientists believe that cannabis first originated around 28 million years ago on the Tibetan plateau, branching off from its common ancestor with the hop plant. Early humans may have unintentionally contributed to its spread by clearing vegetation and creating open, sunny areas with fertile soil, ideal conditions for cannabis to thrive. This led to some scientists referring to cannabis as a “camp follower”.
Over time, humans began to appreciate the many uses of the cannabis plant. It is considered to be one of the first plants cultivated when farming began around 12,000 years ago. The plant’s stalks could be dried for fibers, the seeds could be eaten or used for oil, and the resin-coated bracts may have been used for medicinal and mind-altering purposes. Humans became the primary agents for the dispersal of cannabis, as its seeds are not enclosed in fruit and do not have wings for wind dispersal.
From the Tibetan plateau, cannabis spread across central and East Asia, brought by nomadic groups into the Indian subcontinent, eastern Europe, and the Middle East around 2000 BC. Different varieties of cannabis emerged as people cultivated it for various purposes, including its psychoactive effects. This led to the development of the two major types of cannabis known today, Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica, though there is ongoing debate about their classification as separate species or different types of the same species.
By the Middle Ages, cannabis was grown throughout Europe, and Arab and Indian traders introduced it to Africa and Southeast Asia. Eventually, colonial empires brought cannabis to the Americas starting in the 16th century.
The spread of cannabis by humans has had a significant impact on its distribution and availability worldwide.
The science of cannabis
As the use of marijuana and its compounds rises around the world, sciencewithrv explores the latest research on the medical potential of cannabis, how it is grown and its environmental impact, the way cannabis affects our bodies and minds, and what the marijuana of the future will look like.
