As an advocate for cannabis legalization (and in no small part, reason, logic, and personal freedom), it is always astounding to still hear so many sound bites in the news about the lack of science and appropriate study of medical cannabis. While I grant you that due to its illicit nature cannabis has not gotten the full attention of modern scientific and technological study, it has been widely used for virtually all of recorded human history. So while it lacks the depth of understanding that many valuable substances have garnered, it has over five millennia of human trials, more than alcohol, opium, or even tomatoes. Cannabis is truly an ancient species that has evolved with many human civilizations—from Asia to North America. Few other medicinal plants can claim such a robust history through so many cultures, and its influence in society, medicine, ceremony, and religion are clearly documented. So while I understand the argument of wanting to be careful about any "new drugs" for the purpose of medicine and I even understand the argument of wanting to keep the body pure of all substances, history shows very clearly that cannabis is safe and closely tied with the human condition.

We wanted to show this extremely long timeline of cannabis being used as medicine, so we created an infographic that houses a thorough timeline of medicinal cannabis milestones throughout human history. Each event is firmly documented by anthropologists and historians, and shows you at a glimpse how long this plant has been our companion. The first mention dates back to 3000 BCE, and we can assume that its cultivation and use goes back even farther based on this written mention.

You can check out the full infographic art print here.