subject: History Of Los Angeles Medical Marijuana - Documented Use Dates Back To Ancient Times [print this page] If you think the introduction of marijuana into society and dealing with governmental issues involving it is a new topic, you are sorely misinformed. The history of Los Angeles medical marijuana goes back farther than you would ever imagine. In October 2009, the federal government made an announcement that police forces will be easing up on arresting users of marijuana who are clearing doing so legally based on their state's laws. California is one 15 states in the country that currently allows the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Despite this, arrests of people with medical marijuana cards have been unwarranted. Clearly the issue was far-reaching enough that many people agreed it was a problem, hence the announcement from the federal government.
With these new developments in the history of Los Angeles medical marijuana, it seems appropriate to take a look at the history of the drug on a global scale. The first documented use of marijuana for medical reasons was in 2737 B.C. It was used in China because an emperor of the nation recommended it to treat malaria, gout, rheumatism and constipation. Other documentations of marijuana use in years B.C. and early A.D. prove there is a long-standing history of Los Angeles medical marijuana that goes deeper than politics.
The popularity of medical marijuana use in the United States and England increased when, in 1839, an Irish doctor asserted that combining marijuana and alcohol served as an effective painkiller. It was at this time that the drug was used to treat rabies, rheumatism, epilepsy, cholera and tetanus. Fast forward in the history of Los Angeles medical marijuana to even more modern times and you reach a milestone in 1906 when the Pure Food and Drug Act passed a law requiring the labeling of products that contained drugs like cocaine, morphine and marijuana. This was the government's way to ease the country into prohibition, which occurred in 1937 with the Marijuana Tax Act.
With the discovery of THC in 1964, the mind-altering chemical in marijuana, scientists began to wonder if there were perhaps medical benefits to the drug after all. In 1968, the federal government became intrigued enough that they contracted the University of Mississippi to grow marijuana for research purposes. The 1970s brought on a growing number of people who used marijuana recreationally, which led directly to the understanding that the drug has distinct medicinal benefits. The next part in the history of Los Angeles medical marijuana takes place in 1978 when marijuana was first "prescribed" on a case-by-case medical basis.
In 1985, a pill form of marijuana was invented, called Marinol. It was approved by the FDA for treating symptoms that patients contract from undergoing chemotherapy treatment. With further research and requests from patients with other ailments, it became clear to Arizona and California in 1996 that medical marijuana needed to be legalized. Since then, 13 states have followed suit.
