Published
Feb 06 2025
For thousands of years, cannabis has played a key role in traditional medicine across various ancient civilizations. Long before modern pharmacology, healers, shamans, and physicians harnessed the plant’s therapeutic properties to treat ailments ranging from pain and inflammation to digestive disorders and childbirth complications. Let’s explore some of the earliest recorded medical uses of cannabis and how it shaped ancient healthcare practices worldwide.
Archaeological evidence suggests that cannabis has been used medicinally since prehistoric times. In the Bell Beaker culture (2459–2203 BCE) of the Netherlands, grave sites containing cannabis pollen indicate it may have been used as a remedy for pain or other ailments. Similar discoveries in Neolithic Siberia and Central Asia reveal cannabis remains, suggesting it was widely utilized for both therapeutic and ritualistic purposes.
Ancient Egyptian medical texts describe the use of cannabis in treating inflammation, pain, and possibly eye diseases. The Ebers Papyrus (~1550 BCE), one of the oldest known medical texts, details cannabis’ application as a poultice and in medicinal preparations. Some historians suggest that cannabis was used in treating glaucoma and other eye-related conditions, as well as aiding women in labour. Ancient Egyptian doctors likely incorporated cannabis into a broader pharmacological tradition that included opium and other plant-based remedies.
By around 1400 BCE, the Assyrians had begun categorizing cannabis for different uses—medicinal, recreational, and spiritual. Assyrian medical texts refer to medical cannabis as azallû, describing its application in treating epilepsy, mental distress, and various pains. It was commonly infused into liquids, mixed with other herbal remedies, or applied as a topical salve. The Assyrians' detailed documentation reflects their sophisticated medical knowledge and suggests cannabis was a standard part of their pharmacopeia.
Ancient China has some of the earliest recorded uses of cannabis in medicine. The Shennong Bencao Jing (first known to be written around 100 BCE but based on older oral traditions) lists cannabis as a treatment for pain, inflammation, and digestive issues. The renowned Chinese physician Hua Tuo (c. 140–208 CE) was the first recorded surgeon to use cannabis-based anesthesia, mixing it with wine to sedate patients during surgical procedures. This early use of cannabis for pain relief laid the groundwork for its continued medicinal applications in East Asia. Additionally, a burial site in China’s Yanghai Tombs contained nearly two pounds of cannabis, likely used by a shaman for medicinal or ceremonial practices, further demonstrating its deep-rooted significance in ancient Chinese healing traditions.
In India, cannabis was both a sacred plant and a medicinal remedy. The Sushruta Samhita, a foundational Ayurvedic text from around 600 BCE, described cannabis as a treatment for digestive issues, nausea, and appetite stimulation. Known as bhang, it was prepared in various forms, including pastes and drinks, to ease anxiety, improve sleep, and aid recovery from illness. Ayurvedic practitioners also used cannabis to treat pain and fever, often combining it with other herbs for increased efficacy.
By the 1st century CE, Greek physicians had documented cannabis’ medicinal potential. Pedanius Dioscorides, whose De Materia Medica became one of the most influential medical texts of the ancient world, recorded cannabis as a remedy for ear infections and general pain relief. Greek warriors applied cannabis poultices to wounds to reduce inflammation, and cannabis was even administered to horses suffering from injuries, demonstrating its broad applications in both human and veterinary medicine.
By the 4th century CE, cannabis was being used in childbirth. In Palestine, records indicate that a young pregnant woman was given cannabis to ease labour pains, marking one of the earliest recorded uses of cannabis as a painkiller for childbirth. Given the dangerous nature of childbirth in ancient times, it is likely that similar practices existed across multiple cultures, as pain relief options were limited.
The Islamic Golden Age (8th–13th centuries) saw a significant expansion in medical knowledge, including the exploration of cannabis as a therapeutic agent. Scholars such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina) documented its use for treating epilepsy, migraines, digestive issues, and skin diseases. Over 50 medical texts from the 8th to 18th centuries reference cannabis as part of medicinal treatments, with preparations ranging from oils and pastes to infused drinks. Islamic physicians built upon earlier knowledge from China, Greece, and India, refining cannabis-based treatments for a variety of ailments.
Across all of Ancient Eurasia, cannabis was a cornerstone of medicine for millennia. These ancient civilizations laid the groundwork for understanding its medicinal benefits, some of which continue to be explored in modern research. As we look toward the future of medical cannabis, it’s fascinating to see how many of its historical applications still hold relevance today.
The criminalization of cannabis and political rejection of cannabis as valid medicine of the past century or so is quite an anomaly, and stands in stark contrast to the respect cannabis held as medicine for the rest of recorded human history. It is no surprise that cannabis is increasingly being recognized as a powerful and effective medicine in countries all over the world today.
