We’ve got some interesting marijuana tidbits for you today! Whether your favorite subject is chemistry, history or even geography…we’ve got the perfect factoids to wow everyone. Here are 12 surprising things that will never seem boring again thanks in part-to this beautiful plant – cannabis.
1. Cannabis is 2,500 years old.
Cannabis was first recorded on the easter Tibetan Plateau. Chinese farmers would grow the plant for oil & fiber to make ropes, clothing, and paper. The first psychoactive use was reported 2,500 years ago in the Pamir Mountains in western China. The Chinese would boil cannabis flowers with water to make a tea. Herodotus, the Greek historian who wrote about Scythians in 440 B.C.E., said they made tents and heated rocks to smoke hemp which caused them “shout for joy.” Marijuana is a close relative of the common hop found in beer, the plant still grows wild across Central Asia.
2. Only Female cannabis plants get you high.
Only female marijuana plants can produce potent high THC buds. Male marijuana plants only produce small amounts of THC and they do not produce any buds at all. Marijuana growers want to cultivate female plants because the female plant produces buds that can be harvested for their potent effects. The bud contains high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive compound in cannabis responsible for the effects of being “high”.
Marijuana growers want to remove male plants from the grow area before they begin to flower and release pollen. Once a marijuana plant starts to produce male flowers, it can pollinate and ruin all of the females in the grow area causing them all to start flowering prematurely.
3. There are about 100 cannabinoids in the marijuana plant.
Cannabinoids are compounds found in the marijuana plant and once consumed they join receptors in the body and the brain. The main difference between the two cannabinoids is that THC has strong psychoactive effects, making a person ‘high’, whereas CBD is thought to have an anti-psychoactive effect that controls or moderates the ‘high’ caused by the THC. CBD is also thought to reduce some of the other negative effects that people can experience from THC, such as anxiety.
4. Bob Marley was buried with marijuana.
The famous Jamaican artist was buried with his Bible, guitar, and a bud of marijuana. Marley died of cancer on May 11, 1981. Despite being diagnosed with the disease only months before his death, Marley continued to tour and record music sporadically during this time. His album “Uprising” was released two days before he died. Rita claims that she saw him writing in his diary hours before he lost consciousness. Bob Marley was also baptized by a, “Rastafarian priest” hours before his death. (This is according to his son Ziggy who claims he conducted the ceremony).
5. Morocco is the largest producer of marijuana in the world.
Morocco is the number highest producer of marijuana resin (hashish) globally, contributing 19% of the global total. Hashish production in Morocco has been an economic staple for centuries. After being banned during independence, hashish became more tolerated as it contributed to the country’s GDP. The other countries in this top five are Afghanistan, Spain, Lebanon and Pakistan.
6. Washington is the first united state to legalize recreational cannabis.
December 6th, 2012 Washington became the first state of being legal to sell recreational cannabis. Four days later, Colorado joined.
7. Chocolate effects can be the same marijuana effects
Scientists in San Diego said they found three related chemicals in chocolate that affect the same parts of brain cells that are turned on by smoking marijuana. Specifically, the chemicals found in chocolate increase dopamine concentrations in regions of mouse brains that are relevant to addiction. Addictive substances such as alcohol or heroin usually prompt an increase in dopamine release. Drinking cocoa, eating chocolate and smoking marijuana all resulted in dopamine increases in a certain part of the brain, according to Dr. Laura Juliano of American University and her colleagues at Scripps Research Institute. And those effects were greater than those caused by caffeine or morphine. The effect lasted longer than when mice were given cocaine, the researchers said.
8. There are 1,200 slang words for cannabis.
Marijuana, weed, pot, that good-good, dank, doobi, our favorite is Broccoli! Some other unusual terms are: Houdini – because the user “escapes” reality; da kine – this Hawaiian surf slang can refer to anything for which one forgets the precise name; bag of bones – multiple marijuana cigarettes
9. 420 is code.
420 (pronounced “four-twenty”) is a code term for consuming cannabis. Whenever people can’t be candid about what they’re doing later, they can simply say “420,” and those in the know will understand. The 420 code has become interwoven into cannabis culture, with 420 merchandise, 420 references in music, and even hidden-in-plain sight 420 “Easter Eggs” in movies.
10. George Washington was a grower.
George Washington was a prolific hemp farmer, mentioning the plant at least ninety times in his diaries and writings. He is often interested in finding, sowing, harvesting the best hemp seeds. While we don’t have any evidence of Washington smoking his goods, we know he was very keen to put this plant to work in the form of heavy-duty rope on his fishing ships.
11. Shakespeare Smoked Weed
Maybe his source of inspiration? Marijuana residues were found in William Shakespeare’s home, which we believe could have been an enormous aid in writing all the screenplays and poems. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is widely regarded as the greatest English playwright and poet, but was he also the greatest stoner of British history? It’s not unlikely.
12. Cannabis Can Be Used In Construction
Hempcrete is a biocomposite material made from hemp hurds (shives) and lime. It is used as a construction and insulation material. Hempcrete is easier to work with than traditional lime mixes and it lacks the brittleness of concrete. This makes it an ideal material for most climates, as it combines insulation and thermal mass.