From archaeology to the International Space Station, cannabis has a longer and stranger documented history than most people realize. Here are the facts.
Cannabis has a long and well-documented history that predates modern retail by millennia. Here are some of the more interesting verifiable facts about the plant — useful context for anyone who wants to understand what they're buying.
1. Human Use Stretches Back Thousands of Years
Archaeological evidence places cannabis use at least 2,500 years ago. Excavations of tombs in Central Asia have recovered braziers with charred cannabis residue, providing physical evidence of ancient ritual use.
2. Hemp Was a Major Crop in Early Canada
Hemp — the non-intoxicating form of cannabis grown for fibre — was cultivated extensively in colonial Canada for rope, sailcloth, and paper. At various points, colonial governments actively encouraged farmers to grow it.
3. Canada Legalized in 2018
On October 17, 2018, Canada became the second country in the world (after Uruguay) to legalize and regulate recreational cannabis at the national level. The regulated system introduced mandatory lab testing, standardized labelling, and licensed production and retail.
4. The Endocannabinoid System Was Named After the Plant
Scientists characterized the endocannabinoid system — a network of receptors found throughout the human body — in the 1990s, while researching how THC interacts with the body. The system was named after cannabis, not the other way around. It is present in all mammals and many other animals.
5. The Plant Produces Over 100 Cannabinoids
THC and CBD are the best known, but researchers have identified more than 100 cannabinoids, including CBN, CBG, and THCV. Most remain lightly studied.
6. Terpenes Are Everywhere in Nature
The compounds behind cannabis aromas — terpenes — are found throughout the plant world. Limonene is in citrus peel, pinene in pine needles, linalool in lavender. A cannabis variety's aroma is a particular combination of compounds you encounter every day.
7. Cannabis Plants Can Grow Several Metres Tall
In ideal outdoor conditions, some cannabis varieties reach 3 to 4 metres in height. Commercial indoor cultivation keeps plants far shorter for practical reasons.
8. THC Converts to CBN Over Time
As cannabis ages — particularly with exposure to light, heat, and air — its THC gradually degrades into CBN, a different and only mildly intoxicating cannabinoid. This chemical change is one reason proper storage matters and why packaging carries a packaged-on date.
9. Raw Cannabis Contains THCA, Not THC
Fresh cannabis flower contains mostly THCA, which is non-intoxicating until heat converts it to THC — the reason labels list both "THC" and "Total THC" values.
10. Cannabis Cells Have Been to Space
In 2019, cannabis plant cells were sent to the International Space Station as part of a research project studying how microgravity affects plant biology.
Cannabis is for adults 19 and over in British Columbia. For information about any product's tested content, ask the team at your local Hive Cannabis store.
Sources
- Cannabis Act (S.C. 2018, c. 16) — Justice Laws Website
- Government of British Columbia — Cannabis in B.C.
Cannabis rules are jurisdiction-specific. The references above apply to British Columbia and Canada.
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