We all know cannabis is universal. But did you know it has different uses around the world? Why wouldn’t it? It has been around for more than 5,000 years, after all!

In this article, we will take a trip around the world to see how weed is used in different cultures. And how different cultures have understood weed use throughout the years.

We will concentrate on the world's major cultures: India, China, America and Latin America. Despite the fact that cannabis is well-known and widely used in most parts of the world. In fact, over 200 million people smoke worldwide.

That makes cannabis the most used recreational drug in the world. Most people actually use it for spiritual and medicinal purposes. And while it is now legal in some places, others still have very strict policies on weed use.

The legal status and perspective that a society has on cannabis normally has to do more with cultural aspects of that particular society. How else do you explain that in nations like India or Mexico, cannabis is used as an offering to the gods, but in places like Kansas or Katar, you can do jail time for carrying weed?

The dodgy legalization worldwide, however, doesn't affect weed's ever growing popularity. Global cannabis use has actually grown by 60% in the past decade. And people are smoking 130% more than before.

The question is: how do different cultures around the world use weed? Keep reading to find out.

What is cannabis culture?

If you're a regular cannabis user, then surely you're familiar with cannabis culture. If not, don't worry, we'll spill the tea and tell you everything you need to know about cannabis culture.

Cannabis culture describes the social behaviors that are centered around cannabis consumption. It can be used for spiritual, recreational, and medical purposes.

"Weed culture" refers to everything that has to do with cannabis. This includes:

• Lingo, or the terminology when referring to weed consumers, weed itself, and the various methods for consuming weed.
• History, like where it came from and how it became illegal.
• Traditions like 420 
• And the community revolved around cannabis.

Lighting up, 420, tokes, and munchies are all good examples of weed culture. But it goes deeper than just getting together with your friends on April 20th and getting high at 4:20.

Weed culture also refers to what we have had to go through to get to this point, and how we are still fighting for our right to consume. And this can be said for most weed users around the world.

Brief history of cannabis use

Historically, cannabis has mainly been used for spiritual and medicinal reasons. It was actually considered as a remedy for an assortment of illnesses back in the Chinese Dynasty era.

The main use, however, was to induce spiritual experiences. There are records of weed's use for religious purposes from cultures like Ancient China, Germanic cultures, Celtic cultures, Ancient Central Asia, and African cultures.

Nowadays, the only cannabis consumer that ties weed to religion is the Rastafari movement in Jamaica and other parts of the world. Although you could say that hippies, beatniks, and ravers here in America also use weed as a sort of religious vehicle.

There are also some records of recreational weed use in the past. In Ancient Rome, the wealthy even had edibles for their banquets. It was a dessert made from hemp seeds.

Hindus also used to serve cannabis at their weddings and it was considered a sign of hospitality. If only they could see the weed themed weddings that we have today!

Cannabis has since evolved into an entire culture. It encompasses:

• Language and lingo
• Humor and jokes
• Etiquette
• Rules
• Art inspired by cannabis
• Literature
• Music
• Products and paraphernalia
• and social movements

Cannabis culture is as big as the 200 million people who smoke it worldwide. So if you want to know more about how weed is used today and has been used in the past, keep reading this article.

Medical uses of weed

Many who use cannabis medically want to manage physical or mental issues or simply improve their general health. While you might think of that as relatively new, it’s been used for thousands of years.

For instance, the Chinese used it in 2700 B.C. to remedy illnesses, and it was even included in the emperor's apothecary. There is also evidence of medicinal weed use in Egyptian texts. They had used it to cure things like migraines or skin rashes.

Today, many countries, including the United States, regulate it. If you want to use it medicinally, you have to get a medical marijuana card and register as a consumer. But it’s pretty simple to get your hands on a card nowadays.

Uses of cannabis in different cultures

Cannabis has been around longer than most known substances today. It is also used in most parts of the world.

And while we already established that most used it for spiritual and medicinal purposes, we are going to dive a little bit deeper into each major culture and see how different cultures understand and interact with cannabis.

There are a ton of really unique uses that people have given weed over the years. ranging from good luck charms at weddings to linking a spirit to the afterlife.

So, here are the main uses that Indian, Chinese, American, and Latin American cultures have given to weed throughout the years. You might be surprised by some of them.

Indian Culture around Cannabis

Indian culture has very close ties to cannabis. There are historic records that prove that cannabis was already being smoked on the Indian continent all the way back in 1000 BC!

Or so says geographer Barney Warf in his research titled High Points: An Historical Geography of Cannabis. He states that it was brought in through human migration at that time. Though some state that cannabis is actually indigenous to India.

It is so ancient, in fact, that some scholars actually believe that Soma, a drug mentioned in the Vedas, is actually weed. Nowadays, cannabis is referred to as ganjika, ganja, or bhang.

Although bhang, or bhangi, is a cannabis-infused drink that is quite popular in most parts of India and is considered a psychotropic beverage. Bhang is actually believed to cure fever, dysentery, sunstrokes, digestive issues, appetite loss, and even speech imperfections like lisping.

It is one of the most common beverages in India! It is also commonly used to worship their God, Shiva, also known as "The Lord of Bhang". They even have rituals where they gather in a circle and smoke in tribute to Shiva.

Warf also mentions that there even used to be "ganja doctors" called "poddar" or "parakdar."  The main conceptions that people have about cannabis in India are that it cures illnesses and that it keeps away demons.

We know, demons? However, their cultures are far more ancient than ours, and some of their teachings persist to this day. Cannabinoids can actually be found in many parts of Vedic literature and medical treaties that date back thousands of years!

Despite its incredible historical precedent, weed is actually illegal in India. And you can spend up to 6 months in prison for even carrying it with you.

However, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which makes weed illegal, does not include Bhang. So the next time you visit India, be sure to try this delicious, high-inducing beverage.

Chinese Culture around Cannabis

China is one of the biggest hemp producers in the world and it currently owns the patent for most cannabis-related products out there. To be exact, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization, it owns 309 of the 606 patents relating to the cannabis industry.

Despite this fact, cannabis has a very negative connotation in Chinese culture and it remains highly illegal. You can actually get the death penalty for carrying more than 5 kilograms of cannabis.

It is also highly illegal to sell cannabis. However, much like in most parts of the world, due to overpopulation in cities like Shanghai or Xinjiang, regulation can be really hard to achieve. And lots of people sell weed.

This can be quite hard to believe given that weed’s medicinal benefits have been recognized in Chinese culture for centuries now. Although, according to Glenn Davies, CEO of cannabis company CannAcubed, it’s only a matter of time before medicinal cannabis is legalized in China. He stated the following:

"Instead of shipping it all to the US, Canada, and Europe so everybody else benefits, it makes more sense for them to keep it here." (Davies, 2019).

Still, it’s hard to believe that regulations on cannabis are so strict, especially considering that they use cannabis and hemp for more than just smoking. There are actually historical records of hemp being used to make clothing, rope, bows, and even paper!

It was not only used to make things with, there are also records of cannabis being used as medicine centuries ago. It used to be referred to as Ma, and it was said to cure things like:

• Menstrual pain
• Gout
• Constipation
• Malaria
• Chronic Pain

Some doctors even used cannabis as an anesthetic before major surgeries. Nowadays, cannabis has taken on a more spiritual meaning. Most actually believe Ma, or weed, to be the perfect symbol for balance.

Thanks to the westernization of Chinese culture, cannabis has become increasingly popular throughout the years and will remain so. Just remember that if you are ever in China, to keep your consumption extremely discreet, or you could face some pretty steep consequences.

American Culture around Cannabis

Surely it comes as a surprise to no one that America holds the title as one of the largest markets in the cannabis industry worldwide. It is actually a $12 billion industry, and it is estimated to keep growing in the next few years.

The first records of cannabis in America date back to the 17th century, when hemp was actually quite popular. It was also used to make clothing and other things, like sails for ships.

Hemp production actually flourished during the Civil War. This was due to the lack of mainstream materials. There are actually no records of cannabis ingestion until the 19th century.

During this time, the French started consuming hashish as a recreational drug, and the Americans followed. Cannabis grew in popularity after 1910 when Mexican immigrants introduced the recreational use of cannabis all over the country.

That also brought a lot of taboo around cannabis, and the anti-weed campaigns quickly started popping up all over. largely due to the racial issues that the country was facing at that time. Thus, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was born.

It wasn’t until the 60s when important counterculture movements like the hippies and beatniks adopted cannabis as a symbol of peace and prosperity. And it served as a rebellious symbol against the government's involvement in the Vietnam War.

Ever since then, cannabis has been seen one of two ways: as a schedule 1 drug that is highly toxic and dangerous or as a symbol of peace and love. Not a surprising statement given that Americans are divided on almost all major subjects.

What is certain is that America is one of the world's pioneers in legalizing cannabis. And though it still remains illegal in some states, you can now smoke freely in a large part of the American territory.

It is actually now legal in:

• Alaska
• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• New Mexico
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Rhode Island
• South Virginia
• Pennsylvania
• Washington
• West Virginia

And though the regulations vary and some have yet to legalize recreational use, it is pretty far along in the legalization process. You can also order online from many of the official cannabis companies that are taking the cannabis industry by storm!

Latin American Culture around Cannabis

Cannabis is extremely popular in most parts of Latin America, mainly in Mexico. And it is one of the biggest black markets for cannabis worldwide. Regulation has started to progress, and we might be looking at legalization in most parts of Latin America soon.

Places like Uruguay, Argentina, Ecuador, and Mexico are all starting to introduce reforms that allow the medicinal use of the plant or decriminalize its recreational use. though there is still a long way to go.

This is hardly believable given that cannabis use dates back all the way to the 16th century in most parts of Latin America. It was brought in through the Columbian Exchange with West Africa.

You could actually say that cannabis came as a godsend to the Latin American community given that there were a ton of opium addiction cases, and weed proved to be a safer and cheaper alternative.

There is currently a lot of chaos surrounding weed in Latin America. With the Mexican, Argentinian, and Colombian drug wars raging on, there is no telling when things will get better.

But what is certain is that people’s relationships with cannabis are mainly positive. They feel it brings them closer to their loved ones and serves as a vehicle for spiritual and self-reflection. It is also recreationally consumed and used to enjoy life.

We definitely recommend the countless strains that Mexico has produced since they started cultivating cannabis on their extremely fertile land. Acapulco Gold is, to this day, one of the most famous strands out there.

Conclusion

Cannabis is used worldwide for a plethora of reasons. What is for sure is that we all agree that it does have medicinal, spiritual, and recreational values. Another common ground that we found is that weed remains illegal in most parts of the world, mainly due to ignorance.

Which was your favorite perspective on cannabis? Does your culture have any specific rituals or traditions surrounding weed? What is your stance on the subject? Feel free to share your experience in the comment section below.

If you have a friend that you think might be interested in this article, please feel free to send it to them as well, and we hope you enjoyed reading about cannabis use in different parts of the world!