The history of Medical Cannabis shows just how powerful of a healing plant it has been. True benefits and changes are coming to those who can access and use it, with the right education, understanding, and support. July 30th marks the 20 year anniversary of the first prescription for cannabis in Canada since the cannabis prohibition. Yet as an industry, and receivers of this incredible medicine, many of us still experience the stigma surrounding it’s use. Canada House Clinics has been committed to creating a space in which everyone who could benefit from cannabis feels safe in receiving quality product, education and medical support. As a continued effort to expand this space beyond our doors, we are beyond thrilled to be announcing “Medical Cannabis Week ”.
Medical Cannabis Week will be a week of celebration and recognition regarding the medical breakthroughs in cannabis. Starting on July 26th and running until July 30th (7/30) we will celebrate 20 years of Medical cannabis in Canada. We have put together and are excited to share with you in the coming week, an exciting line up of educational content in the form of videos, blogs, and interactive in-house coffee breaks. We have a website dedicated to the week ahead, www.seventhirty.ca. Please visit for a full line-up of virtual events taking place as well as to take part in those you are interested in.
On July 30, 2001, the first medical cannabis prescription was written in Canada to treat a patient with epilepsy. If you wish to read more on this specific case, you can do so by clicking this link https://bit.ly/3uZUcJi. Through many trials, and much determination, cannabis was finally approved for medicinal use to help improve the quality of life many people were not receiving with traditional pharmaceuticals.
If we stop to think how long cannabis has been in use, itis discouraging that we are still dealing with stigmas around medicinal cannabis. Here are a few highlights around the evolution of cannabis through the years showing how long people have been aware of its benefits:
Some notable dates[1]
- 6000 B.C: Cannabis seeds are first cultivated in China
- 4000 B.C: Textiles made of hemp are used in China
- 3000 B.C: First recorded use of cannabis as medicine in the Chinese pharmacopeia
- 500 B.C: Cannabis is introduced to Europe and is mainly used in the northern part of the continent.
- 1840: In America, medicinal preparations with a Cannabis base are available.
- The early 1900s: The US Pure Food & Drug Act is passed
- The 1920s-1930s: In many parts of the world, restrictions are placed on the use of marijuana, making it illegal in Canada, China, and the U.S.A
- 1975: A ‘Compassionate Use’ program is set up in the U.S.A
- 2001: Canada is the first country to offer medical marijuana
The prohibition of Cannabis in Canada came with a little controversy. According to a CBC article[2], in 1923, cannabis, along with heroin and codeine were added to the list of scheduled drugs. The controversy surrounding this decision was, there was no debating in either the House of Commons or the Senate. Furthermore, the CBC article mentions carbon copies of the draft bill did not include cannabis as one of the new prohibited drugs, and there is no record of who requested it be added. Interesting enough, at the time, little was known about the use of cannabis and few people were smoking it.
From 1923 when prohibition began to July 30, 2001, when it was legalized again, there were people working steadily behind the scenes fighting for this legalization. Researchers worked endlessly to show the government and influencers the benefits to this drug and prove that it should not be classified as a Narcotic. This was not an easy task, as the prohibition became more a norm throughout the world[3]. At the start of the 21st century, many countries started decriminalization, Canada being the first one to allow cannabis for medical use in 2001. Other countries followed, first by allowing the possession of small amounts for personal use and continuing to 2013 when Uruguay became the first country to legalize cannabis.
During the week ahead we invite you to join us to learn how far we have come regarding medical cannabis research and education. From informative webinars to educational blogs from experts in the field. We will be providing as many free resources as possible to support the use of medical cannabis and celebrate 20 years of its legal medical use!
Canada House staff and clients thank you for your continued support of the Medicinal Cannabis industry and the continued education of Canadians regarding the benefits of natural medicine.
Thank you for joining us on our journey and supporting us in our medical cannabis education offerings since 2013.
[1] History of Medical Marijuana | Laws & Regulations Canada (medicron.ca)