The Leaf THE LEAF July - August 2018 | Page 13

7 Ways People Used Cannabis in 1930 By Burgess Powell 1 st June 2018
Can marijuana treat these conditions ? Before the government outlawed marijuana , here ’ s how people used it . The 1930s was a crucial decade for cannabis . Before the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 , cannabis was a widely used medicine . But after a national campaign to stigmatise and outlaw cannabis , medicinal use declined , and the herb ’ s reputation was tarnished .
But a hundred years ago , weed was commonplace . Across the country , you could buy marijuana in drug stores as a liquid or as resin . The government did not regulate it , which meant that companies advertised marijuanainfused products as a treatment for a long list of conditions . Sometimes it worked , and sometimes it was a really bad idea .
Look back on innovative ways that people used cannabis before it was illegal
Marijuana as a Sedative Need a narcotic , sedative or antispasmodic ? Look no further than Eli Lilly and Company ’ s Cannabis Fluid Extract . This potion , labelled a poison because you should only take a drop , was 80 percent alcohol . By today ’ s standards , Lilly ’ s Cannabis Fluid Extract ( 1 fluid ounce total ) is a tincture , just not one you ’ d see on the shelves .
Though we do not advise using any product resembling this , Eli Lilly ’ s understanding of medical marijuana as an “ antispasmodic ” isn ’ t too far off the mark .
Today , medical marijuana is one of the only effective treatments for epilepsy or seizureinducing autism .
Treatment for Hysterical Women
With a long list of uses , Lloyd Specific Medicine is pretty far from specific . This tincture was marketed as a cure for many things , most of which targeted women . It could ‘ treat ’ melancholia , PMS , stomach pain , nervous system issues , ‘ nervous depression ’ and any behaviour for which a man would call a woman ‘ crazy ’. For instance , having an overactive sex drive could be cured with Lloyd Specific Medicine .
The bottle reads : “ It is useful in hysterical patients , and in the mild forms of insanity in women , especially if these be due to menstrual irregularities which are the cause of pain .” The label adds , “ It allays abnormal sexual appetite .”
For Asthma Grimault Corporation manufactured what they called “ Indian Cigarettes .” This product ’ s main objective was to treat asthma .
Today , Israeli researchers have discovered that certain cannabinoids can reduce the inflammation symptomatic of asthma . Specifically , CBD in liquid form could treat asthma . This doesn ’ t mean that smoking marijuana when you ’ re having asthma is in any way a good idea .