Joint genesis of one of the most popular ways of smoking marijuana

The translation is automatic, therefore we are not responsible for possible errors.

Consuming cannabis has a very long history. Historical sources show that until 2700 BC marijuana was widely used for medical and mystical purposes around the world. At the same time, its consumption for recreational purposes was spreading. Even though the joint is not one of the first methods of smoking hemp. Indians (originally, marijuana was smoked from barrels or water pipes made of various materials), but it won the hearts of marijuana users and is still one of the most popular ways of consuming it.

Word joint (Polish pronunciation ‹dżojnt›) comes from the English language and translated literally means: connection, contact, connector. More often, however, the term is used in slang slang for a type of cigarette-like twist that contains marijuana and tobacco.

Here's a quick overview of what the original cannabis consumption was in different parts of the world:

• India: Cannabis was consumed there probably as early as 2000 BC. The culture of cannabis smoking is directly related to the Shiva deva and Hinduism, and it is still one of the ways of celebrating many of the local religious holidays.
• ancient Greece: Likein India, in ancient Greece, marijuana gained great popularity due to its healing properties. On the other hand, since the 5th century BC, historical sources record the consumption of marijuana for recreational purposes, especially in artistic and scientific circles.
• Asia and A.fryka: China documents the use of marijuana as an anesthetic since 200 AD. In 1200 AD, medieval Arabia debated the benefits of eating hashish, and in 1300, while traveling to Africa, Marco Polo reported smoking of hashish among Ethiopian soldiers.
• Americaand Europe: The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries began the development of large cannabis plantations in Europe and the continent of the Americas. While it is not known how many crops were intended for recreational use, there is extensive documentation that marijuana and hashish were smoked by Napoleon's troops during the campaign in Egypt. Moreover, it is most likely these soldiers who brought hashish and marijuana to France.

The popularity of the joint

The first appearance of the joint is recorded in 1850 in Mexico. A pharmacist at the University of Guadalajara observed that plantation workers mix marijuana with tobacco to prepare their cigarette. At the same time, The B.oston Medical and Surgical Journalpublished an article suggesting smoking a mixture of marijuana, defwolfberry (belladonna) and potassium nitrate can have a positive effect on the treatment of respiratory diseases. The article showed that this mixture was supposed to increase oxygen flow and thus reduce asthma attacks.

In 1920, the prohibition of alcohol in the United States greatly increased the consumption of cannabis. The underground market began to develop, and in hidden speakeasy bars it was possible to consume alcohol illegally and listen to a new musical trend that was born at that time - jazz. Jazz musicians eagerly reached for marijuana, and the joint became an inseparable attribute of their lifestyle and music. This situation and the fact that the law allowed for smoking marijuana in public places contributed to the rapidly spreading tradition of smoking joints. Marijuana was readily available and smoking was part of everyday life, especially of the working class. It made it easier to regenerate and endure the hardships of hard work.

In the sixtiesIn the 1970s, the cannabis law changed. Marijuana has been recognized as a drug and illegal substance, which was largely influenced by the growing tobacco industry. Moreover, the conflict in Vietnam started in 1957 shook the world, becoming a symbol of the "unfair war", which radically changed people's approach to power. In response to the situation, and meAs an expression of disagreement with the change in marijuana law, the hippie trend (flower children) was born, which significantly changed the perception of cannabis, and thus joints. As it is confirmed that smoking marijuana never provokes aggressive behavior, smoking a joint together has become a symbol of peaceful protest for hippies against the system and united them under the banner of love and cultural counterrevolution ("make love not war"). Until recently, this "twist", generally available to the public, reflected their views, lifestyle and was a sign of disagreement and rebellion against the authorities' decisions. The hippies have mastered the hiding of marijuana and joints without the authorities realizing they possess an illegal substance. They created special jewelry and accessories that were recognizable only to other members of the community, and when necessary, they allowed them to quickly hide or get rid of marijuana. Interestingly, smoking joints also spread among soldiers stationed in Vietnam. The soldiers had the opportunity to illegally purchase a pack of cigarettes filled with ready-made joints, to which many commanders turned a blind eye. Statistics show that 70-80% of soldiers had access to marijuana and tried it during the Vietnam War.

Over the years, awareness about hascannabis and how it works has changed a lot. Numerous studies confirm that it has a healing and soothing effect, among others in such diseases as: sclerosisdisseminated disease, drug-resistant epilepsy, and THC contained in marijuana has an effect on the reduction of the growth of brain glioma, skin cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer. Therefore, medical marijuana is legal in most countries in the Americas, including in Chile, Brazil and Colombia and in 29 states of the United States, as well as in Australia, Canada and most European countries. Moreover, the approach to legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes is also slowly changing. The United States is a pioneer in this topic.

In 2012, the states of Colorado and Washington were the first to legalize marijuana for recreational use by adults over the age of 21, based on a national vote in a referendum. Then, in 2014, by the same vote, they were joined by the states of Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia (Washington, DC), and in 2016, marijuana for recreational use was legalized in California, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts. Other states are also trying to change the law on this topic. When it comes to Europe, the most liberal country is the Netherlands, where marijuana is completely legal. In the Czech Republic, possession of marijuana for personal use is not punishable by law, and in Germany, recreational use of marijuana is allowed if such activity is considered to be deliberately acting to one's own detriment. In Poland, an act on the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes was adopted in November 2017. Howeverthat growing for medical purposes and consuming marijuana for recreational purposes are still illegal.

As history shows, the joint is a very entrenched symbol of the marijuana culture. Over the years, it has been not only one way of consuming cannabis, but also a reflection of the views and a symbol of a given subculture. Until now, despite the fact that many alternatives, such as vaporization, have appeared in the market for smoking accessories, the joint remains one of the most loved and may even be called "respected" methods of smoking cannabis.

Sources:

Cannabis culture: the history of the joint.Zamnesia, zamnesia.com/blog-cannabis-culture-the-history-of-the-joint-n1208; accessed on 02/06/2018.

Desiree S.,Cannabis in History: The Journey of the Joint.Leafly, Cannabis 101: www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/cannabis-history-journey-joint; accessed on 02/06/2018.

Legality of cannabis by country, Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cannabis_by_country; accessed on February 15, 2018.

Legality of cannabis by US jurisdiction, Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cannabis_by_U.S._jurisdiction; accessed on February 15, 2018.