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A fascinating new study published in the journal History of vegetation and archaeobotany On May 14, the work of a team of researchers from the University of Vermont demonstrated that the cannabis plant "evolved 28 million years ago in a specific area of the Tibetan plateau" .
Entitled "Cannabis in Asia: its center of origin and early culture, based on a synthesis of subfossil and archaeobotany pollen studies," the study aimed to establish the oldest common ancestors of the cannabis plant. Under the direction of John McPartland of the University of Vermont, the team of researchers analyzed the "wild-type plant distribution" data, including "155 fossil pollen studies".
Striving to determine the unknown origins of the modern cannabis plant, it revealed that it flourished under steppe-like and arid conditions, caused by the tectonic formation of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, nearby. from Qinghai Lake, there are 28 million years. According to the team, if the cannabis pollen visually resembles hop pollen, the researchers managed to distinguish the two species and establish that hops and cannabis shared a common ancestor.
Left; cannabis plant, right; Hop plant. Both are part of the same family of flowering plants ( Cannabaceae). Soucre: (Dmytro Sukharevskyi / Adobe, CC BY-SA 2.0)
Where did the cannabis plant take root?
Humans have been using cannabis plants for at least 27,000 years and this new study provides insight into not only "when" the first cannabis plants evolved, but also "when" humanoids began using them as drugs and in ritual environments. An article from Live Science stated that "Although it has long been thought that this medicinal and psychotropic plant first evolved in Central Asia, scientists were unclear on the precise location".
The original site of cannabis, which is at the center of this new document, is located only a few hundred kilometers from Baishiya Karst Cave. Researchers recently announced in a New Scientist article that it was once inhabited by a former relative of Homo sapiens – Denisovans. DNA tests showed that a jawbone discovered in this Tibetan cave came from a Denisovan, showing that the species was more widespread than previously known. And now, the oldest traces of cannabis have been found in or around this same area.
It is thought that because "the land was in the middle of the ice age, it may have transported cannabis seeds to another place", which is supported by cannabis pollen found in other caves. inhabited by Denisovans.
The Denisovans could have carried cannabis seeds. (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Modern flowers with ancient origins
According to another article published by Live Science, cannabis has reached Europe about 6 million years ago and has spread as far as east of China there is 1.2 million years. Over the millennia, cannabis has migrated all over the world and, in Africa, it reached South America in the 19th century by entering the United States in the early 20th century with Mexican immigrants fleeing the Mexican Revolution from 1910-1911.
After 28 million years of growth and nearly 30,000 years of probative use by humans, Cannabis sativa L . and Cannabis sativa were banned in Utah in 1915 and in 1931 it was illegal in 29 states. In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act made cannabis subject to the Drug Enforcement Agency's regulations, criminalizing possession of the plant throughout the country.
However, the beginning of this century saw these laws collapse under the pressure of the American people and, in 2018 Internal business the report indicates "The legalization of marijuana is spreading across states." It seems that while the richest and most technology-endowed country in the world is contributing to our future, there remains an unconditional population that prefers traditional methods, in the manner of Denisova, in which the magic plant was a staple food. social and social base.
Top image: The origins of the cannabis plant go back to ancient Tibet. Source: CC0 / Pixabay
By Ashley Cowie
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