In celebration of 420, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) shared a few blog posts detailing the history of cannabis in Canada.
Over the course of three posts, the OCS details how cannabis first came to Canada, how it became illegal and eventually, how legalization came about.
If you’ve got the time to read through the posts, there’s quite a bit of interesting history throughout. For one, did you know that European colonists brought cannabis to Canada in the form of hemp? It was grown for textiles and rope, was used in making sails and the seeds were used as food and oil.
Further, in the early 1800s, the Canadian government actually promoted the industry by distributing seeds to farmers.
In 1923, Canada banned cannabis under Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. According to the OCS, historical records don’t indicate why Canada made cannabis illegal. At that time, the government had already outlawed opium and cocaine.
It’s 420. Explore 12,000 years of cannabis history. To learn more visit https://t.co/WimfYFA9Od pic.twitter.com/1oq2AMLbRa
— Ontario Cannabis Store (@ONCannabisStore) April 20, 2019
Interestingly, Canada banned cannabis before the U.S., which didn’t outlaw it until 1937.
If you’ve got some time, I’d recommend reading through the posts. Whether you participate in 420 or not, the history is intriguing, and you may just learn something.
