50 Fabulous Marijuana Facts You Had No Idea About

Marijuana Facts

Marijuana is a cure, a drug, and a booming business, all wrapped into one, which is pretty amazing. Hardly has any plant caused so much controversy, but we have to admit the future seems bright with medical marijuana getting more and more recognition. Our marijuana facts tell you all about it, as well as some little-known historical facts.

In addition, you’ll get to know a thing or two about its business success (the cannabis market and revenues are absolutely huge), plus found out where the biggest cannabis greenhouse is and who made the biggest blunt.

Therefore, get ready to raise your eyebrows, and keep them in that position throughout the text! 

10 Facts About Marijuana That Show Its Power

(Business Insider)

Here is a short list of marijuana facts, good ones to start with, which underline the benefits marijuana has for our body and mind, and the main reasons why the majority of Americans would vote in favor of marijuana legalization:

1. It’s a great chronic pain reliever
2. It reduces nausea
3. It may have the substance for battling cancer cells
4. It helps with stress, anxiety, and PTSD
5. It may prevent Alzheimer’s
6. It can prevent glaucoma
7. It controls epileptic seizures
8. It decreases symptoms of Dravet’s syndrome
9. It boosts appetite
10. It helps with neuropathic pain

With more research being conducted surrounding marijuana, it will most likely be legalized in all states under federal law. Until then, we will have to wait.

10 Why Marijuana Should Be Illegal Facts

(NCBI) (CDC)

Despite its excellent qualities, marijuana still exhibits some adverse effects on our health. Depending on the type of use, it can cause:

11. Memory loss (short-term memory)
12. Impaired vision and movement
13. Cannabis Use Disorder
14. Paranoia and psychosis (in high doses)
15. Altered judgment
16. Poor decision making
17. Slow reactions
18. Bronchitis symptoms
19. Worrying effects on the teenage brain
20. Adverse effects during pregnancy

Marijuana during pregnancy facts build a strong case against marijuana usage in this period, as the consumption can harm the baby. Teenagers endure serious consequences, too, so marijuana must not be used until one is old enough to do so.

Top Historical Marijuana Facts

Let’s learn a thing or two about marijuana history, shall we?

21. Marijuana is about 8,000 years old. 

(Advanced Holistic Health) (Live Science)

At first, marijuana wasn’t used to get high. Its seeds and oil were used for food in China. One of the most popular stories is about how a Chinese emperor Shen Nung used marijuana as medicine in 2737 BCE. 

However, his name does not match any of the Chinese emperors, not to mention that the first Chinese emperor was born around 260 BCE, so this completely breaks marijuana myths and facts about its origin. The first emperor was born more than 2,000 years later. Remember, it’s BCE, not AD we are talking about.

22. Americans didn’t use the term “marijuana” until the late 19th century.

(Dictionary)

It was only at the end of the 19th century that Americans started to pronounce the Mexican Spanish marihuana or mariguana in their own way. By the way, it was also associated with a personal name – Maria Juana. Sounds familiar? Yes, Mary Jane is its English cousin.

23. Noteworthy marijuana drug facts show us that the strongest marijuana strain contains 37.5% of THC.

(New York Times) (Weednews)

If you have been a regular marijuana user for decades, you have probably wondered if it’s just you, or marijuana strains have become stronger. The truth is, they have. Back in the day marijuana would far less get you “high” as it contained less than 5% THC. 

There are a few things you need to know about weed. For example, today you can easily find samples with over 30% THC. The best examples are the Toad and Brownie Scout that both, when tested, showed 37.5% THC.

24. Marijuana was known and sold by the name “Indian Cigarette.” 

(Revolutionary Clinics)

Before vape pens, there were Indian cigarettes. “Indian cigarette” was advertised as an aid for respiratory conditions, though it was rather poisonous due to additions to cannabis resin (potassium nitrate and nightshade). Also, the very first mention of marijuana rolled in a piece of paper was in 1856.

25. Not so well-known marijuana facts: British queens loved marijuana.

(Underknown) (BBC News)

Whereas Queen Victoria had it prescribed for her menstrual pains, Queen Elizabeth I used it an excellent party starter. The ruler liked to offer her guests with it and even issued a law by which a farmer was legally obliged to plant some marijuana on their land.

As for Queen Elizabeth II, there is no official data, but her grandson, Prince Harry, had some experience with smoking marijuana and was sent to a drugs clinic in 2002.

26. So far, marijuana legalization facts include only Uruguay and Canada as the two countries where recreational marijuana is fully legalized.

(BBC)

Uruguay was the very first country to legalize marijuana in 2013. Canada had medical marijuana legalized since 2001, but it took them 17 years to make recreational use legal as well.

27. Vanity Fair used to advertise hashish candies as harmless remedies.

(Recovery)

The 1862 commercial said it was a pleasurable remedy against anxiety and melancholy. Take into consideration that cannabis edibles weren’t something new at the time. For a long time, marijuana was considered legal medicine in the US and was even added to the US Pharmacopeia. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that states started to ban it. 

Medical Marijuana Facts & Stats

Marijuana has shown such impressive health benefits that each year another state is joining the legalization process. 

28. There are about 4,375,822 medical marijuana patients in the US.

(MPP) (Statista)

California was the state with the highest number of medical marijuana patients in 2020, with roughly 2 million registered patients that make 4.86% of the overall California population.

Oklahoma took second place with the highest percentage of 7.92% of the overall Oklahoma population.

29. Marijuana is the world’s first anesthetic.

(Revolutionary Clinics)

Historical marijuana health facts tell us the story of a Chinese surgeon who used a marijuana mixture to relieve pain during surgery. As a matter of fact, the Chinese word for anesthesia is mazui, which means “marijuana intoxication.”

30. Medical marijuana is legal in 35 states.

(Carnevale Associates)

It’s been a while since marijuana’s positive effects can no longer be denied, such as reducing (chronic) pain and helping with anxiety, seizures, and depression, to say the least.

31. Facts about medical marijuana sales: by the end of 2020 retail sales of medical and recreational marijuana in the US were expected to reach $15 billion.

(Marijuana Business Daily)

This also shows that there was a 40% increase in medical and recreational marijuana sales, compared to 2019. Moreover, it is estimated that by the end of 2024 the total sales will reach a dazzling $37 billion.

It seems only the sky’s the limit. As we have already mentioned, the advantages are becoming more recognized and the word of mouth definitely has something to do with it.

32. UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs removed cannabis from Schedule 4 classification.

(Forbes)

On December 2, 2020, based on the WHO recommendation, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs removed cannabis for medical purposes from the Schedule 4 classification. This means that cannabis is no longer on the list of dangerous substances even though it will remain under the restrictions of the Schedule 1 category in the US.

33. One of the most important marijuana facts: Epidiolex is the only FDA-approved medicine that is derived from cannabis.

(Medical News Today

Admittedly, Epidiolex is hemp-derived, but it is cannabis after all. The two conditions this new drug treats—Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome—are both rare and severe types of childhood-onset epilepsy. Even worse, the disease may result in the early death of the child.

This brings hope that marijuana-derived medicine will one day become FDA-approved too.

34. You could be allergic to marijuana without knowing it.

(The GrowthOp)

As one of the most important and interesting facts about marijuana, due to its (il)legal status, it’s difficult to determine what percentage of the population is allergic to it. The symptoms are similar to any other allergies: sneezing, watery eyes, nasal running. Usually, marijuana or hemp workers are the first to experience it. What is more, sometimes barely touching the plant causes an allergic reaction on the skin. 

Marijuana Fun Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

Now, let’s relax a little and learn some not-so-well-known facts to impress your friends.

35. Jesus used marijuana to cure the ill.

(Daily Star)

Marijuana is mentioned in the Talmud, as well as the Bible. According to some scholars, there is even a proper marijuana oil recipe in Exodus 30: 22-25. We suggest you try it out. How’s that for fun facts about marijuana!

36. Pot is short for potagaya. It’s not a dish, but a type of wine or brandy.

(Dictionary)

Americans started using the term in the late 1930s when they learned about potagaya or potiguaya, i.e., potación de guaya (“the drink of grief”). It is basically an alcoholic drink in which marijuana buds were steeped.

37. Marijuana vs alcohol facts show Millennials tend to drink less beer when they use marijuana.

(MarketWatch

Compared to how much is spent on one night of drinking alcohol and the amount of money spent on marijuana per month, using marijuana is much cheaper. It offers an interesting new experience, too, and Millennials are all about new and exciting events. Also, there is no hangover the next morning.

38. Columbus took marijuana seeds to the New World.

(Underknown)

The idea was that should they get shipwrecked, some marijuana had to be planted. Another one from the historical marijuana interesting facts list is the one about the first US president, who was also a huge fan of the plant and had it planted in the garden.

39. In 2009, a man has set the world record in smoking the greatest number of marijuana joints – 115,000.

(ABC News)

This achievement was not done by an enthusiast, though. The stockbroker, Irvin Rosenfeld, who has smoked 115,000 joints in 28 years, which means he smoked 10 to 12 joints every single day, did so because of his illness. These are very interesting marijuana medical facts which could be used as a case for legalization, especially since his supplier is the government itself.

The total number of joints is even higher today, as Irv continues to use his therapy against a form of bone cancer.

40. The most expensive joint was shaped like an elephant tusk and cost $24,000.

(Forbes)

Perfectly appropriate for the occasion (collecting funds for the African Wildlife Foundation), the joint was shaped by Weavers, a rolling expert. Rolling a 1.5 pounds and 30 inches long joint took two weeks and the paper used was made of 24-karat gold.

41. Legal facts on marijuana: the shortest jury deliberation in history was about marijuana usage.

(Guinness World Record)

In 2004, the New Zealand jury took one whole minute to deliberate. 60 seconds was sufficient for them to agree Nicholas Clive McAllister should be a free man and there is not enough evidence 23 marijuana plants on his land were planted by himself. The accused ran and hid from the police when they saw him, but this was not good enough proof for the jury.

42. The biggest cannabis greenhouse in the US is located in Arizona (40 acres).

(Greenhouse Grower)

Just three and a half hours away from the Grand Canyon lies the 2 million square feet cannabis greenhouse called Copperstate. What once started as a hydroponic tomato greenhouse, today became the biggest cannabis greenhouse in the US.

43. Bazooka Blunt was the largest joint-blunt ever made.

(Marijuana)

It was inspired by a rocket launcher but resembled a golden bazooka (hence the name). The blunt took a week to complete and was filled with 5 pounds of weed. On the other hand, it took about 4 hours to smoke it at an anniversary party hosted by a Los Angeles dispensary.

Now, that’s a good idea for a personalized gift.

Interesting Facts About the Marijuana Industry

How much money does marijuana bring to the table?

44. Legal marijuana market will reach $93 billion by 2030.

(GlobeNewswire)

Speaking of the financial seriousness of marijuana’s impact, it’s enough to say that experts predict the legal marijuana market to reach $93 billion by 2030. To be more precise, the numbers will go up by far, given that the marijuana market was worth $15.5 billion in 2019.

45. The biggest tax rates on marijuana are in Washington.

(Tax Foundation)

Washington holds the first place with its 37%, whereas the bottom of the list belongs to Maine (10%). However, this does not necessarily mean Washington has the highest prices.

The tax system is individual for each state. For instance, Alaska is the only one that does taxes exclusively based on weight. 

Prior to the pandemic, the states were expected to achieve $1.8 billion in excise tax revenues.

46. The marijuana industry has opened new, original jobs and is increasing the employment rate rapidly.

(Monster)

Marijuana facts and statistics predict the marijuana industry will have created 414,000 new jobs by the end of 2021. The top in-demand jobs in the cannabis industry will include jobs like sales and marketing, management of weed cultivation, cannabis extraction, a cannabis dispensary, bud trimming, and budtending.

If you didn’t know, budtenders are shop assistants selling you the desired dose, while bud trimmers cut off the undesired leaves from a marijuana plant. 

47. Women are more successful in the marijuana business than in other industries.

 (Green Entrepreneur) (Bezinga)

Girl power facts about marijuana tell us that women in the marijuana industry held 36.8% of executive positions in 2019. In other industries, female leaders account for only 21%. 

There were many women cannabis advocates throughout history, like Billie Holiday, the famous jazz singer, Mary Jane Rathbun aka Brownie Mary, the medical cannabis activist, and Wanda James, the first African-American dispensary owner. 

48. Marijuana delivery services increased their sales during the pandemic. 

(Los Angeles Times) (Business Wire) (Marijuana Business Daily)

One of the most popular cannabis delivery apps, Eaze, increased its sales up to 38% during the coronavirus pandemic. The number of new registered users to the app jumped by 105%. 

Another popular app, Leafly, also had an increase in pickup orders by 176%, while Sava had the highest delivery demands in March.

49. Why marijuana should be legalized–facts suggest that 40% of marijuana in Colorado is sold illegally.

(Team Mary Jane)

Despite the legalization, the marijuana black market in Colorado is very much active. One of the reasons is that not everybody wishes to be seen paying a visit to a dispensary. Moreover, Colorado is supplying weed to the rest of the country where marijuana is still illegal.

50. Marijuana facts from 2021: Oregon has more marijuana dispensaries than McDonald’s restaurants.

(Verilife) (CSUN)

Obviously, if you don’t know where to invest your money and you wish to enter the marijuana industry, starting your business in Oregon would be the right move. There are about 660 dispensaries throughout Oregon, compared to 152 McDonald’s restaurants. That’s 16.5 dispensaries per 100,000 residents.

Conclusion

There are plenty more fascinating marijuana facts out there, but we tried to pick out those that are absolutely astounding.

To sum things up, marijuana is a fantastic plant species. It has been with us for centuries, but new discoveries are made each year. Hopefully, marijuana will soon get the recognition it truly deserves! One of the ways to help the cause is definitely to spread some awareness about it as we’ve just done.

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