Marijuana Medicine

ETHNOBOTANY Marijuana Medicine, the most complete visual record of cannabis culture ever published, explores the role of hemp in medicinal systems spanning the globe. Cannabis has accompanied the development of human culture from its very beginnings and can be found in the healing traditions of cultures throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Even today it is an important part of many Asian healing traditions: in Ayurveda cannabis is praised for its tonic and aphrodisiac qualities, and in traditional Chinese medicine it is cited as a superb antidepressant. It also remains a significant part of the healing and visionary traditions of Latin American curanderos and Brazilian, Nepalese, and Indian folk medicine. Modern research has confirmed the effectiveness of marijuana's application in treating such diseases as asthma and glaucoma. Christian Ratsch profiles the medicinal, historical, and cultural uses of cannabis in each of these societies and medical systems, providing remedies and recipes for those interested in how it can be used to treat specific conditions. CHRISTIAN RaTSCH is a world-renowned anthropologist and ethnopharmacologist. A specialist in the cultural use of natural products, Ratsch has conducted fieldwork in many areas of the globe. He is the author of numerous books, three of which--Gateway to Inner Space, The Dictionary of Sacred and Magical Plants, and Plants of Love--have been translated into English. He also is the author of the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants. Ratsch is currently serving as the president of the German Society for Ethnomedicine.