[geneva_sativa]

Originally Posted by St. Phatty

How do you translate,
"(Coughing sound) SMOOTH"

in ancient Chinese ?

"(咳嗽聲) 光滑"

... best I could do with online translate.


https://antiquecannabisbook.com/chap2B/China/China.htm

This may be better, the other character you used for smooth relating more to physical objects.

feeling is smooth or pure ( literally = really or very pure )

好純

[Phaeton]

I need to quit reading this thread.

Human opioid receptors did not originate bcause primates ate poppies.
Cocaine receptors did not arise because our ancestors used coke.
Endocannabinoid receptors are not in all our cells because primitive men were stoners.

There are a finite number of usable organic molecules available. This is good because plants and animals have to use the same ones, albeit for different purposes. This allows us to remove concentrated forms of chemicals from plants that are both useful and rare in humans. Antibiotics from fungus, painkillers and stimulants from plants, poisons and cures from other animals.

The chemicals life evolved to use arose before life could pick and choose what food to eat. It used what was available at the time, and shared that with all the other life occupying the same space/time.

I used mercury as an example in my original post because it is a deadly, almost always fatal chemical that was used as a cure for many ailments from prehistory all the way to less than 100 years ago.
It was shiny and unique so MUST be magically wonderful, or so the thinking went for thousands and thousands of documented years.

I do like the fact the ancient Chinese pots had my favorite mix of intoxicants in the recipe. Some things they got right.

[oldchuck]

I think you are quite right Phaeton. I don't think people started using Cannabis to get high or for medicine until many thousands of years after the plant was domesticated. Probably an accidental discovery. Evidence is slim as it is for many preliterate human activities. My own guess is that the first use people found for Cannabis was as a seed plant like grain. This must have happened long before people figured out agriculture. Cannabis seeds have a high nutritional value but I would guess the first cultivated use was for fiber.

The relationship between the human endocanabinoid and the plant is an interesting mystery but clearly they developed separately.

[St. Phatty]

Originally Posted by oldchuck

I think you are quite right Phaeton. I don't think people started using Cannabis to get high or for medicine until many thousands of years after the plant was domesticated. Probably an accidental discovery.

I remember the first time I tried hemp seed butter.

Definitely had a healthy feel. Don't know if THC was involved.

Our ancestors certainly ate hemp seeds, and with hemp seeds come brachs, tiny leaves etc.

First time they tried to bake their hemp seeds ... Fun Fun Fun !