Cannabis Isn't New
The Rediscovered Remedy: Why Your Grandparents' Medicine Cabinet Held the Keys to Wellness
We live in an age of medical marvels, from groundbreaking surgeries to targeted pharmaceuticals. Yet, sometimes, the most profound answers lie not in the new, but in the forgotten. What if we told you that one of the most effective, gentle remedies for chronic pain and inflammation wasn't a lab-created molecule, but a plant-based tincture that major pharmaceutical companies once proudly sold?
As researcher Mike Robinson points out, before 1937, cannabis tinctures were not fringe medicine or counterculture remedies—they were mainstream pharmaceuticals.
Standardized, Trusted, and Effective
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, cannabis tinctures were listed in the United States Pharmacopeia. This wasn’t "snake oil." Inclusion meant standardized preparation, precise dosing guidance, and accepted medical use. These were alcohol-based extracts designed for oral use, easy absorption, and consistent effects.
Doctors trusted them because they worked. In an era where treatments could often be harsh or toxic, cannabis was valued for being gentler on the stomach than many other options available at the time.
— Mike Robinson, The Researcher OG
The Original "Big Pharma"
It may surprise modern readers, but the giants of the pharmaceutical world—names we still see on shelves today—were the primary producers of these medicines:
- Eli Lilly
- Parke-Davis
- Squibb
- Merck
These companies produced labeled, dosed, and prescribed cannabis-based medicines. Even Sir William Osler, the father of modern medicine, referenced these preparations as highly effective for managing pain and muscle spasms.
Why Tinctures for Arthritis?
The effectiveness of tinctures for arthritis lies in their systemic action. When taken orally, cannabinoids circulate throughout the body, interacting with inflammatory pathways and nervous system signaling. Today, we explain this through endocannabinoid signaling and cytokine modulation. Back then, doctors simply noted a clinical reality: patients moved better, slept longer, and relied less on opiates.
The 1937 Turning Point
The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 changed everything. It didn't just ban a plant; it made medical use legally dangerous and financially impossible for clinicians. Within years, cannabis was scrubbed from the Pharmacopeia—not because it failed patients, but because politics replaced medicine.
A Return to Restorative Medicine
When we talk today about "rediscovering" cannabis for arthritis, we aren't chasing a trend. We are returning to a restorative medicine that has a century-long track record in Western clinical practice. The plant never stopped working; we simply stopped listening to the evidence.
Join the Conversation
Do you think it's time we reintegrate botanical history into modern pain management? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
#CannabisMyMedicine #ECSBalance #MedicalHistory #ArthritisRelief
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