History

Germany legalises adult use while Thailand reverts to medical-only; the US moves medical cannabis to Schedule III in 2026.

The US FDA approves Epidiolex, a CBD medicine, and Canada legalizes recreational cannabis nationwide.

Uruguay becomes the first country in the world to fully legalize and regulate recreational cannabis.

California’s Proposition 215 makes it the first US state to legalize cannabis for medical use.

Scientists identify anandamide, an endocannabinoid the body produces itself — the natural counterpart to THC.

Researchers locate the CB1 receptor in the brain, revealing the biological system that cannabinoids act upon.

Raphael Mechoulam and Yechiel Gaoni isolate and map the structure of THC in Israel, pinpointing the source of the plant’s…

Chemist Roger Adams isolates cannabidiol at the University of Illinois — the first cannabinoid to be characterized.

Irish physician William O’Shaughnessy documents its therapeutic effects, sparking interest across Europe and North America.

Cannabis appears in the pharmacopeia attributed to the Chinese emperor Shen Nung — among the earliest written accounts of its…