The fibers of the hemp plant can be used to make a large variety of materials, including rope, cloth, clothing and accessories, paper, twine, etc Hemp was grown 4500 years ago in China and used mainly for clothing; the history of the Chinese people of this time was written on paper manufactured from the Cannabis sativa plant
The seeds are used for making a cooking oil because they are prized for their high fat content. The sativa species contains only minute amounts of THC and is thus also know as an industrial hemp plant. This plant cannot be used for psychoactive characteristics because this quality is contained in the THC.
Cannabis indica is the plant grown for narcotic purposes. The common name for this herbaceous species of cannabis is marijuana. A narcotic effect is produced when the mature dried leaves and flowers of this plant are smoked or ingested orally. Marijuana use is widespread and also it is an old practice. Old African tribes would smoke marijuana buds for rituals and dances. Countless studies have been undertaken to determine the medicinal benefits of marijuana. Concrete evidence is not yet available, however, thousands of people claim that smoking marijuana is the only medicine they have discovered to alleviate their symptoms. Some common disorders and diseases which marijuana helps to control are glaucoma, asthma, insomnia, and migraines. It is also effective for increased appetite and a decrease in stress. In glaucoma, marijuana produces the same benefits as currently prescribed drugs. It also eliminates side effects like change of eye colour, and damage to the liver and kidneys caused by conventional medicine for glaucoma. In asthma, a moderate use of marijuana acts as a bronchodilator, that is, it causes the bronchioles in the lungs to expand, thereby allowing more oxygen to enter the blood stream and facilitating the respiratory cycle in asthma sufferers.
