Critical Appraisals of Cannabis and Related Compounds in Pharmacotherapy.

Archaeological evidence establishes cannabis as one of humanity's oldest cultivated plants. Various authorities estimate that the history of its use began 5-10,000 years ago, initially in Asia, where the plant is indigenous and spreading eventually worldwide. Commonly referred to in some countries as marijuana, the more universal nomenclature is "cannabis," the genus name adopted from the main botanical sources of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica, and the less common Cannabis ruderalis.