Customer Reviews

Marijuana Medicine: A World Tour of the Healing and Visionary Powers of Cannabis

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This fascinating book considers the role of cannabis or hemp as medicine in a multitude of cultures from around the world. The author looks at the historical role and medicinal and cultural uses of hemp in these societies.

The introduction deals with botany, taxonomy, chemistry and pharmacology and also looks at the literature and research, providing an impressive bibliography.

Some of the interesting chapters include information on shamanism in Nepal, hemp in the Chinese herbal arts, Vijaya in Ayurvedic medicine, Bhanga in Indian and Nepalese folk medicine and the use of the plant in Africa and the Americas.

Each chapter includes recipes and remedies that contain hemp from these traditions for various disease conditions. The plant has a long history as herbal medicine with a multitude of applications.

The author discusses the German saint, seeress and musician Hildegard von Bingen and German medieval medicine, and provides one of her hemp containing remedies for stomachache. The role of hemp in Alchemy, Rastafarianism and Homeopathy is also investigated.

A list of diseases which hemp is used to treat is provided, from abdominal pains to wounds, whilst the bibliography includes books, articles, periodicals, multimedia and website addresses.

The text is enhanced by black and white illustrations whilst the beautiful full colour plates include botanical illustrations, photographs, paintings, album covers, T-shirts and buttons. There is also an impressive painting by Alex Grey of the hemp goddess.

The book includes a glossary of terms and concludes with an index. Every chapter has its own bibliography. This is a valuable reference and source book and provides a spellbinding read.

Marijuana Medicine provides a visual record of cannabis growing and its role in medicinal applications around the world, from Asian healing traditions to applications in Latin American and Indian folk medicine. Anthropology blends with medicine in this survey of how marijuana is used around the world.

I bought this book that I found on the discounted book pile ... Ratsch's book, "Marijuana Medicine" is very well written. It discusses the cultural and historical uses of marijuana as a medicine through the years. I found it very interesting. The pictures were a nice touch! The sections on current western medicine and self-medication were of particular interest to me. I found that, overall, most of the relevant topics in these two sections were addressed. They could have, and ought to have been of sufficient detail, including analysis and studies found throughout the literature. Again, it was engaging, well written, informed me about historical and intercultural uses that I'd not known before. But, it lacked sufficient detail for adoption as a scholarly book or resource. Interesting topic that probably merits further discussion. I give it a B.

This is a great journey through time and even comes with recipes, but none of them apply to the US since we never really used it for medicine like the rest of the world did. I recommend this book for anyone interested in Medical Cannabis.

This book sheds light on ancient peoples all over the world using cannabis for theraputic reasons, including depression, anxiety, other mental problems and serious pain relief from all sorts of disease. Mythologically, It tells how Lord Shiva grasped the crecent moon and the cannabis plant from the churning of the ocean, and gave the charas (tips of the bud) to the suffering people in ancient India. And a plethora of other info from all over the world. Its an interesting, factual read. Its also a fun read with many good pictures.. Recommended for students and activists alike. Sheds new light on this beautiful plant with hundreds of uses that God gave us at the creation of earth. Its NOT a drug. Its a theraputic plant and here are no deaths ever recorded from cannabis overdose. Makes you ask WHY is t illegal? Well to name a couple---the cotton and oil industries would suffer hard. And our corrupt politics wouldnt want that. Get this its a wonderful book.