ABSTRACT
Different religions regard cannabis use based on historic perspective and healthcare professionals need to access the religious attitude of their patients before recommending cannabis as medicine. Ancient cultures used cannabis incense for religious ceremonies with hemp plants burned on wooden tripods according to Herodotus, a Greek historian from the fifth-century BCE. Assyrians used cannabis incense during funeral rituals and to ward off evil spirits. India and Tibet share a border and a tradition of using cannabis in religious activities. Tibet is a predominately Buddhist nation whereby cannabis is used for meditation and awareness during religious ceremonies. The Vedas, the oldest and most sacred Hindu text dating back to 1500 BCE, indicate cannabis is one of the five sacred plants. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history of using cannabis. It is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs of TCM and named for the Chinese goddess Ma Gu which is associated with the elixir of life.
