For professional reasons, I had to research the long history of this herb several decades ago.
It was referenced in ancient medical herbology of many cultures: China, India, Persia, Middle East, etc. It was one of the incenses burned in Solomon's Temple. The Rastafarians have a legend that it grew from Solomon's grave. It was thoroughly studied by The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission in the 1890's. And more recently in Canada, by the LeDain Commission and by The Senate...
As recently as the early 1920's your grandmothers could simply walk into the neighborhood apothecary and buy a bottle of Cannabis tincture. And was widely used by artists, musicians, etc.
As with everything else in the world, it has repeatedly been found to have its positive and its negative aspects. Most of the negative aspects are related to ABUSE rather than USE and to its criminalization.
In the early 1900's it became "illegal" for the first time ever when it was added to the international drug convention at the request of Egypt. No study, debate or approval of any kind... a clerk simply added it to a list of other drugs that had been banned.
And Reefer Madness and political/puritanical interests in the U.S.A. turned it into a foolish circus.
For the past several years it has done wonders for my arthritis.
Other than political idiocy over the past few decades in the U.S.A., no one has ever found that "measured, careful use" is harmful. Indeed, the exact opposite!
So is there any doubt if "good" or "bad"?
What remains to be seen is whether Canadians can learn to use it judiciously and responsibly... and I think we will.
But I do agree about smoking it in public. But there are many "better" ways of using it than smoking it. And legalization will make it possible to set standards and produce high quality edibles and potables... which is why the big beverage companies are so hot to trot. Surely the biscuit/chocolate industry can't be far behind. I think we will see a substantial reduction in smoking...
But I am not yet comfortable with the idea of megacorporations getting into its marketing.
Perry