When did man realize they could extract the THC out of the plant, then smoke it to get high.
2007-09-07 06:51:05 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
Unlike other psycoactive substances, THC is a lipid and not an alkaloid. This makes it insoluable in water, meaning it could not be absorbed through the skin. Like candle wax, it will produce a vapor as it burns, and I suspect this was how ancient people learned about its psycoactive properties. Marajuana is a "camp follower" and grows best in disturbed soil around human settlements. Early middle eastern farmers were probably weeding their field and burned a great heap of it.
It was probably many millenia later that 19th century Germans isolated the active ingredient using some sort of solvent extraction system, followed by chromatographic seperation techniques. Victorian times were an era of great British imperialism and brilliant German chemistry.
Of course, THC need not be extracted to get "high". It is equivalent to extracting lemon oil to enjoy the taste of a lemon. Marajuana is best either smoked or even used in cooking. It can be made into "skunk tea". However, this is best avoided in America because of the puritanical drug laws and the fact it might be sprayed with a poisionous herbicide ("paraquat").
2007-09-07 07:41:20 · answer #1 · answered by Roger S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No one knows when we first realized that pot gets you high, or poppies or lots of other things. I'd agree it was learned thousands of years ago...
2007-09-07 14:13:21 · answer #2 · answered by hcbiochem 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a long time ago, and i'm realizing it everyday!
2007-09-07 16:15:43 · answer #3 · answered by Tyrone W 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋