Marijuana has the mystique that comes from a long and storied history laced with a edge of risk and excitement. It evokes images of smoky dens where figures sprawl dreaming of worlds beyond, of reggae blasting Rastafarians with hideous dreadlocks and of Amsterdam cafes where users can legally take a toke or two. This is the common picture of marijuana but the real story is far richer and more complex. So what is marijuana and what's so special about it?

Essentially, marijuana (also known as cannabis or hemp) is an aromatic plant. Its notoriety comes from the fact that the dried leaves of the female plant can be used as a psychoactive drug. Smoked, chewed or made into cakes, this drug is the most commonly used illicit drug today. The leaves can also be compiled into a resin known as hashish or hash which is a more potent smoking mixture. Marijuana is a plant indigenous to Central and South Asia and is easily cultivated in temperate climates such as the UK.

Less well known is the fact that hemp has many other uses such being made into oil and into clothing, textiles, paper and cosmetics, and has played an important role in history.

In fact, archaeologists agree that cannabis was one of the first crops cultivated by human beings between 6000 and 12,000 years ago. The oldest known records indicate that hemp farming dates back to China 5000 years ago, though many think that it dates back even further to ancient Egypt. Originally grown for use as food and for fibres, marijuana's medical properties were recognized early on as was its psychoactive properties.

The first report of the medical use of marijuana is in China in 2727 B.C. and until the 19th century, marijuana and hashish extracts were the most widely-used medicines in the world. For example, marijuana was the painkiller of choice for Americans until the discovery of aspirin around 1900. Indeed, from 1850 until 1937 marijuana was used as medicine throughout United States and was readily available in pharmacies and general stores.

Marijuana’s psychoactive properties also led to use in religious rituals, especially in the Middle East and the India subcontinent where it was, and still is, used by shamans, saddus and other holy men.

Following centuries of use, most countries enacted laws against cannabis recreational use and possession during the 20th century. For example, it has been effectively prohibited in the United States since the 1950s. However, in recent decades, many countries have legalized or licensed its use under certain conditions and lessened the penalties for possession of small amounts for personal use.

There have been backlashes against certain practices in countries with liberal cannabis laws such as the Netherlands and Denmark. These have taken the form of closing smoking shops near schools for example.

The reasons for ban on marijuana use are that its ingestion leads to intoxication. It impairs such psychomotor functions such as depth perception, attention span and concentration. It also slows reaction time, and lowers muscle strength and hand steadiness.

Other than its recreational use, marijuana's use as medicine to treat certain serious health conditions is once more being recognized. One of the most important is its ability to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients. It's also an anti emetic which can help patients with chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDS by reducing nausea and stimulating appetite.

Reports have also indicated that marijuana can prevent seizures in epileptics when used in conjunction with standard medicines. In some countries including the USA and UK, governments have responded by making marijuana available for patients under strictly controlled conditions.

One interesting trend in marijuana is the buying of marijuana seeds for souvenirs. It's legal to buy and sell marijuana seeds but no to germinate them. This has led to the appearance of a number of online vendors of cannabis seeds offering a wide array of strains of marijuana including lowryder and pukka seeds. One vendor offers a massive range of fresh cannabis seeds with over 900 strains from 40 worldwide famous cannabis seed banks.

These sites stress that all cannabis seeds are sold as souvenirs, fishing bait, botanical specimens, souvenirs or incense only. So if you want to pick up cannabis seeds as souvenirs, you can visit the websites of online vendors and browse their catalogues for your strain of choice. Your seeds will then be delivered through the post.