The History of CBD oil – Source CBD Hemp

The use of cannabis in general is much older than you might think — thousands of years older.

For centuries, it was a widely used natural resource, valued for a variety of purposes. There’s even historical discussion of its presence in the British Royal Household (more on that later).

So how did it fall from widespread use, only to reemerge generations later?

It’s time to talk about the history of CBD oil.

History of CBD: Age-Old Use of Hemp

The first known case of humans cultivating cannabis dates back to around 4000 BC. For thousands of years, it was a staple crop used for everything from rope to paper. At one point, it was even a mandatory crop for all farmers in the U.S.

In the 1500s, cannabis began generating interest for its potential applications in wellness practices, and scientists started studying how compounds from the plant interacted with the human body.

Dr. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy

One of the most well-known early researchers of cannabis was Dr. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy. In the 1830s, O’Shaughnessy traveled to Calcutta from Britain and began studying cannabis and its traditional uses.

When he returned to England, he presented his findings to the Royal Medico-Botanical Society. Following this, cannabis extracts became more commonly referenced in British medical literature of the time.¹

During that era, other British physicians documented cannabis use in relation to sleep, respiratory comfort, and general pain management practices. There’s even a long-standing story that Queen Victoria used it for menstrual discomfort — though most historians consider this anecdotal rather than verified.

Read this next: Want more myths and legends? There are a ton! Find a bunch here!

Across the Atlantic, cannabis extracts were widely available in pharmacies and were included in many over-the-counter products. It was commonly marketed for general wellness purposes and household use.

Legal Troubles

It was widely used — until attitudes began to change.

In 1914, marijuana was added to the list of regulated substances under the Harrison Act. While it wasn’t outright banned at the time, it became heavily regulated and taxed. Pharmaceutical companies were required to label products more strictly, and many cannabis-based products were eventually removed from the market.

This legal gray area persisted until the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which effectively criminalized the possession or transfer of cannabis across the U.S. Later, in the 1950s, Congress passed the Boggs Act and the Narcotics Control Act, establishing mandatory sentences for drug offenses — including cannabis. Hemp, and by extension CBD, was swept into this legislation.

Scientific Discovery Changes Everything

Despite legal setbacks, scientific interest continued.

In the 1940s, researchers began isolating compounds from the cannabis plant to better understand how they interacted with the body. Roger Adams successfully isolated cannabinoids in 1940, and by the 1960s, their chemical structures had been identified.

CBD Oil Joins the Party

Following Adams’ work, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and Yehiel Gaoni made a major breakthrough in 1964 by identifying and synthesizing THC. This discovery significantly advanced scientific understanding of cannabinoids.

In 1988, researchers at the St. Louis University School of Medicine discovered specialized cannabinoid receptors in the brain and identified where they were most concentrated:

Hippocampus (memory)
Cerebral cortex (higher cognition)
Hypothalamus (appetite)
Cerebellum (motor coordination)
Basal ganglia (movement)
Amygdala (emotions)

By 1993, both CB1 and CB2 receptors had been discovered and cloned. Continued research led to the identification of the endocannabinoid system — a complex signaling system involved in maintaining balance within the body.

This growing scientific understanding contributed to shifts in public perception and, eventually, changes in legislation, including early compassionate use laws.

Modern Legalization

In June 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a prescription drug containing CBD for specific medical use. Later that year, the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law, legalizing industrial hemp at the federal level.

As you can see, the history of CBD is a rollercoaster. Over thousands of years, it has moved from widely used crop, to restricted substance, to federally legal hemp-derived compound. Today, hemp-derived CBD is legal in all 50 states — and we’re thankful for how far the science, policy, and understanding have come.

FDA Disclaimer:

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.