Short answers, pulled from the story.
Cannabis is widely accepted as indigenous to Asia, with its centre of origin likely in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Molecular clock estimates suggest it split from its closest relative, Humulus (hops), around 27.8 million years ago, and archaeological evidence indicates it was first domesticated about 12,000 years ago in East Asia during the early Neolithic period.
The number of cannabis species is disputed. Some taxonomists recognize up to three species: Cannabis sativa, C. indica, and C. ruderalis. Others treat C. ruderalis as a variety within C. sativa, or treat all three as subspecies of a single species. Canadian botanist Ernest Small and taxonomist Arthur Cronquist proposed a single species with two subspecies in 1976.
THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis and produces the intoxicating effect. CBD (cannabidiol) is not intoxicating by itself and is thought to reduce the anxiety-inducing effects of high doses of THC. The THC/CBD ratio in any given plant is genetically determined and remains fixed throughout the plant's life.
The oldest documentation of cannabis as a pharmacologically active agent is the Yanghai Tombs burial in northwest China, where a shaman's 2,700-year-old grave contained 789 grams of cannabis confirmed to contain THC. The earliest evidence of cannabis smoking comes from the 2,500-year-old Jirzankal Cemetery in the Pamir Mountains of western China.
In the United States, industrial hemp is legally defined as cannabis containing no more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight. This definition was established in the 2018 Farm Bill and was extended to include hemp-sourced extracts, cannabinoids, and derivatives. Hemp is valued for fiber, food products such as hemp seed and hemp oil, and biofuels.
Cannabis has featured in religious practice across many cultures. It is mentioned in the Hindu Vedas between 2000 and 1400 BCE and became part of the Hindu festival of Holi. Sufi communities have used it in ritual practice since at least the 13th century CE, particularly at shrines in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. In modern times the Rastafari movement and several 20th-century religious organizations treat cannabis as a sacrament.