Cannabis: the global histories network

Governments in Uruguay, Portugal and the US have made significant alterations to cannabis policies over the past decade and others, such as Canada, have committed to change in the next few years. It is 90 years since the UK added cannabis to the Dangerous Drugs Act under the 1928 Coca Leaves and Indian Hemp Regulations and the issues of the consumption and control of cannabis products, and the commercial opportunities it brings, are as controversial now as ever. 

We will build a network of historians from around the world to address a range of historical questions about the origins of attitudes towards, policies on and markets for cannabis substances. 

By understanding how countries have arrived at the laws and control mechanisms they currently deploy, and the reasons that consumers and suppliers have often proven to be resistant to them, contemporary positions and future directions can be clearer, better-informed and free of past prejudices.