Marijuana has always been used for medicinal purposes, no matter where it grows. It was a staple in patent medicines stretching from the Colonial times all the way to the moment the sale and possession of Marijuana was outlawed in the U.S., in 1937.
Marijuana, usually called cannabis in those days, was used to treat gonorrhea, malaria, headaches (including migraines), tetanus, epilepsy, cancer, and at least one hundred other conditions. It was also used for any sort of mental issue, whether severe or minor. It was recommended for pain. Many of the patent medicines containing cannabis also contained a lot of other now illegal drugs including cocaine and opiates. In fact, taking a swig out of marijuana, cocaine, and opiate elixir was a normal part of daily life for many of the middle class or wealthy of the 19th century.
A popular formula for cough syrups was a mixture of cannabis (Cannabis Indica), Morphine, and Chloroform. These mixtures were even recommended for infants and children.
Dr. J. Collis Browne’s Chlorodyne
A popular product was Chlorodyne. There were several products sold under the name but the original was claimed to have been invented by J. Collis Browne. This contained opium in the form of laudanum, cannabis and chloroform. It was advertised as a cure for pretty much everything.