Cannabis in Brazil: between historical roots and ancestral spirituality
Between historical accounts, shamanic records, and the scientific perspective, cannabis reveals its trajectory in Brazil as a symbol of resistance, healing, and spirituality
The trajectory of cannabis in Brazil mixes history, resistance, and spirituality. Historian Luiz Fernando Petty, graduated from Unicamp and researching the subject for 15 years, recalls that there are no official records of the plant's arrival, but there are curious reports.
According to Petty, there are several reports, such as Gilberto Freyre's, but they have no historical records. "In the captaincies of the Northeast, where they had cannabis plantations, Gilberto Freyre says that it is possible to see dark green spots and light green spots. Which would be tobacco plantations, which was an elegant vice of the time, and marijuana plantations".
Petty adds that "to this day, what we know is that marijuana arrives in Brazil through the Europeans, sailors, and Portuguese crown enterprises, in the case of hemp," says Petty.
During the Goddess event, the cannabis dentist Joyce Bernardo, who has been dedicated to the subject for three years, brought a spiritual and ancestral perspective of the plant. She recounted that, in a shamanic book, there is a story of an African people who transformed into enchanted beings, being half human and half dolphin, bringing privileged information from outside Earth. "In cave paintings, there is a record of a big leaf that they manage to draw showing the sacred geometry of the leaf and everything that leaf represented. Today we think it is something very new, but in cave paintings there was a cannabis leaf that already had the knowledge that it would be a healing plant and a plant of spiritual knowledge".
In this week's episode, we address the importance of harm reduction in cannabis consumption, especially concerning oral health. The use of the plant through combustion — like cigarettes or joints — can pose risks such as gum inflammation, cavities, dry mouth, and increased incidence of periodontal diseases.
We discuss alternatives that minimize these effects, such as vaporizers, oils, and other administration methods, along with proper oral hygiene practices. The idea is for cannabis consumption to be safer and more conscious, without sacrificing the therapeutic or recreational benefits of the plant.
Our goal is to inform and educate, showing that harm reduction is not just a health issue, but also a matter of responsibility and self-care.
Watch the full episode: