A new study published in the journal Vegetation History and Archaeobotany has challenged former reports that claim the cannabis plant evolved in Central Asia. John McPartland from the University of Vermont led the study, which says wild cannabis might have been cultivated in Europe much earlier than initially thought.

A probabilistic synthesis of fossil pollen studies was conducted on ancient pollen remains from 500 archaeological sites around Europe. McPartland says that the plant may have been growing since the Copper or Bronze Age.

Fossilized cannabis pollen was uncovered on the sites, which tells us that, during the Stone Age, the cannabis plant was present on the continent.

This finding challenges previous reports on cannabis use in Europe

Pastoralists from Asia were initially believed to have initiated cannabis use in Europe.

However, McPartland’s findings indicate how farmers probably planned to grow cannabis plants on European soil, only to be let down by climate change.

As the environment evolved, the European continent became unsuitable for cannabis cultivation.

If McPartland’s findings are in fact true, this fresh information contradicts previous reports that say cannabis originated in southern Siberia and Mongolia.

One particular paper published back in 2014 said that the cannabis plant was originally harvested for medical and spiritual purposes thousands of years ago in Central Asia.

Since this time, researchers claim it was used by the Vikings and Medieval Germans to relieve the pain of childbirth and toothache. After spreading throughout Africa and Europe, cannabis was thought to have arrived in the Americas, with its arrival in the U.S. estimated to be at the turn of the 20th century.

History of cannabis use in Europe may be earlier than previously thought

During an interview with NewScientist, McPartland drew attention to the pollen records, which demonstrate how the cannabis plant was not farmed.

“If it wasn’t there they couldn’t domesticate it,” he said.

This recent study on cannabis use in Europe is not the first to spotlight an alternative history of the cannabis plant.

Researchers from the German Archaeological Institute and the Free University of Berlin published a paper in 2016 that suggested the plant was being cultivated and used in Asia 11,500 years ago and in Europe some 10,200 years ago.

During the Stone Age, wild cannabis cultivation was said to be commonplace throughout Europe. However, researchers say that the first farmers on the continent were unable to start cultivating cannabis before it disappeared completely, most likely due to climate change.

McPartland says European farmers may have used cannabis as a drug

Cannabis use in Europe made its return sometime during the Bronze Age – approximately 4,500 years ago.

Eurasian pastoralists were believed to have brought the plant to Europe when they descended on the continent.

Why? Aside from the fact that European farmers may have used cannabis for its psychoactive properties, according to McPartland, the plant boasts many uses in the textile industry.

Cannabis might have even been favored as a drug in societies that had not yet been introduced to alcohol.

“Even muted psychoactivity would have been appreciated by people who did not yet have alcohol,” said McPartland.