Coffee May Shed Light on Cannabis

In light of the recent vaping-related
lung injury outbreak on the national stage, as well as more local complaints
centered around odor, cannabis has become a focus of contention. Throughout
history, many new industries have faced hard-hearted resistance. Before
attending graduate school, and moving to Buellton, I worked in coffee. Today,
coffee is a commodity that most consider pedestrian, but it was once a new
industry and a controversial one at that.

Harvard Professor Calestous Juma
gives us an account of coffee’s history: In the early 16th century, coffee was
introduced in Yemen from its native habitat in Ethiopia. Early coffee consumers
were met with opponents claiming that it should be prohibited until proven safe
to consume. A prominent scholar named al-Dhabani personally traveled to
Ethiopia and witnessing coffee consumption; he claimed it was safe. This did
not detract opposition to the drink. Subsequent testimony was provided by
Persian physicians who claimed that coffee was “endowed with vile
characteristics,” prompting new legislation to prohibit the drink. Even when
these testimonies were debunked, jurists in Mecca passed legislation banning
coffee. Coffee found by authorities was confiscated and burned; traffickers
were beaten and told they would be denied entry into heaven.

Coffee didn’t fare any better when it
arrived in England. “The Women’s petition against coffee, representing to
public consideration the grand inconvenience accruing to their sex from
excessive use of the drying and enfeebling drink Liquor” was in wide
circulation at the time. This petition invoked the fear of impotence and
concluded that coffee be prohibited for people under the age of sixty,
recommending that they consume beer and other alcoholic spirits instead.
Coffeehouses were a center for social and political dissent at the time. King
Charles II used the opportunity to further his political agenda. He issued the
proclamation for the suppression of coffeehouses, the reason given for passing
such legislation was that coffeehouses were the source of malicious statements
devised to defame the king and undermine public order. Imagine indicting your
local roaster on the charges of undermining public order.