September 13, 2022 With the Russian invasion of Ukraine raging on, and its subsequent disruptions to global supply-chains wreaking havoc on the cannabis industry, an investigation into the region’s history with cannabis and the war’s effects on the industry is crucial.
Cannabis has long played a pivotal role within eastern Europe. Contemporary anthropological research has found that cannabis was likely introduced into southeast Russia and Ukraine by the Scythians, an ancient group of nomadic warriors from modern day Siberia, as early as 3000 BC. Since then, cannabis has been an indispensable part of Ukrainian and Russian agriculture, providing food, clothing, medicine, textiles, and fuel.
