This website should provide some insight and information about Marijuana history. Marijuana has been used by humans for thousands of years. There have been discoveries in ancient archeological sites with evidence of hemp fibers and seeds about 8000 years ago. The first recorded medical use of marijuana is from China over 4700 years ago. This is not the only plant used by humans. There are thousands of plants used by humans for medical and religious use. Many of the plants humans have used to treat afflictions over the centuries have compounds that are later discovered through laboratory analysis that pinpoint what compound(s) may be synthesized and then incorporated into commercial pharmaceuticals. Many pharmaceutical drugs have been developed and synthesized after these plant compound have been isolated.

Pubmed has an article about Marijuana, or Cannabis, that provides some good information. Click on the link/citation below to read the article-
Pollio A (2016) The name of Cannabis: a short guide for nonbotanists, Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research 1:1, 234–238, DOI: 10.1089/can.2016.0027.

norml.org National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws