Cannabis as a psychoactive substance was introduced to
the American continent in the 1600s by slaves from West Africa brought
to Brazil. However, it was never adopted by either the Portuguese colonialists or native peoples of Brazil. Nonetheless, use continued and,
over time, gradually spread along the coasts. In the early 1900s, cannabis, under the name marijuana, indicating its Latin American roots,
was introduced into the American Southwest by Mexican settlers and
