Cannabis in Khmer culture

Overview

Cannabis has circulated in Khmer society through folk medicine, household practice, and informal social use, with meanings that shifted significantly under modern drug policy, war-era disruption, and contemporary enforcement.

Vocabulary and names

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This section is incomplete. Add sources and expand it.

To do: List Khmer terms, regional variants, and transliterations; add citations and example usage.

• Khmer:
• Transliterations:

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To do: Pick one transliteration standard and stick to it.

Traditional and household medicine

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To do: Document preparations (teas, infusions, balms), indications, contraindications, and who prepares/uses them; cite ethnobotany sources.

Food and everyday preparations

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To do: Any culinary uses, traditional recipes, or modern use patterns; cite sources.

Social use and stigma

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To do: Context of use (age/gender/class), stigma, policing, and rural vs urban differences; cite interviews or literature.

Ritual, spiritual, and symbolic uses

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To do: Verify whether cannabis appears in any ritual contexts; avoid speculation; cite only.

Contemporary period

Post-conflict and prohibition era

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To do: Summarize changes from late 20th century onward; cite policy + ethnography.

2010s–2020s: tourism, markets, and enforcement

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This section is incomplete. Add sources and expand it.

To do: Link to Cambodia market and enforcement sections; add high-quality sources.

Related pages

• Cambodia
• Cannabis in Cambodia
• Khmer language