Controversial historian: Jesus used CANNABIS oil to perform healing 'Miracles

Jesus and his apostles may have used cannabis oil to perform healing 'miracles', according to a controversial historian.

Author David Bienenstock claims cannabis was widely available across the Middle East 2,000 years ago and people of the time used it to treat the sick and infirm.

Holy anointing oils used in the early days of the Christian church contained kaneh-bosem, an ingredient Bienenstock suggests was a cannabis extract.

This extract, which was absorbed into the skin, could have helped cure people with physical and mental illnesses long before the first mass-produced medicines.

Many historians dispute the contentious claims, arguing that evidence kaneh-bosem was a cannabis extract is so weak it is not worth pursuing.

Bienenstock, author of a number of books encouraging the use of marijuana, says healing practices based around cannabis oil were common 2,000 years ago.